Common Causes and Injuries of Motorcycle Accidents
In order to determine the full value of your claim, your personal injury attorney will have to identify any and all at-fault parties. We must know who was responsible for the accident before seeking compensation. Most motorcycle accidents involve multiple vehicles, which increases the chances that the other driver shared some fault. For instance, in an overwhelming majority of multi-vehicle accidents, the driver of the automobile or 18-wheeler violates the motorcycle’s right-of-way and causes the accident. Even if there were no other vehicles involved, there still may have been other factors that were out of your control that contributed to the accident.
Injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents are usually very severe and deserve full compensation in order to finance them. Here are some of the most common injuries we have seen:
- Concussion and brain damage, as the head violently contacts other vehicles or objects, is a common type of injury when the motorcycle falls.
- The most common breakage of joints is the shoulder and the pelvis.
- Thirty-five percent (35%) of all crashes show major impact on the chin-bar area of the face.
- Leg amputation below the knee.
Why do I need a Lafayette, LA motorcycle accident attorney?
Have you been injured in a motorcycle crash? Is your family struggling to pay bills because you are out of work? Is the insurance company demanding a medical release and recorded statement to process your claim? Are you afraid that you will not be able to afford the physical therapy and long-term personal care that your loved one needs because he or she suffered traumatic, life-changing injuries in a Lafayette motorcycle crash?
It is normal to be frightened when you or a loved one is injured in a motorcycle accident. It is also normal to feel frustrated when the insurance company for the other driver is not treating you fairly or is trying to force you to accept a quick settlement. Your top priority should be your recovery and your health; however, someone must handle the legal aspects of a motorcycle accident claim. We do that for you.
Our motorcycle accident lawyers handle the legal aspects of your personal injury claim while you focus on your recovery and your family. A motorcycle accident lawsuit is handled differently from a motor vehicle accident involving passenger vehicles. Because of the negative, unfounded, and untrue stereotypes associated with motorcyclists (i.e. reckless, dangerous, etc.), insurance companies try to use the doctrine of comparative fault to their advantage to reduce the settlement amount.
What is comparative fault?
Under comparative fault, if you are found to be partially responsible for the accident and/or your injuries, your settlement amount will be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you. For example, if you are found to be 40 percent at fault for the accident, your recovery amount is reduced by that percentage. Insurance companies like to claim that the motorcyclist was driving recklessly, speeding, weaving in and out of traffic, failed to wear safety equipment, or failed to take evasive action to avoid the accident. If the insurance company is successful in proving any of these claims, you may not recover enough compensation to cover your injuries.
An experienced motorcycle accident attorney understands how to fight insurance companies and their allegations. When you retain our services, we immediately perform a comprehensive accident investigation to identify and preserve key evidence we can use to prove that you were not at fault for the accident. When necessary, our attorneys utilize experts to recreate the accident in order to prove fault.
Should I discuss my motorcycle accident with the insurance company?
It may seem logical to sign a medical release for the insurance company so that it can obtain your medical records to verify your injuries. You may also feel compelled to tell your side of the story when the insurance adjuster requests a recorded or written statement. Do NOT fall for these insurance tactics!
Insurance companies want you to sign releases and provide statements before you consult with an attorney, but we will tell you that it is NOT in your best interest to sign anything or provide a statement. Rather, it is in the insurance company’s best interest because then it may use any of that information against you later in the case. It is always in your best interest to consult with our motorcycle accident lawyers before you speak with an insurance company or other party about your motorcycle crash. Let us protect your legal rights to compensation while your medical providers work to help you heal from the devastating injuries caused by a negligent, careless, or reckless driver.
Experience Counts When Fighting an Insurance Company for Damages in a Louisiana Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit
If you or a family member has been injured in a Louisiana motorcycle accident, you are entitled to receive compensation for your losses. Do not assume the insurance company has your best interest as its top priority. Hire the motorcycle accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Matt & Allen to ensure that your right to receive a fair and just settlement is protected. We have your best interest as our top priority.
Motorcycle accident injuries are often catastrophic in terms of the severity of injury, damages, and loss. Our attorneys have the education and experience you need in order to fight for the full extent of compensation you need and deserve. Click here to read about our various backgrounds.
At the Law Offices of Matt & Allen, we have the resources and experience to develop the facts of your case and to present all of your injuries and damages to the judge and jury so that you are fully compensated as required under Louisiana law. Contact our personal injury attorneys by calling 337-237-1000 or contact our office online for a free case evaluation. If we do not obtain a recovery, you do not pay our fee.
