In the state of Utah, if the other party was found to be 51 percent or more responsible for your motorcycle accident, you may qualify for potential damages.
There’s nothing quite like the freedom of riding a motorcycle. But when accidents happen, motorcycle riders can suffer severe injuries. Some never ride again.
Indeed, statistics reveal that motorcyclists were four times more likely to be injured than car drivers in 2022. They were 22 times more likely to be slain.
If you or someone you are close to has been injured or perished in a motorcycle accident, then you may be due damages.
The kinds of damages motorcycle accident victims are due
In the state of Utah, if the other party was found to be 51 percent or more responsible for your motorcycle accident, you may qualify for potential damages.
In cases involving motorcycle accidents, plaintiffs can seek reimbursement for medical expenses and bike repairs. Securing this compensation is particularly important if you experience chronic physical pain or health issues in the wake of the accident. Your award may also cover any physical therapy or rehabilitation you might need. If you become disabled or develop a mental health condition as a result of the incident, the jury can also include those expenses.
But that’s not all. Jurors can also reimburse you for the wages and benefits you have lost, as well as provide compensation for your pain and suffering, diminished earning capacity, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life, among other things.
If the case involves the wrongful death of your loved one, the jury can also award you based on funeral expenses and “loss of consortium,” which means the loss of an important relationship in your life.
Sometimes, juries also award punitive damages, which means they seek to punish the defendant for their behavior. This can happen in cases when the guilty party was driving drunk, for instance, or if the accident was a hit-and-run.
One of the reasons it’s important to seek legal counsel as soon as possible after the accident is that attorneys who specialize in these cases can help you understand what damages you could hope to obtain through legal action. They can also help you maximize the amount the lawsuit would secure.
Another reason is that, when recovering from a motorcycle accident or mourning a loved one, the last thing you should have to do is worry about legal matters. Experienced lawyers take the lead so you can focus on healing and rebuilding your life.
How experienced attorneys can help
Effective legal counsel will do many things on your behalf to ensure your case is as strong as possible. For instance, they will investigate what happened to determine what caused it and ascertain who was responsible.
Depending on the particular situation, your legal team might seek damages from the driver who caused the harm, an insurance company, or even another party. For instance, if a bicyclist, pedestrian, or property owner contributed to the accident directly or indirectly, they can potentially be found liable. The same is true for the manufacturer of parts that may have given out or proven faulty. I’ve even known of cases in which the negligent party’s employer was identified as a defendant. It all depends on the specifics of the accident.
In my experience, the opposition will frequently try to claim that the plaintiff was at least partly to blame for the accident. Experienced lawyers anticipate these maneuvers, understand how best to counter them, and work to discredit them in the eyes of the jury.
In many cases, an insurance company is involved. Since these corporations employ fleets of lawyers experienced in these matters, if you don’t secure expert legal counsel as soon as possible after the accident, you could quickly find yourself at a disadvantage. Don’t underestimate the amount of resources insurance companies will spend to avoid paying the damages accident victims are due.
To level the playing field and obtain the justice you deserve, enlist talented legal minds with extensive experience arguing cases like yours and a winning track record.
A good legal team will also amass evidence that shows the defendant’s negligence. This could include police reports, eyewitness testimony, photographs of the scene, forensics reports, and vehicle maintenance records, among other things. They can also ensure you don’t make any mistakes, such as throwing out valuable documents.
They also have connections to top experts who can testify to support your case. They know which specialists to bring in as witnesses and how to use them best.
Finally, they conduct communications with the defendant’s legal team, skillfully negotiating to promote a beneficial settlement. If no settlement is forthcoming, they will represent you in the most advantageous manner in court.
Obtain the justice you deserve
Does hiring a lawyer sound expensive? It shouldn’t be. Most experienced trial lawyers in the personal injury space work on a contingent basis, meaning they don’t get paid until they win your case. Their fees generally come out of the judgment the jury awards to you.
Indeed, since many lawyers specializing in motorcycle accidents offer free consultations, there’s no reason not to seek their guidance. Doing so as soon as possible is a good idea since this will ensure your base is as strong as possible from the beginning. That said, in Utah, injured motorcyclists can file lawsuits up to four years after their accidents, and family members can file wrongful death lawsuits up to two years after they lost their loved ones.
Obtaining justice can be a long process. But with an experienced attorney on your side, you will give yourself and your family the best chance of success.
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