Riding a motorcycle is a great way to see a city and its surrounding areas. This pastime, however, is not without its risks. Motorcyclists, due to their lack of crash protection, are at a greater risk of injury or even death in the event of an accident. Luckily, victims who have been injured by the negligence of another driver in North Fort Myers have the right to pursue compensation with the help of our motorcycle accident lawyer.
An insurance claim or lawsuit can provide victims with financial relief during a difficult time. You should not have to pay the expenses associated with a crash you didn’t cause. Our North Fort Myers personal injury lawyer can fight for compensation for the damages caused by your accident.
Do You Need to Hire a Lawyer After a Motorcycle Accident?
Motorcycle accidents are usually settled in one of two ways: a lawsuit or an out-of-court settlement. To pursue either option, you do not need to hire a lawyer. However, it’s common for the victims of motorcycle accidents to become overwhelmed, and hiring a lawyer can be beneficial.
If the accident causes serious injuries, you may struggle to keep up with medical expenses without the benefit of a stable income. Aggressive insurers can only make matters worse. We understand your struggle, and our services are meant to make your life easier.
Our motorcycle accident lawyer might be able to help you after your crash by:
- Dealing with insurers, so you don’t have to
- Scheduling motorcycle repairs on your behalf
- Explaining complex legal terminology
- Providing frequent case updates
- Filing a lawsuit, if needed
- Exhausting every option in pursuit of fair compensation
- Identify the at-fault party or parties
Are Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in North Fort Myers Expensive?
Many law firms, including ours, work on a contingency-fee basis. Essentially, this fee structure means that a motorcycle accident lawyer’s payment is contingent on their success. If they don’t win your case, they don’t get paid.
These are the benefits of contingency fees:
- You don’t need to pay your lawyer anything upfront.
- It’s risk-free; you do not have to pay if your lawyer doesn’t get you a settlement.
We adhere to contingency fees because we know how difficult the financial aftermath of a motorcycle accident can be. We build trust with our clients by avoiding charging them until we succeed. This means that if you choose the right law firm, working with a lawyer won’t cost you anything upfront.
How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Case in North Fort Myers?
Florida’s personal injury statute of limitations limits your time to file a motorcycle accident lawsuit. Per Florida Statutes § 95.11, you typically have two years to file a personal injury case.
While your case may not require a lawsuit, it’s still best to get started as soon as possible to provide you and your legal team enough time to gather evidence and build your case. In some cases, you may have more or less time to file if the details of your accident permit. One of our North Fort Myers motorcycle accident attorneys can tell you exactly how long you have to file.
However, if you wait too long and miss the deadline, you won’t be able to receive any compensation or file another claim.
What Is the Rule of Discovery?
One exception to the statute of limitations is the rule of discovery or discovery rule. The rule of discovery states that the statute of limitations begins when you suffer the first symptoms of your injuries.
In other words, if you were hurt while riding your motorcycle but didn’t notice any pain until later, the clock starts ticking once you start experiencing pain.
In some cases, this rule may apply, so it’s important to ask your motorcycle lawyer if your accident qualifies. If it does, you may have longer to file your claim.
Compensation You Can Pursue After a Motorcycle Accident in North Fort Myers
Whether through a lawsuit or an insurance claim, compensation comes in two varieties after a motorcycle accident: economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover the financial challenges associated with an accident.
This damage can be assessed by reviewing invoices, receipts, and other proofs of cost. Expenses covered include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damages
- Rehabilitative care
Non-economic damages are equally important as economic damages, covering the emotional toll of a motorcycle accident. With non-economic damages, you can receive financial compensation for:
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- Loss of companionship
- Reduced quality of life
What If You Lost a Loved One in a Motorcycle Accident?
If you lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident, we extend our deepest condolences. We represent those dealing with the aftermath of a wrongful death and can assist you by pursuing the following damages on your behalf:
- Funeral expenses
- Burial expenses
- Medical costs
- The pain and suffering your loved one experienced
How Much Will You Receive in Compensation After Your Accident?
Neither standard personal injury nor wrongful death cases have an “average” case value. This largely stems from the variability inherent to motorcycle accident cases. Some accidents cause debilitating injuries, and others cause minor bumps and scrapes. Ultimately, the details of your case will determine how much you can recover in compensation.
These factors, among others, can impact the potential valuation of the settlement you receive:
- The outcome of settlement negotiations
- The severity of your injuries
- Whether your case entails a lawsuit or not
- The number of negligent parties
If you have questions about the value of your case, our team is happy to discuss them with you. It’s important to know what your case is worth to avoid lowball settlement offers.
Who Can You Sue After a Motorcycle Accident?
Identifying a liable party is crucial to motorcycle accident cases. If you cannot prove that someone else’s negligence caused your accident, you cannot pursue compensation. A range of potentially liable parties in a motorcycle accident may include:
- Another driver
- A municipality if your accident involved poorly maintained roadways
- A trucker or trucking company
- A vehicle manufacturer
Gathering Evidence of Your Motorcycle Collision
To discover who caused your accident, a motorcycle accident lawyer can review relevant evidence, which may include:
- Traffic camera footage
- Images of the accident
- Interviews with witnesses
- Medical records
- Police reports
This information can be used to lay the foundation of the case. While it’s important to gather as much evidence as possible after an accident, our team is prepared to supplement the information you provide.
Establishing Negligence in North Fort Myers
In a legal context, negligence refers to behavior or actions that put another party at risk. To prove that another party is liable in a motorcycle accident, you must show that they behaved negligently. This process entails establishing the four elements of negligence:
- The liable party owed you a duty of care: All motorists on the roadway are responsible for keeping others from harm. This responsibility is called a duty of care.
- The liable party didn’t uphold this duty: The liable party behaved negligently in some way. This could be speeding or failing to maintain the safety of a road.
- This negligent behavior caused your accident: There’s a clear link between this negligent behavior and the accident that caused your injuries.
- You suffered damages: Your medical records and other evidence show that you suffered damages.
What to Do After Your Motorcycle Crash in North Fort Myers
After your motorcycle accident, our personal injury attorneys recommend that you:
- Avoid speaking to the insurance company. Insurers will likely begin contacting you shortly after the accident, asking you to provide a recorded statement about the accident. You do not have to agree to this communication. Instead, you can politely decline the interaction and pass any insurance communication on to your lawyers.
- Assess yourself and others for injuries. After ensuring you and any others involved in the accident are stable, call 911 and accept any medical treatment necessary. If you are not treated at the accident scene, visit a doctor immediately after the accident to ensure you are not suffering from any underlying issues.
- Consider contacting the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine. We can explain more about the steps you should take following an accident to help progress your case and protect your well-being.
Contact Our North Fort Myers Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today
If you’ve suffered injuries in a motorcycle crash, the accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine are ready to fight on your behalf. We will pursue justice and fair compensation for your damages.
We can guide you through the legal process, ensuring you are informed of each step in your case. Contact our offices today for a free legal consultation.
We Can Help.
