When Should I Call A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?

Call a motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible following a crash. The sooner you contact a law firm, the sooner you can start pursuing compensation. A lawyer has many strategies to help you go after a full, fair recovery for your injury-related losses. Plus, law firms often offer free case reviews so you can learn about your legal options immediately. However, you can still contact a lawyer’s team at any time in the claims process. Don’t wait to get the answers and support you need. Here, you can learn when to call a law firm, how a lawyer can help, and how to go after the highest compensation available.

Is it Ever Too Late (Or Too Soon) to Call a Law Office After a Crash?

You can still contact a law firm if you didn’t put ink to paper or otherwise sign a settlement agreement. Motorcycle accident lawyers commonly help victims at many possible stages after a crash. Whether it’s been days or weeks since your crash, you could still reach out to a lawyer’s team. Firms often get calls from victims when:

• Someone else is at fault for the collision, but they don’t know how to recover damages.
• They receive a settlement offer and don’t know if they should take it.
• The insurance adjuster won’t fairly value the victim’s damages.
• They face aggressive, unfair, or bullying tactics from the insurance company.
• The insurance company is slow to process their claim.

Again, you may encounter these or other challenges at any point after a crash. No matter where you are in the claims process, a lawyer could likely still help. On the flip side, it’s never too early to contact a law firm. You could talk to a team member and get tips on what to do—and what not to do—in the immediate aftermath of the crash. Since these moments are likely tense, and you could feel overwhelmed, having someone explain your next best steps could prove crucial.

Don’t Wait—the Statute of Limitations Restricts Your Time to File Suit

There’s another good reason to act sooner rather than later after a motorcycle crash: the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations refers to a law that restricts the time you have to take legal action and recover compensation from another party. These deadlines vary by state. You could have anywhere from one to four years or more to bring your case, depending on where you live. For example, New York law says you typically have three years to file a personal injury lawsuit. Whatever you do, don’t miss this deadline. Failing to file a suit or take legal action within the required timeframe means that you could lose the chance to seek compensation for your damages. Then, you would have to pay for your treatment and recovery expenses out of pocket. A lawyer can file your case on time and track other important deadlines.

Certain Parties Should Consider Contacting a Law Firm Immediately

Even though any motorcycle accident victim could benefit from a lawyer’s help, certain victims have even more reason to get legal aid. People in these situations should contact a law firm immediately:

• Victims with serious or catastrophic injuries
• Family members who lost a loved one to a motorcycle collision
• People who believe another party (or several parties) may bear responsibility for the crash
• A truck driver or rideshare driver was involved in their crash
• A government entity or construction crew was involved in their crash

Despite this list’s range, all these victims have in common is high stakes. Each injured claimant can lose a lot if they make a mistake or don’t know about all their legal options. But, on the other hand, these victims could gain a great deal if they understand their rights, the value of their case, and how to get the compensation they deserve. For example, trucking companies could bear liability for a truck driver’s negligence. A rideshare company’s insurance policy would cover your damages. If you have serious or catastrophic injuries, you can file a lawsuit—and you may need every penny to pay for all your care. A lawyer can review the details of your case and explain your next steps. Then, they can ensure that your case stays on track, you hold the appropriate party accountable, and you don’t miss out on the compensation available.

Reasons to Work With a Lawyer After a Motorcycle Accident

Working with a lawyer comes with many benefits. Whether you choose to hire an attorney after your motorcycle accident is just that—your choice. However, first consider some of the top reasons why you may benefit from having a lawyer on your side:

You Can Learn Your Case’s Value and Seek the Maximum Compensation

So, let’s imagine it’s been a couple of weeks since your motorcycle collision. You’re home recovering from your injuries—a broken leg, a broken arm, and whiplash. You’re in major pain and missing time at work. You get a call from the insurance company, and it makes a settlement offer. What do you do? Many people will just take the insurance adjuster’s first offer and walk away. That’s natural since most people have big bills to pay following a crash. Victims may have no idea, however, if the amount the adjuster offered was fair or if it would address all their losses. They also may not know if they have a right to take legal action against the liable driver, which could help them seek other forms of compensation not normally included in a first-time settlement offer. A lawyer can investigate all the evidence in your case, then explain what goal settlement or award amount you could seek. They can look at your doctor’s bills, prognosis, and anticipated future medical expenses. A lawyer can also use their experience with injury cases to valuate your non-economic damages or pain and suffering.

A Lawyer Can Seek the Financial Recovery You Need

Your attorney can do everything possible to pursue every dollar available in your case. They can help you seek compensation for:

• Past and present medical costs
• Future and ongoing treatment expenses
• Income losses
• Future income losses and reduced earning capacity
• Missed tips, bonuses, and opportunities for promotions
• Pain and suffering
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health complications

Motorcycle crash cases often involve serious losses. Depending on your case’s details, you could even seek other forms of compensation beyond those listed above. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that you have all the funds you need to cover your financial and non-financial losses. A lawyer can ensure that you go after all damages available in your case.

Have a Lawyer Play the Investigator

When you get into a crash, you need substantial evidence to make your case. Insurance companies likely won’t want to hand over a payout unless they see clear evidence of the crash and how you were affected. A motorcycle accident lawyer knows this. They understand the kinds of evidence that persuade insurance companies to make solid offers. Plus, if there’s any doubt as to how your collision happened or the extent of your injuries, your lawyer can supply as much supporting evidence as possible to prove your case. Because lawyers do this routinely, they often know the best way to get compelling evidence, organize it, and present it to an insurance company. They can use their skills and resources to collect:

• Police reports
• Eyewitness statements
• Black box data
• Dashboard camera footage
• Surveillance camera video
• Accident reconstruction data
• Medical records
• Statements from doctors
• Expert witness testimony, such as from economists

For someone who just got hit in a crash, playing the investigator can prove exhausting, if not impossible. A lawyer can contact the relevant entities to collect the reports, submit requests for documents, and do everything necessary to build the evidence you need. Again, the stronger the evidence in your case, the more likely you are to see the results you deserve.

Get Help With Common Challenges to Your Case

You got hit. You face injuries. You have insurance coverage. In spite of all these clear facts, they rarely add up to an effortless claims process. Getting compensation through an insurance claim can come with many common challenges, and a motorcycle accident lawyer with experience has seen them all. If you face any of these common challenges, you may want to hire a lawyer:

• You’re getting lowball offers.
• The insurance company claims your injuries aren’t serious.
• The insurance company says that you have an underlying condition, and the crash didn’t cause your injuries.
• You’re getting blamed for the crash.
• The insurance company refuses to cooperate with negotiations.
• The insurance company denies your claim outright.

Insurance companies work to protect their bottom line, and they may do so aggressively. They may misconstrue your words or the case’s facts to give you a minimal payout. They could even drag out the case in the hopes that you’ll drop your claim. Additionally, injured motorcyclists often receive unfair bias after a crash, so insurers may downplay your injuries and your side of the story. Whatever the situation, these kinds of challenges can stand between you and the compensation you deserve. A motorcycle accident attorney knows how to motivate an insurance company to cooperate, however. They can handle all of these common challenges, communicating with the insurer, so you don’t have to. They can submit evidence to prove your case’s facts and substantiate your injuries. If necessary, a lawyer can also file a lawsuit if the case stalls. However, only certain injured claimants can file a lawsuit. Your lawyer can explain all your options and do all they can to get a resolution in your case.

Have an Advisor by Your Side Through Every Step

Again, as an injured claimant, you may not expect an insurance claim to become a headache. But truthfully, dealing with the financial recovery process after a motorcycle crash can prove time- and energy-consuming. On top of it all, you may not know all of your options at every step—and you could end up making a costly mistake. A lawyer can stand by your side during one of the hardest times in your life. They can offer their guidance based on years of experience, legal training, and knowledge of other cases like yours. If you have questions during the claim or wonder if you can file a lawsuit, a lawyer can explain what you need to know. If you’re in pain from your injuries, you may not have the ability to see your case and your options from a neutral perspective. But your lawyer can view it all from a third-party’s perspective, offering clearheaded guidance as you make decisions. Since your case may come with such significant financial consequences, this kind of advice could prove invaluable.

Many Lawyers Work on Contingency and Offer Free Case Reviews

Many motorcycle accident claimants want legal help but have concerns about cost. However, you should know that many lawyers work based on contingency fees. This means that you don’t pay anything upfront to hire an attorney. Working based on contingency also means that:

• You owe no retainers, hourly fees, or other out-of-pocket expenses.
• You only pay a lawyer if they win results for you.
• If you don’t win your case, you don’t pay.

Many injury law firms also offer free case reviews. So, you can readily get answers to your legal questions after a crash. You can call a motorcycle accident lawyer’s team today to learn more about your next steps and begin the path to financial recovery.