A motorcycle accident can be incredibly dangerous, especially because riders are not protected inside an enclosed vehicle. Negligent drivers sometimes disregard motorcycle riders and should be held accountable for the accidents they cause.
Riders who survive motorcycle accidents are often left with debilitating injuries that take weeks, months, or even years to recover from. Some accident victims never fully recover and are left permanently injured. You can claim medical bills for your injuries in addition to the cost of your bike, lost income, pain, suffering, and other damages connected to the accident. To get compensation, you need evidence to support your claims of the defendant’s liability. Your medical records, details from the crash site, witnesses, and more will be of the utmost importance. If you would rather not go through a trial, our attorneys can help you explore other options, like a possible settlement.
Speak to our Utica motorcycle accident lawyers about your case. You deserve compensation for your injuries and peace of mind knowing the person who wronged you has been brought to justice. For a free case review, call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 today.
The Danger of Motorcycle Accidents in Utica
Motorcycle accidents are extremely dangerous for multiple reasons. First, motorcycle riders are not within an enclosed vehicle. They are totally exposed during a collision and might be dragged along the pavement, thrown from the bike, or worse. This arguably makes the average motorcycle accident more dangerous than the average car accident. In many motorcycle accidents, drivers in cars are often more or less unharmed while the riders they hit are severely injured.
Second, motorcycle riders are more prone to accidents than drivers in ordinary cars because motorcycles are smaller vehicles that other drivers on the road often overlook. Many negligent drivers might try to cut off motorcycles or ignore them while driving. Riders often must react quickly to avoid being hit by careless drivers.
Motorcycle accidents can be catastrophic or even deadly. Our Utica motorcycle accident attorneys can help you file a lawsuit against the negligent driver who hit you.
Damages You Can Claim in a Motorcycle Accident in Utica
Your damages are the bread and butter of your lawsuit. Your damages are the losses and injuries you experienced from a motorcycle accident and the reasons you need financial compensation from the defendant. Damages are generally categorized as economic or non-economic, and our Utica motorcycle accident lawyers can help you with both.
Economic damages are losses that cost you money. The medical bills from getting your injuries treated, the cost to replace your damaged bike, and the income you lost from missing work are all economic damages. We can calculate these damages simply by adding up the price tags on each expense. We must calculate correctly, so you do not miss out on any compensation.
Non-economic damages are injuries that deeply impact accident victims but do not cost them any money. For example, mental and emotional pain and suffering are incredibly difficult things to endure but do not come at a price. However, they may be evaluated based on how they limit your daily functioning and ability to live a normal life.
Evidence to Prove Your Claims in a Utica Motorcycle Accident lawsuit
In some cases, the defendant may try to argue that the accident was not serious. Believe it or not, this can sometimes be a hard argument to beat. Your case might come down to your word against theirs when evidence is scarce. Therefore, you need to keep excellent records of your physical injuries and the damage to your vehicle. Our Utica motorcycle accident lawyers can use this information to refute the defendant’s claims of a non-serious accident.
For example, they might try to say the crash was minor and they only bumped you. However, you can present records of your physical injuries from your doctor to demonstrate that the defendant’s argument does not explain your broken leg and multiple lacerations. Keeping a record of your injuries makes it harder for the defendant to play down the collision as non-serious.
You should also try recording the accident scene in photos and videos immediately following the crash. If possible, you should take pictures of the damage to your motorcycle, your injuries, the other vehicle, the surrounding area, and anything else you think is relevant to the accident. These recordings will come in handy in a lawsuit when the defendant tries to undermine your case. If you are too badly injured to do any of this, wait for help to arrive and call an attorney as soon as you can.
Settlements for Motorcycle Accidents in Utica
Lawsuits can be very time-consuming, stressful, and unpredictable. While we can help you prepare and argue your case using the best legal strategies possible, the final verdict from a judge or jury might not fall in your favor. Many plaintiffs turn to settlement agreements to avoid the agony and frustration of a trial.
Settlement agreements are an alternative to trials and are often decided way before a trial begins. In a settlement agreement, the defendant admits wrongdoing to a certain extent, pays for some (but not necessarily all) of your damages, and in return, you drop your lawsuit. The idea behind a settlement agreement is that defendants save money because they usually do not pay for the full damages, and plaintiffs get compensation more quickly than through a trial.
How your settlement turns out comes down to negotiations. Our Utica motorcycle accident lawyers can negotiate the best possible settlement and hopefully get most of your damages covered. A good settlement should not leave you with any outstanding debts you cannot afford on your own. If settlements break down, we can prepare for a trial.
Call Our Utica Motorcycle Accident Lawyers for a Free Case Review
Motorcycle accidents are rarely minor. Riders are often so injured that they face long-term pain and disabilities. Our Utica motorcycle accident lawyers can help you get compensation and hold the negligent driver accountable. For a free case evaluation, call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083.