Why Having a Motorcycle Attorney Is Important When Negotiating with Insurance Companies
Negotiating with insurance companies can be more complicated than you think, which is why having a motorcycle attorney is crucial. Your lawyer has an understanding of your state’s personal injury and insurance laws and experience at the negotiating table. Hiring a lawyer is also risk-free since it typically costs nothing upfront or out of your pocket. Most will accept your case on a contingency fee basis, meaning they are only compensated when you are.
If you or a loved one was injured in a recent motorcycle collision that was clearly caused by their negligence, you may think you can handle the at-fault driver’s insurer without a lawyer. Having a motorcycle accident lawyer represent you, though, can have a myriad of benefits. Your lawyer can also calculate the value of your damages to help you avoid inadvertently getting a smaller settlement than you are actually entitled to recover.
Hire a Motorcycle Attorney Before Contacting an Insurance Company
Anything you say to the at-fault driver’s insurance company, or even to your own if the at-fault driver was uninsured or underinsured, becomes part of your case file. That makes having a lawyer to handle all case-related communication crucial. They will:
- Review the details of the accident with you
- Respond to the insurer’s emails and text messages
- Manage all written and phone communication
- Complete and submit insurance claim forms
Your motorcycle accident lawyer case involves multiple steps before the negotiation process even begins. When your lawyer handles the pre-negotiation phase of your case, you can gain peace of mind while signaling to the insurance company that you are serious about obtaining compensation.
A lawyer can also take crucial legal action, including conducting depositions and leveraging the discovery process to understand the evidence the at-fault driver’s representatives have.
An Attorney Can Handle the Intricate Process of Motorcycle Insurance Negotiation
The insurance claim process for motorcycles after an accident starts with proving the at-fault party caused the accident. That means collecting evidence that clearly indicates fault and financial liability.
Once negligence is proven, you can seek damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, property damage or loss, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and emotional trauma. To recover these damages, your personal injury attorney will:
- Assign a detailed monetary value to your case
- Receive settlement offers on your behalf
- Weigh the merits of each monetary offer
- Send counteroffers as needed
Negotiating a motorcycle insurance settlement is an intricate process. A motorcycle crash attorney can help you avoid accepting a speedy settlement without properly assessing your losses. You deserve fair compensation for your physical injuries, along with the economic and non-economic damages they cause. Severe injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, usually warrant more compensation due to the need for ongoing medical care.
A Motorcycle Accident Attorney Will Build a Comprehensive Evidence File
Consider hiring a motorcycle attorney to negotiate with insurance companies to seek a fair settlement. They can build a case file without asking you or your family to track down evidence or order reports.
Your evidence file helps your Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident attorney negotiate with insurance adjusters since it can create an objective picture of the accident and what happened. Supporting evidence for your personal injury claim can include:
- The official police report containing details of the accident and its causes and contributing factors
- Witness statements, including objective testimony from lay and expert witnesses
- Medical records and bills that document your injuries and their ongoing costs
- Traffic camera, dashcam, security, smartphone, and surveillance footage of the accident scene
Hiring a motorcycle accident attorney can also be a crucial part of your physical and emotional recovery. They can guide you through the legal process while you focus on getting better. They can also help you avoid delays in filing your accident claim that could hinder your ability to recover fair compensation.
A Motorcycle Attorney Is Crucial to Meeting Notification and Filing Deadlines
Florida’s statute of limitations dictates how long you have to take legal action. A Fort Lauderdale personal injury law firm can determine how long you have to file a lawsuit and keep an eye on the clock while they negotiate with the liable parties’ insurance companies. In general, you have two years to:
- Meet the personal injury filing deadline, per Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a)
- Meet the wrongful death filing deadline, per Florida Statutes § 95.11(4)(d)
If the appropriate filing deadline is misunderstood, misinterpreted, or expires for any other reason, you could lose the legal right to file your lawsuit. That loss could mean you have no legal avenue that compels the at-fault driver to compensate you.
Contact Our Motorcycle Attorney Before Negotiating With Insurance Companies
If you or a loved one was injured in a motorcycle accident, you can get legal representation and guidance by contacting our consultation team. We will explore your compensation options and negotiate with insurance companies. Our legal team will also explain why having a motorcycle attorney is crucial and how hard we go to bat for you. Find out by calling (954) 633-8270 to speak to one of our team members at the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato.
