When drivers on the road are distracted, impaired, inattentive, or otherwise negligent, they can cause serious accidents. If you’re a motorcyclist, you may pay the price for that negligence and suffer serious injuries in a crash. If you’ve been injured while riding your motorcycle, you should talk to a skilled attorney quickly to discuss compensation. An attorney with experience in motorcycle accident cases can help you get on the road to a financial and physical recovery.
Average Compensation in MO Motorcycle Crash Injury Cases
If you were injured in a motorcycle crash, the specific dollar amount you can expect in compensation will be based on who is liable for the accident as well as how you go about recovering damages. For instance, you may be compensated through an insurance settlement or a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party.
Potential Recoverable Damages
- Costs for any medical bills incurred from the injury. That may cover an ER visit, days spent in the hospital, as well as bills for surgery, medication, and even physical therapy.
- Income lost while recovering from the motorcycle accident. This could include lost hourly or salaried wages (or self-employment income), benefits or raises you missed out on because you couldn’t work, and lost earning potential if the injury results in long-term disability.
- Lost quality of life and loss of consortium, which is harder to put a specific dollar amount on than hospital bills or missed paychecks.
- Mental pain and physical suffering stemming from the motorcycle crash injury.
- Property damage for the cost of repairing or replacing your motorcycle.
- Various out-of-pocket expenses while seeking medical treatment or physical/occupational therapy after the motorcycle crash.
Factors That Influence Motorcycle Accident Settlement Amounts
It’s important to understand that the amount from a court judgment or insurance settlement will likely depend on the type of wound you sustained and its severity. For instance, a traumatic brain injury that prevents you from ever returning to work will obviously present a larger financial hurdle than a broken arm that heals normally in a few weeks.
Common Motorcycle Crash Injuries
- Bone fractures
- Damaged nerves
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Internal injuries (bleeding, damaged organs, etc.)
- Road rash
- Soft tissue damage that impacts mobility
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
- Amputations
Some of these injuries result in massive medical bills and ongoing costs from chronic pain issues or permanent physical disability. In those situations, expenses skyrocket quickly, and insurance companies resist paying the full amount warranted by your injury.
The specific insurance policies of anyone involved in the accident can also drastically affect your payout. If you are hit by a driver without insurance and you don’t have a policy that covers uninsured motorist accidents, your only recourse may be a lawsuit.
Likewise, if the at-fault driver doesn’t have bodily injury liability in their insurance plan, your ability to recover through the insurance company is extremely limited. You will need to talk to an attorney about other possible ways to pursue compensation.
There’s no way to determine the average payout for your situation until an experienced Missouri motorcycle accident lawyer has gone over the facts of the case and thoroughly investigated the crash. There could be a different liable party than you expect, including the at-fault party’s employer or the manufacturer of a faulty vehicle component.
A legal professional is also critical for overcoming anti-motorcyclist bias when dealing with a jury or insurance adjuster. Obtaining legal representation is important to recover the full and fair amount you deserve, so you don’t have to accept a quick settlement offer that is well below what you are truly owed for your injuries.
Have You Been Injured in a Missouri Motorcycle Accident?
If you’ve been injured in a Missouri motorcycle accident, you should speak with an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible. Please feel free to contact us online or call our office directly at 314.470.4928 to schedule a free consultation. We help car accident victims throughout the state of Missouri including Columbia, Springfield, Kansas City, St. Louis, Kirksville, and Cape Girardeau.
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