If you’re like most people, you probably don’t think about how much your motorcycle accident case is worth until after the wreck happens. And when it does, the last thing on your mind is negotiating for a motorcycle accident settlement with the insurance company. You just want to focus on getting better.
But the truth is, the injuries you suffer in a motorcycle crash can have a big impact on the value of your case. That’s why it’s important to understand how these injuries can affect both your short and long term physical and financial well-being before you start talking to insurance claim adjusters.
Injuries and the Value of Motorcycle Injury Cases
The more severe your injuries are, the greater the chance that you’ll incur significant medical expenses, miss time from work, and experience pain and suffering. All of these factors can increase the value of your motorcycle accident case.
In some instances, motorcycle accident victims suffer catastrophic injuries that leave them permanently disabled. These types of injuries usually result in the highest motorcycle accident settlements or verdicts because they have the potential to completely upend a victim’s life.
How Juries Award Damages for an Injured Motorcycle Rider
Jurors tend to award damages by evaluating the following factors:
If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident, it’s important to seek medical attention right away. Even if you don’t think you’re seriously injured, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and get checked out by a doctor. Once you’ve been seen by a medical professional, they can document your injuries and start you on the road to recovery.
Find Out What Your Case Is Worth
The personal injury lawyers at The Kryder Law Group, LLC Accident and Injury Lawyers are experienced at handling motorcycle accident cases and can give you an idea of what your personal injury case may be worth. We know how to investigate these types of accidents, identify all liable parties, and negotiate with insurance companies to get our clients the compensation they deserve.
If you or a close family member has been involved in a motorcycle accident, contact us today for a free legal consultation. A motorcycle accident lawyer will review your case and help you understand your legal options.
What are the factors that determine the value of a motorcycle accident case?
The severity of the victim’s injuries is usually the most important factor in determining the value of a motorcycle crash case. The more severe the victim’s injuries are, the greater the chance that they’ll incur significant medical expenses, miss time from work, and experience pain and suffering. These types of damages can add up quickly and have a major impact on the victim’s life, both in the short and long term.
How do medical bills incurred as a result of a motorcycle accident change the value of a case?
Any medical bills for the treatment of injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident can add to the value of the case. This is especially true if the victim has suffered serious injuries that require significant medical treatment.
If the victim has PIP insurance, their policy from their own insurance company may cover some or all of their medical bills. However, there may still be some out-of-pocket expenses that the victim incurs. These expenses can add up quickly and have a major impact on the victim’s finances.
How do lost wages due to missed time from work change the value of a case?
If the crash victim is unable to work because of their severe injuries, they may be able to recover lost wages as part of their motorcycle accident case. Lost wages can have a major impact on the victim’s finances, especially if they’re the primary breadwinner for their family. The amount of lost wages that the victim can recover will depend on their employment situation and how long they’re out of work.
How does pain and suffering change the value of a case?
Pain and suffering are damages that compensate the victim for the physical and emotional anguish they’ve suffered as a result of the accident. Pain and suffering can include physical pain, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and more.
The amount of pain and suffering damages that the victim can recover will depend on the severity of their injuries and the impact that the accident has had on their life.
Get Help From The Kryder Law Group, LLC
The Kryder Law Group, LLC Accident and Injury Lawyers represent seriously injured motorcycle riders and help them to pursue motorcycle accident claims. We know how to investigate these sorts of accidents, identify all accountable parties, and negotiate with insurance companies to obtain our clients the compensation they deserve for their motorcycle injuries.
If you or someone you love is a motorcycle accident victim, contact our law firm today for a free case evaluation. We’ll review your case and help you understand your legal options.
What are some of the most common injuries suffered in motorcycle accidents?
The most common injuries suffered in motorcycle accidents include:
Broken Bones
The most common type of injury suffered in motorcycle accidents is a broken bone. Bones can be broken in a variety of ways, including being hit by another vehicle or being thrown from the motorcycle. Broken bones can take weeks or months to heal, and may require surgery to properly set the bone.
Road Rash
Road rash is especially common in motorcycle accidents. These painful soft tissue injuries can take weeks to heal and are often accompanied by muscle soreness or other injuries. Depending on how deep, how large, and where your road rash injury is, you may need skin graft surgery and a couple months of physical therapy to help you recover.
Road rash can cause noticeable, permanent discoloration or hyperpigmentation of your skin. If you have any pigmentation or scarring for your road rash, jurors will assess damages for scarring and disfigurement, especially if the scars/pigmentation is permanent and noticeable.
Head Injuries
Head injuries are some of the most serious types of injuries that can be suffered in motorcycle accidents. Head injuries can often result in long-term problems, such as memory loss, paralysis, and even death.
Pelvic Fractures
Often called “open book” fractures, these injuries can occur due to the force of striking the motorcycle seat in head-on collisions or when a vehicle cuts you off. Your injuries will require immediate intervention, so an ambulance will transport you to the nearest hospital. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may also need emergency surgery to stabilize your fractures. Either way, you will be bedridden for weeks and maybe longer until your bones heal before undergoing several weeks of physical therapy. Even years after your accident you might continue to feel stiffness and lingering pain in your pelvis. Some more serious injuries may damage nerves, causing permanent numbness or radiating pain running down your legs.
You will likely be awarded larger damages for pain and suffering, including future pain and suffering if your medical treatment providers or expert witnesses opine your injuries are permanent. Jurors will also compensate you for your medical bills, including surgeries and rehabilitation, which are related to the accident.
They will also assess damages for lost wages. If your injuries are permanent and you are unable to work, you will also receive damages for future lost wages. Finally, you will be awarded for loss of a normal life since you were unable to care for yourself or do the things you loved to do before the accident for months while you were bedridden and undergoing physical therapy.
Catastrophic Limb Amputation
High speed motorcycle accidents may cause limb injuries severe enough that they require surgical amputation. These life changing injuries exact an immense psychological toll on victims as they are physically debilitating and readily noticeable around. You may need expensive, custom prosthetics to help with completing everyday activities and to care for yourself the best that you can. Often, amputations cause lingering physical pain for the rest of victims’ lives.
Jurors award very large damages for amputation victims. Since the injuries are permanent and irreversible, victims will receive compensation for their past and future physical pain and suffering as well as the emotional trauma associated with losing a limb. Awards for medical bills may reach over one million dollars due to the expensive life-saving treatment, surgeries, prosthetics, and rehabilitation needed to help victims live the best life they can.
Amputations also result in permanent disability, so victims will be awarded past and future lost wages. Moreover, awards for disfigurement and loss of a normal life tend to be significant given the traumatic, readily visible injuries involved that will affect victims for the rest of their life.
What should I do if I’m injured in a motorcycle wreck?
If you’re injured in a motorcycle accident, the first thing you should do is seek medical attention. Once you’ve been seen by a doctor, you should contact an experienced personal injury lawyer. The lawyers at The Kryder Law Group, LLC can help you investigate the accident, identify all responsible parties, and negotiate with insurance companies to get you the compensation you deserve.
Contact us today for a free case evaluation. We’ll help you understand all the legal options available to you.
How much money can I expect to receive in a settlement for a motorcycle wreck?
There is no average motorcycle accident settlement amount a motorcycle rider can count on for an injury settlement. The amount of money you can expect to receive in a settlement will depend on the severity of your injuries and the circumstances of your specific accident. A knowledgeable motorcycle accident attorney will be able to evaluate your case and give you an estimate of the compensation you may be entitled to for your motorcycle injury claim.
How long do I have to file a motorcycle accident lawsuit?
In Illinois, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit (735 ILCS 5/13-202). It’s important to speak with an experienced lawyer as soon as possible after the accident so they can begin investigating your case and building a strong claim for compensation.
Contact The Kryder Law Group, LLC Today
If you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact The Kryder Law Group, LLC today. The value of your motorcycle accident claim will depend on the motorcycle accident injuries you sustained. The more severe injuries you sustained, the higher the value of your case will be.
An experienced Chicago motorcycle wreck lawyer at our law firm can help you understand the value of your case and the motorcycle accident settlement amount or jury award you might get. Contact us today for a free case evaluation. We’ll help you understand all the legal options available to you.
October 21st, 2022
(312) 223-1700