In the aftermath of a traumatic bike wreck, you will probably have several questions running through your mind. Among them may be whether or not you should hire an attorney to help you pursue compensation.
While it is possible to handle your case on your own, the claims process can often be challenging to navigate, leaving you at risk of making serious mistakes that could cost you a fair settlement. Let’s look at a few ways a personal injury attorney may be able to assist with your motorcycle accident claim:
1. Estimate the Value of Your Damages
Before initiating settlement negotiations, you need to make sure you have a clear idea of how much your claim might be worth. While you might think that calculating your losses involves little more than compiling any associated invoices and receipts, this process can often be far more complicated.
For instance, if your injuries are likely to prevent you from returning to work in the immediate future, you may have a case for loss of future wages. In such situations, you might need to consult with vocational experts and/or economists to help approximate the value of such losses. Thankfully, a skilled personal injury attorney can assess the available evidence to help estimate fair compensation for any damages stemming from the wreck.
2. Explain Your Rights
While the claims adjuster might act friendly, they aren’t on your side. Ultimately, their goal is to protect their employer’s bottom line, which often means looking for any reason to devalue or deny your claim. When you hire an attorney, he or she represents your interests and no one else’s. They can explain your role at every stage and take steps to make sure your rights are protected throughout proceedings.
3. Collect Proof to Support Your Case
If you’re seeking compensation, you will need to gather strong evidence to support your version of events—especially if you’re filing a third-party claim. However, proving liability, causation, and damages is rarely a straightforward undertaking.
You might need access to many different types of proof to build a compelling case, including expert witness testimony, photographs of the accident scene, eyewitness statements, surveillance camera footage, and cellphone records. A personal injury attorney can grab the reins, investigating the accident on your behalf so that you can get back to focusing on your health.
4. Negotiate Your Claim
While you might be eager to settle your claim, it’s important to exercise patience. Accepting an offer too soon could leave you starved of the compensation you actually need to get back on your feet. Fortunately, a personal injury attorney can oversee negotiations, tailoring their strategy to the unique circumstances of your case. If your lawyer believes the insurer’s offer isn’t fair, he or she can counter on your behalf, gathering additional evidence if it’s necessary to do so.
Speak to a Detroit Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today
Injured a motorcycle wreck? Our legal team is here to help. At Seva Law Firm, we have decades of collective experience representing injured bikers, arming us with the knowledge and resources necessary to provide tenacious representation at any stage of proceedings. Call us today at (248) 385-5704 or head over to our contact page HERE to request a free case review with a Michigan motorcycle accident attorney.