A motorcycle accident can spell disaster for a rider. Meanwhile, the driver who caused the accident may be unharmed from inside their car. Insurance does not always help the way it should, and you should talk to a lawyer about how you can sue the driver who caused the accident.
A motorcycle crash may lead to serious injuries and serious expenses. Your hospital bills and motorcycle repair costs may be worth many thousands of dollars. If you cannot work, you may lose valuable income. All the while, you may endure significant distress, pain, and psychological trauma that warrants even more compensation. A lawyer can help you understand your damages and work to get you the most compensation possible.
Get help from our motorcycle accident attorney, Jerry Friedman, by calling 1-800-529-4464.
What Damages Can I Sue for in a Motorcycle Accident Case?
Your damages represent the losses, expenses, and injuries you sustained or incurred because of the motorcycle accident. Generally, damages may be economic and represent actual monetary costs, or non-economic and represent painful personal experiences.
Medical Treatment Costs
Physical injuries from motorcycle accidents can be extreme, and the costs of medical care may be just as severe. When assessing damages, our motorcycle accident attorney must include the costs of your medical care and future medical costs if treatment is expected to last beyond the end of your civil lawsuit.
Property Damage and Lost Income
We must also consider the value of damaged or destroyed property. Of course, we must include the cost of repairing or replacing your motorcycle. Additionally, we should consider the loss of smaller personal items, such as cell phones, wedding rings, and protective gear you were wearing at the time of the accident.
Non-Economic Damages
Your personal experiences from the accident may also warrant significant compensation. Your pain from your injuries, psychological damage, emotional distress, and other difficult experiences may not be directly tied to money, but they can still be claimed in a lawsuit and are worth considerable financial compensation.
How Can a Lawyer Help Me Get Compensation for a Motorcycle Accident in Westwood, NJ?
Getting compensation for a motorcycle accident may be difficult, and you should not try to handle your claims alone. An experienced attorney can help you file your claims, gather evidence, and make strong arguments for compensation in the courtroom.
Investigating for Evidence
Your case will revolve around evidence, and your attorney should know where to find it, how to obtain it, and what to do with it once you have it. Evidence may consist of lots of little moving parts or just a few stronger pieces of proof, depending on your situation.
Your attorney can review details from the accident scene, such as photos and videos, interview potential witnesses, and talk to law enforcement officials about the evidence they may have gathered when they investigated the crash.
Assessing the Value of Your Claims
You might have a wide variety of legal claims for damages, and they may be worth varying amounts of financial compensation. Your lawyer should help you identify all your damages and then evaluate the value of each.
Many damages are based on dollars and cents that can be counted up. Medical bills, motorcycle repairs, and the value of damaged personal property may be tallied up by looking at receipts, invoices, and other proof of costs.
Other damages are more subjective, like pain and suffering, and your lawyer may rely on their experience working on similar cases to determine what your claims may be worth.
About Our Westwood, NJ Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Motorcycle accidents can be severe, and injured riders often face harsh judgment from others due to unfair stereotypes surrounding “bikers.” Jerry Friedman has handled many motorcycle accident claims and has the experience necessary to obtain fair compensation for injured riders from those responsible for their injuries.
FAQs About Motorcycle Accident Lawsuits in Westwood, NJ
What Causes Motorcycle Accidents?
Many motorcycle accidents happen because of negligent drivers in cars. They may be speeding and accidentally strike a motorcycle rider, who may then be thrown from the bike. They may also easily miss riders in blind spots or simply because they are distracted while driving.
Can I Sue the Other Driver Involved in My Motorcycle Accident?
Yes. If we have evidence to support claims that the other driver is at fault for the accident, you may be able to sue them in a civil lawsuit. It is best to hire a lawyer as soon as possible so they can investigate the accident, gather evidence, and draft the paperwork necessary to initiate the case.
When Should I Hire a Lawyer for My Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit?
You should speak to an attorney about your motorcycle accident as soon as possible. Typically, injured riders file personal injury lawsuits against negligent drivers. Such cases must be filed in New Jersey no later than 2 years after the date of the accident.
Can I Sue if My Motorcycle Accident is Covered by Insurance?
Yes. You may be able to file insurance claims after a motorcycle accident, but that does not necessarily stop you from suing. Insurance claims are often limited. Policy terms may restrict your compensation, and certain damages, like non-economic damages, might not be covered at all. You can sue for whatever insurance does not cover.
How Do I Collect Evidence for a Motorcycle Accident Case?
You may start collecting evidence right after the accident while waiting for help to arrive. You should photograph the scene if you can, and exchange information with other drivers so we can easily contact them later. Your lawyer can investigate for more evidence while you recover from your injuries.
Can I Sue for a Motorcycle Accident if My Injuries Are Not Severe?
Yes. Your injuries do not have to be severe or life-threatening for you to sue for fair compensation. Even minor injuries can be expensive to treat, and you may have numerous other damages beyond your physical injuries.
Speak to Our Westwood, NJ Motorcycle Accident Attorneys About Your Case Today
Get help from our motorcycle accident attorney, Jerry Friedman, by calling 1-800-529-4464.