Many people rely on motorcycles to complete their daily commute. While a motorcycle can be an efficient way to travel, accidents involving these vehicles are far too common. If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident, you likely incurred damage to your bike and possibly sustained injuries that required medical treatment.
Seeking compensation for these damages can be an effective way to ensure your accident doesn't place your under financial stress. Many personal injury cases involving motorcycle accidents are settled out of court, and there are some common factors that can affect your settlement amount.
The value of your case.
Valuation plays a critical role in determining a reasonable settlement offer. The process of valuing a motorcycle accident can be challenging, but the main elements used to determine the value are damages and injuries.
The severity of your accident usually dictates both of these elements. A serious accident can result in significant damages to your motorcycle, and may result in long-term injuries. The value of your case will be determining using these factors, and your settlement offer should reflect this value.
The likelihood the defendant will lose.
Another factor that can affect the amount of money you are offered as a settlement following a motorcycle accident is the amount of evidence in your favor. If you can easily prove that the other driver was at-fault for causing your accident, then a judge and jury will likely come to the same conclusion.
When a defendant is likely to lose his or her case, settlement offers can be higher in an attempt to avoid court. If your case against the defendant isn't strong, then your settlement offer might not be as high as you would like.
Access to insurance payouts.
Following a motorcycle accident, you probably filed a claim with either your own insurance agency or the insurance agency of the driver at-fault for your accident. When it comes time to make a settlement offer, the amount of money that you have received from insurance payouts will be factored into the offer.
A lucrative insurance payout could lower your settlement offer, while a smaller insurance payout might cause the settlement offer to be increased.
Understanding the factors that can affect your settlement amount following a motorcycle accident will help you better determine if what you are being offered is reasonable. Your attorney will be able to review the facts of your case and advise you on the reasonableness of any settlement offer you are given. Contact a firm, like Carlson Blau & Clemens SC, for more help.
After I was involved in a car accident, I knew that I couldn't go on doing my normal routine. I could barely walk, much less work, which is why I started to panic when the medical bills started rolling in. I began thinking about what I could do to make things right, and I realized that I really needed to work with a lawyer. I began talking with my lawyer about getting the compensation I needed, and he was instrumental in helping me to heal emotionally and financially. Check out this blog for great tips on working with an accident and injury attorney.