A motorcycle accident can be even more dangerous than a typical auto accident. Because a motorcycle provides no protection for its rider, a minor crash can quickly become life-threatening. Even if the rider ends up making a full recovery, they could be faced with a mountain of medical expenses. When this happens, you should retain the services of a seasoned personal injury attorney to fight for financial relief. An Elgin motorcycle accident lawyer could represent you in court and help you achieve this goal.
Motorcycles are popular vehicles to ride for many people. But it is important to know that they also carry unique dangers to their riders. Without a protective frame or equipment on the motorbike itself, riders are much more vulnerable to the impact of collisions. This increases the likelihood of serious medical injuries or even fatal accidents. There are a number of commonly-seen injuries, including, but are not limited to:
Injuries to the head, in particular, are common if the rider was not wearing a helmet. When the motorcycle collision was the result of another person’s carelessness, filing a lawsuit with an Elgin lawyer may be appropriate in order to ease the financial burden on the claimant.
When a negligent party causes harm to a motorcyclist, then the rider deserves financial compensation for those injuries. This can only happen by proving the defendant acted negligently. To prove negligence, the plaintiff must prove that the other driver had a duty of care, that they breached that duty of care, and that the breach caused the injuries that led to losses. The legal process to accomplish this can be incredibly complicated for a person without years of legal experience.
To prove negligence, an attorney could gather all of the available evidence and interview witnesses who may have seen the crash. The evidence-gathering process might require them to make official requests of police officers or doctors to provide necessary documents. This official process is made easier if someone has experience going through the proper channels. An attorney in Elgin could also consult with motorcycle wreck reconstruction experts for help in reassembling the order of events in order to prove negligence.
Proving negligence, even in seemingly obvious cases, can still be a difficult task. Any evidence that may exist should be extensively reviewed by an experienced lawyer.
A plaintiff in a motorcycle accident could win significant financial compensation in many cases. The compensation will depend on the types of injuries involved, as well as what can be proven in court. The first type of compensatory damages available is economic damages, which have a fixed dollar amount attached to them. These include the bills for medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, missed wages, and vehicle repairs. Non-economic damages are more subjective and aim to ease the emotional and psychological burden. They can include loss of consortium, pain and suffering, psychological harm, among others.
A local lawyer with years of experience litigating similar cases could work to recoup every dollar that a person pays out in medical bills, and more.
A motorcycle accident can quickly upend your life before you know it. It should not fall on you to address all of the costs and losses for something you had no fault in. An award of money damages from a successful lawsuit could help in your recovery. To fight for your rights following a serious wreck, contact an Elgin motorcycle accident lawyer and schedule a free consultation to learn what options may be available to you.