Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Motorcycles are one of America’s favorite forms of transportation. However, motorcycles are some of the most dangerous vehicles for their occupants. In 2012 alone, nearly 5,000 motorcyclists were killed and 100,000 were injured from motorcycle accidents. These rates continue to go up year over year as the popularity of motorcycle riding continues to rise.

When should you contact a motorcycle accident lawyer?

If you, your family, or a friend has been involved in an automobile accident, speak with an auto accident attorney immediately. The reason promptness is so critical is that the insurance companies are experts at quickly (1) inducing the injured person to sign full release, (2) undermining the injured’s legal case, and (3) undervaluing the worth of the injuries. If the injured wants to maximize his or her chances of a large recovery, it is imperative the case is handled correctly from the start.

Why do you need motorcycle accident lawyer?

Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Insurance companies are in the business of reducing their liability and exposure. They try to avoid responsibility for paying medical bills, property damage, and other compensation. Insurance companies have departments dedicated to minimizing the amount of money they pay to victims of accidents caused by people who buy their insurance policies. Here are the top 3 reasons to retain a motorcycle accident lawyer:

• Unscrupulous Insurance Agents – Have you received a call from the others person’s insurance company after your accident to see if you were “alright?” Did they offer you money to “take care of the property damage” and promise it won’t waive claims about your medical injury? Does that check now include the words waiver, net release, or satisfaction? If any of this sounds remotely familiar, you need the immediate help of an accident lawyer.
• Evidence – Think about the accident that occurred. What if the other person suddenly and inexplicably changed his or her entire story? Imagine he or she felt pressured by the insurance company, a family member, a lawyer, or because he or she couldn’t afford to be at fault. This is how our motorcycle accident lawyers think about every single case. We operate on the idea that nothing can be taken for granted.
• Money Settlements – Valuation of an injury case is a complicated process based on many variables unique to the accident and the injured person, actuarial tables of prior awards, assessed strength of the case, and the extent of the injuries and damages. Categories of recoverable damages include:
  • Medical Costs: Costs include treatment by physicians, medical centers, clinics, hospitals, emergency rooms, ambulances, paramedics, chiropractors, physical therapists, other licensed professionals and the cost of medical devices. Future medical costs may be recovered as well.
  • Pain and Suffering, Disability, and Mental and Emotional Distress: Damages include physical pain, disfigurement, discomfort, loss of ability to work, inability to partake in recreational activities, and mental distress and emotional trauma including fear, anxiety, grief, shock, PTSD, loss of dignity, embarrassment, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
  • Loss of Earnings and Earning Capacity: Damages include the loss wages, including other benefits, and expected future earning capacity if the ability to earn money has been impaired.
  • Loss of Consortium: If you are married or in a domestic partnership you may recover for the loss of the benefits of married or domestic partnered life.
  • Property Damage: You can recover the value of your property that was damaged in the accident.
  • Other Economic and Out of Pocket Costs: In addition to the economic costs associated with the items described above, you may recover damages for other economic harm and out of pocket expenses.

Top reasons to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer

The injured should almost certainly hire a motorcycle accident lawyer if:

• There are serious injuries.
• The injury has caused or has the potential to cause long-term repercussions.
• The other driver or drivers are uninsured or underinsured.
• There is a potential for a dispute over who was at fault.
• A claims adjuster is quickly offering to write a check.
• A claims adjuster is requesting the injured to sign legal documents.
• You are feeling pressured by the claims adjuster to agree to a quick settlement.
• The statute of limitations laws may come into effect before you can challenge the settlement claim on your own.
• You don’t feel you’re being fully compensated for your current and future medical costs resulting from your motorcycle accident injury.

When you should NOT hire a personal injury lawyer:

• The injury is minor.
• You went to the emergency room after the accident and never received any further medical treatment.
• There is no medical record.
• There is only property damage and no medical injury.
• The soreness quickly went away.
• You received very mild injuries and the other driver’s insurance company is willing to pay a fair amount for your property damage, medical bills and injuries.

You won’t need one for every auto accident claim you file, but if you’ve been injured in an auto accident for which you were not at fault, hiring a personal injury attorney can help you receive a fair settlement from your insurance company.

Sources of Possible Injury

When on a motorcycle, there are three primary sources of possible injury: obstacles, environmental hazards, and other vehicles.

Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Obstacles include anything that can get in your way, be it improperly maintained roads with potholes, tree branches, or any other object which interferes with the proper operation of your vehicle. While many of these obstacles could damage a larger vehicle, these could in fact cause your motorcycle to crash, causing damage not only to you but to your vehicle as well.

While motorcycling is most popular while the weather is better, severe weather can strike at any point. Weather can cause operation of the motorcycle to become much more dangerous. Possible hazards include heavy rain, ice, snow or even wind. When these hazards hit, it is important to take extra care, especially as other drivers will have a harder time seeing you and not causing harm.

The most significant source of possible injury is other vehicles. Whether a sedan or an Eighteen Wheeler Truck, the fact that the other vehicles on the road are so much larger than motorcycles often leads to severe injuries in the event of an accident. These vehicles, because they are not used to seeing motorcycles, may not even see the motorcycle after looking directly at it. As a motorcyclist, it is important to account for this when motorcycling, driving as defensively as possible. Nevertheless, despite all your efforts to drive carefully and safely, sometimes it is simply impossible to avoid an accident. Regardless of the source of the injury, you should contact a KM&A motorcycle attorney who can evaluate your case and carry the burden of proceeding with your claim for the injury you have sustained.

Injuries

When involved in a motorcycle accident, you may suffer severe injuries. The physical injuries you may experience include road rash, neck injury, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, back injuries, amputations, broken bones, skull fractures, and brain injuries. Along with this, mental and emotional injuries are likely to occur, including post-concussion syndrome which could lead to insomnia, nausea, migraines, anxiety, depression, and other disorders. Some of these conditions may not even be known to you until weeks or months after the accident. It is important that you not only speak with a doctor about all the symptoms you are suffering, but to speak with an attorney who is experienced with motorcycle accidents and the conditions you are suffering. At KM&A we understand and have experience with motorcycle accidents. Don’t go it alone. Contact Kraemer, Manes and Associates LLC to have an advocate on your side.

Kraemer, Manes & Associates LLC “KM&A” is a law firm serving all of Pennsylvania with our principal offices in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Call KM&A in western Pennsylvania at 412-626-5626 or in eastern Pennsylvania at 215-618-9185. KM&A can be reached by email at lawyer@lawkm.com.