Should I Accept a Motorcycle Accident Settlement?

If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident, you could be dealing with severe injuries, mounting medical bills, and a great deal of pain. Fortunately, filing an insurance claim can help you get the compensation you need to cover your bills and return to your normal lifestyle.

That said, navigating the claims process can be confusing. You might be unsure how to file a claim or if you should accept a motorcycle accident settlement from your insurance company.

The team at Zanes Law is committed to providing the information you need to obtain as much compensation as possible.

Our lawyers can calculate your damages, help you file a claim, and even determine if an initial settlement offer is large enough to pay for your medical bills and other expenses.

Beware of Early Settlement Offers From the Insurance Company

If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident and the insurance company is offering you a settlement, don’t accept it until you’ve met with an attorney. Insurance companies often try to settle quickly and for less than what you may be entitled to.

Insurance company adjusters know they can save money if they’re able to get you to accept a lowball settlement before you’ve consulted with a lawyer and discovered how much your claim is actually worth.

Remember, once you accept an offer from the insurer, you can’t go back and ask for more later. That’s why consulting with a motorcycle accident attorney is important before making any final decisions. A lawyer can determine how much you’re owed and review the offer to see if it’s large enough to cover your losses.

For a free legal consultation, call 866-499-8989

Let an Attorney Handle Communications With the Insurer

Whether you’ve suffered catastrophic injuries or minor vehicle damage in a motorcycle crash, insurance adjusters will always look for ways to reduce the amount of money you receive or reasons to deny your claim.

That’s why it’s important to have an experienced lawyer handle your case and be responsible for communicating with the insurance provider. Here’s why hiring an attorney to deal with insurers can drastically improve your chances of receiving a fair settlement:

You Might Say Something That Could Be Used Against You

It’s a common practice among insurance providers to call motorcycle accident victims and ask for a statement before they’ve had a chance to contact a lawyer. If an insurer contacts you and asks you about the incident you were injured in, tell them that you want to wait until you’ve hired a lawyer.

It’s crucial that you avoid speaking with insurers because they’ll probably try to lead you into admitting fault or saying something that can be used against your claim. An experienced attorney can communicate with insurers in a way that doesn’t delegitimize the injuries, financial losses, and suffering you’ve endured.

A Lawyer Can Make Sure You Get All the Damages You’re Owed

If you’ve never been in an accident or filed an insurance claim, you might be unfamiliar with all the compensatory damages you’re eligible to receive. A lawyer can meet with you to discuss your incident, talk about all the ways that the collision and your injuries have affected your life, and determine which damages you’re owed.

An attorney can make sure your settlement includes all of the damages you need to get your life back on track after a motorcycle accident, including:

Medical expenses, including hospital bills, ambulance fees, and out-of-pocket costs
Compensation for future medical care
Cost of physical therapy and assistive medical devices
Vehicle repair and other property damage costs
Lost wages
Decreased earning ability
Pain and suffering
Mental anguish
Diminished quality of life

An experienced motorcycle accident attorney won’t let you accept an offer that doesn’t cover all your losses. They’ll negotiate with the insurance provider until it agrees to provide all the damages you deserve.

Insurers Will Take Your Claim More Seriously

Once the insurance provider finds out you’ve hired a lawyer to handle your motorcycle accident claim, they’ll probably take your claim more seriously. That’s because hiring a lawyer shows that it’s important to you that you recover damages and that your motorcycle injuries are legitimate.

If you hire a renowned law firm to help you pursue financial compensation, the insurer will realize that dishonest tactics won’t work and that they would be better off providing the damages you’re owed than wasting their time trying to poke holes in your claim.

You’ll Have the Time You Need to Focus on Your Recovery

Depending on the severity of your injuries, you might not have time to deal with insurance claims and settlement offers. Handing your claim off to a trusted motorcycle accident lawyer can give you the time you need to receive medical treatment, attend physical therapy sessions, and get the rest you need to get well.

Here’s what an attorney can do to make sure your case goes smoothly while you focus on your physical recovery:

Investigate your motorcycle crash and collect evidence, such as photos of the accident scene, the official police report, eyewitness statements, and your medical records.
Work with accident reconstruction professionals to analyze skid marks, accident debris, and other pieces of evidence.
Identify liable parties and use evidence to prove they should be held responsible for your losses.
Prepare a claim and file it with the at-fault party’s insurer.
Handle settlement negotiations with the insurance provider.
Accept a motorcycle accident insurance offer on your behalf.
File a personal injury lawsuit, if necessary.
Abide by Arizona’s filing time limit for civil suits.
Keep you updated on their progress from start to finish.

What You Can Do to Improve Your Chances of Receiving Fair Compensation

While it’s important that you attend all of your medical appointments and get the rest you need to recuperate from your motorcycle accident injuries, there are a few things you can do after a collision to improve your chances of reaching a fair settlement agreement.

Here’s what you should do immediately after and during the days following an accident:

Seek medical care ASAP: Getting treatment after a bike crash isn’t just important for your health; it can also improve your chances of receiving damages. When insurers see that you sought care from a medical professional right after your accident, they’ll take your claim more seriously and will be more likely to offer fair compensation.
Call 911: Calling local law enforcement after a bike crash can also help your claim. Once you call 911, police officers will respond to the scene of the collision and write an official accident report. Later on, your attorney can use their report to support your personal injury claim.
Exchange insurance information with the driver: It’s also important to exchange insurance information with the at-fault driver. Having the at-fault driver’s insurance details will allow your motorcycle accident attorney to file a claim with the right insurance company.
Document the scene: If you’re able to, it can be helpful to document aspects of the accident scene right after it’s happened. Take photos of your physical injuries, vehicle damage, and any additional damage the collision caused to surrounding objects.
Talk to witnesses: Ask anyone who saw the accident occur if they’d be comfortable giving a witness statement. Statements from eyewitnesses can make the difference between a denied claim and a successful case.
Don’t post on social media: Avoid posting about the accident on social media, as your posts could be used against you. Insurance company adjusters or other parties may see your post and find something they can use to delegitimize your claim. Even a photo of you could be used to discredit your injuries.
Hire a lawyer ASAP: It’s important that you hire a lawyer immediately following a motorcycle accident. If you need to file a lawsuit, hiring an attorney soon will give them the time they need to get your suit filed within the time period imposed by the statute of limitations.

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Our Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Can Work With the Insurance Company to Get You a Fair Settlement

The team at Zanes Law understands how challenging it can be to deal with dishonest and stubborn insurance agents after a bad collision. That’s why our team of personal injury attorneys is here to help you navigate the claims process and fight for the compensation you’re owed.

In addition to advising you on accepting a settlement from your insurance company after a motorcycle accident, our lawyers can also help you pursue further legal action. They’re well-equipped to investigate your crash, identify the liable party, and pursue compensation via a motorcycle accident lawsuit.

Don’t accept a quick settlement; contact our legal team today to schedule a free consultation and get the legal representation you need to recover maximum compensation for your injuries and medical costs.

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