Getting hit while riding your motorcycle might change the trajectory of the rest of your life. Not only might you sustain painful and debilitating injuries, but you might also experience post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other intangible harms. You deserve compensation for all damages you endure, and our attorneys can help you fight for it in Queens.
Contact our lawyers right away for help preserving evidence, tracking your damages, and building a case. We can request relief from all damages you incur, including upcoming medical expenses and lost wages. Pictures, testimony, and medical records are great evidence in motorcycle accident lawsuits, and we can help organize them all for your lawsuit. You may get enough compensation by settling the case out of court, but do not settle until we make sure the offer is fair.
Get a free case evaluation from the motorcycle accident lawyers of The Carrion Law Firm now at (718) 841-0083.
When Should You Get a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Queens?
If a negligent driver recently injured you while you were riding your motorcycle in Queens, call our lawyers immediately. You should not have to pay any of the expenses that come from the crash, and our lawyers can see if you can file a lawsuit for compensation.
You should not wait long to contact our lawyers after a collision. Evidence might get lost with time, and we can best preserve surveillance footage and eyewitness statements when contacted right away.
Our attorneys can handle all parts of preparing, filing, and navigating a compensation claim while you primarily focus on healing from motorcycle accident injuries.
Involve our motorcycle accident lawyers in your case before accepting any settlement offer or signing an agreement of any kind. Lowball offers from insurance companies are very common, and you do not have to accept any of the first few offers you get, especially if they are very low.
Can You Recover Future Damages in a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit?
Back, head, and crushing injuries often generate damages for a long time. Other injuries from a motorcycle crash may cause future damages as well, and our lawyers can fight for your fair recovery of upcoming expenses.
Future damages come from medical bills and lost wages. Your doctors may testify about your limited physical ability after an accident and how injuries stop you from working. We can then calculate your upcoming lost wages or reduced earning capacity and seek compensation.
You may also recover future non-economic damages in a lawsuit. If you sustained disfiguring facial injuries or other life-altering injuries, your pain and suffering might be long-lasting. Never underestimate the value of your non-economic damages or how long you will incur intangible damages.
Future damages can substantially increase the value of your claim, so let our motorcycle accident lawyers advocate for your recovery of upcoming losses in Queens.
How Do You Report Motorcycle Accidents in Queens?
You should report any motorcycle accident that leaves you injured to the police in Queens. Call 911 right away, even if the negligent driver asks you not to.
Involving the police benefits victims, especially when they get badly injured in motorcycle crashes. Law enforcement officials ask questions, write down important information, and help in other ways after traumatizing accidents.
Be honest with police officers, telling them exactly what you recall about the other driver’s actions. The resulting police report may help us contextualize the accident and learn more about its events, participants, and witnesses, so getting and reviewing this document is vital.
Never let a negligent driver convince you not to call 911 after any motor vehicle accident, especially if you are badly injured.
Do You Need Pictures for a Motorcycle Injury Claim?
Having pictures is important for motorcycle injury claims. Always take pictures when able, or seek assistance from witnesses, police officers, or other first responders.
Many motorcycle accident victims suffer such bad injuries that paramedics must take them immediately to the hospital. You might be unable to take any pictures in this situation, but that does not mean photos are nonexistent. Police officers and eyewitnesses may take pictures, and we can get those when preparing your claim.
When possible, photograph visible dents, broken lights, and other damage to your motorcycle. The car that hit you might not have sustained much damage, but you should still photograph it nonetheless.
You can also photograph the general area. This gives us a better idea of the road and weather conditions at the time of the crash.
What if You Are Injured in a Hit-and-Run Motorcycle Accident in Queens?
Some reckless drivers flee scenes of accidents with motorcyclists, leaving victims unsure how to proceed with getting compensation. Your first step after a hit-and-run should be calling the police. Leaving an accident scene without exchanging information is illegal, and law enforcement may investigate to identify the driver who fled.
When police arrive, tell them what you can remember about the driver’s car, including the make, model, color, and any part of the license plate you recall. If you saw the driver before they fled, describe their appearance to law enforcement, as that can help the police identify them.
You can also turn to our attorneys for help finding the driver after a hit-and-run motorcycle accident. Eyewitnesses and security camera footage often help us identify negligent drivers after hit-and-runs. We may get useful information from the police that will also be helpful.
While having uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage for your motorcycle can help cover damages when drivers flee scenes, identifying liable drivers is generally the best way to maximize compensation.
Are There Limits to Compensation in Motorcycle Accident Lawsuits?
When suing for a motorcycle accident, it is important to know the value of your claim and how to maximize the compensation you get. Since New York does not limit economic or non-economic damages for most injury plaintiffs, you may get all the damages you have lost from a lawsuit.
Compensation is never promised, however, and plaintiffs must present strong cases at trial or have successful settlement negotiations. Rely on our lawyers for help recovering all the medical expenses, lost wages, and non-economic harms you have endured.
New York also does not limit punitive damages. These are not compensatory damages like economic and non-economic losses, but are awarded to punish defendants who exhibit egregious misconduct, like drunk driving.
How Long Do You Have to Sue After a Motorcycle Crash in Queens?
There is only a set period for plaintiffs to sue for motorcycle crashes in Queens. Let us explain your filing deadline and do what is necessary to bring your claim within New York’s statute of limitations.
According to C.V.P. Law § 214(5), you will likely have three years to sue after a motor vehicle accident of any kind. If the defendant is not a New York resident and leaves the state, § 207 pauses the clock for that period, which will not count as part of the three-year statute of limitations.
You do not have to wait three years to file your lawsuit, and we can file your lawsuit soon after a collision, which can help you receive compensation more quickly.
What Medical Records Do You Need After a Motorcycle Accident?
We help plaintiffs organize all the important medical records they need for motorcycle accident lawsuits against negligent drivers in Queens.
Emergency Room Records
Most motorcycle accident victims have to go to the hospital. Non-visible internal injuries, debilitating back injuries, and painful fractures are very common and should be treated immediately.
Tell us which emergency room you sought treatment from after a crash in Queens, and we can get the resulting records with your permission.
Going to the emergency room directly after a collision helps us prove that you were injured in that accident specifically, and not another incident at a different time.
Ongoing Care Records
We will also need records of any ongoing care you receive. You may have to stay in the hospital for several days, return periodically for additional surgeries or follow-up visits, or even see certain specialists so you can heal or improve your quality of life.
Ongoing care records are very important evidence, so do not weaken them by missing doctor appointments. Gaps in medical records can jeopardize motorcycle accident lawsuits, so do not let them form and attend all scheduled appointments.
Should You Settle Your Queens Lawsuit After a Motorcycle Accident?
Although many motorcycle accident claims settle, you can take yours to trial in Queens. You should not settle your case prematurely and without having us review the offer you plan to sign, as the agreement might end up favoring the defendant rather than you.
Settling can pay plaintiffs enough for their injuries. That said, this typically only comes once our lawyers negotiate for some time or leverage strong evidence. Settlements might not give enough for hospital bills and lost wages, let alone pain and suffering.
Allow us to review all settlement offers you get. We can analyze offers, see if any are fair, and help you decide whether to sign an agreement or go to court. Signing a settlement offer will end your case, so only sign one you are satisfied with and that pays enough.
Do You Have to Testify During a Trial for a Motorcycle Accident?
Your testimony can be very powerful. Plaintiffs who testify can speak about their pain and suffering, reduced quality of life, and other damages from a crash.
Victims are also eyewitnesses. Your testimony can corroborate other evidence we present of the defendant’s negligence, such as photos, videos, and other eyewitness statements. When testifying, you can tell the jury if the defendant ignored your right of way, recklessly merged into your lane, or made an illegal turn, hitting you on your motorcycle.
You will not have to testify if your case settles. You may be deposed by the defense, however, during the discovery phase of a lawsuit. You might be asked various fact-finding questions during a deposition, which can be referred to later if a trial occurs and you testify. We take time to prepare plaintiffs for possible depositions or testimony so they are as confident as possible on the day.
How Do You Prove Damages from a Motorcycle Accident in a Lawsuit?
If you do not prove your damages exist, you cannot recover compensation for them in a lawsuit. Trust our attorneys to calculate and prove your damages from negligence accurately, and let us assess the value of your claim today.
Medical Bills
Medical bills might start piling up the day of the accident after you go to the emergency room, and may not stop accruing for weeks, months, or possibly even years. We can keep medical bills organized so they clearly show all expenses from an injury over time. Do not throw away any bills or invoices you receive in person or by mail before giving copies to our lawyers.
Wage Documentation
We prove your lost wages with income documentation. Tax returns and paystubs prove your pre-injury wages, and we can gauge the difference in your income now, whether you cannot work at all or can but at a lower earning level.
Testimony
As mentioned, the plaintiff’s testimony is good evidence. Expert witnesses may also testify, providing extra insight into some aspects of a case, like the victim’s pain and suffering. Mental health experts can explain the depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or panic disorder diagnoses you have received, and speak to your general quality of life.
For Help After a Motorcycle Accident, Call Our Attorneys in Queens
Get a free and confidential case evaluation from the motorcycle accident lawyers of The Carrion Law Firm by calling us today at (718) 841-0083.
