Victims of motorcycle accidents in Independence, Missouri, face different challenges from victims of car accidents. As a motorcyclist, you don’t have the protection of metal doors or airbags. This means that a crash that would seem minor to someone in a car could result in serious injuries for you.
Unfortunately, as you may already have discovered, the challenges don’t end with the crash. Insurance adjusters are often skeptical of motorcyclists, so you may find that recovering fair compensation is harder than you expected.
Dealing with pushback from insurers while you’re trying to heal can be exhausting. When you have the help of our experienced Independence motorcycle accident lawyers, we’ll advocate for you so you can focus on getting better. Contact Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers to schedule your free consultation today.
Need assistance with your motorcycle accident injury claim in Independence, Missouri? Call (816) 382-6915 for a free consultation with our experienced attorneys.
How Our Skilled Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Independence, Missouri, Can Help You
Attorneys Paul Beck and John Beck have more than three decades of experience helping people like you navigate the claims process. When you work with us, we’ll be here to guide you through each step:
Getting to Know You and Your Case
At your free consultation, we will help you decide whether legal action is your next best step or not.
Investigating Your Accident
The more quality evidence we have, the more effective our settlement negotiations are likely to be.
Negotiating With Insurance
In most situations, motorcycle accident cases settle outside of court. Settling helps you avoid the stress, time, and uncertainty of a civil trial. We have decades of negotiation experience, and we’ll accept nothing less than you deserve.
Handling Court Filings
Our team will file all necessary documents and respond to motions made by the other side.
Representing You in Court
If the other side won’t agree to a reasonable settlement, our award-winning motorcycle accident attorneys in Independence, Missouri, are ready to argue your case before a judge and jury.
What Makes Motorcycle Accident Claims More Complex?
Few vehicle accident claims are simple. However, there are a number of different factors making motorcycle accidents more complex than your average car accident claim. These are some of the most important ones:
Anti-Motorcycle Bias
Our skilled legal team has seen firsthand how bias against motorcyclists impacts our clients. Many people see motorcyclists as being reckless. Unfortunately, some insurance companies, jurors, and even judges hold these views, too.
Even if the other driver was 100% at fault, some insurance companies and courts will try to award you less compensation than you deserve, simply because you were hit while riding a motorcycle.
Injury Severity
With all other things being equal, you’re more likely to suffer serious injuries on a motorcycle than you are in a car. Insurance companies primarily look out for their bottom line, so they are often determined to underpay claims involving major injuries.
If you have suffered a serious spinal cord injury or other life-altering injury, it may take longer for your injury to reach maximum medical improvement. This can often delay the timeline of your claim.
Challenges from Insurers
Insurance companies are often especially aggressive when handling motorcycle accident cases. They may persistently offer too-low settlements or refuse to settle at all. Our experienced Independence motorcycle accident lawyers understand what evidence is needed to stand up to these insurance companies.
Difficulty of Accident Reconstruction
In many vehicle accident cases, we’ll work with an accident reconstruction expert to gain more insight into the specifics of your accident. On average, motorcycle accidents are more complex to reconstruct than accidents involving passenger cars.
At Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers, we work with an extensive network of experts. If your case needs an accident reconstruction, we will find a professional who has extensive experience with motorcycle accident cases.
Holding Negligent Drivers Accountable After a Motorcycle Accident
All drivers should pay attention, obey traffic laws, and otherwise do what they can to avoid accidents. If a driver is so negligent that they cause a serious accident, we firmly believe they should be held accountable.
To successfully do this, we must be able to prove that the at-fault driver was negligent. Proving negligence involves proving four key elements:
- The driver had a duty of care
- They breached that duty
- The breach directly caused your injuries
- You have damages to collect as a result
Here’s a look at how our attorneys may prove these elements in a motorcycle accident case:
The Driver Had a Duty of Care
In a legal context, a “duty of care” is an obligation to act in a way that minimizes the risk of harm. For instance, all drivers on the road have a duty of care to avoid causing accidents and obey traffic laws.
They Breached That Duty
When someone breaches their duty of care, they fall short of the acceptable standard. For example, if a driver runs a stop sign because they are looking at their phone, they have breached the duty of care they have to others on the road.
The Breach Directly Caused Your Injuries
To win your case, our team must be able to show that the driver’s actions were the proximate cause of your injury. In many motorcycle accident cases, proving this element is fairly easy. If a driver’s carelessness causes an accident and that accident injures you, it’s usually clear that the driver was responsible.
You Have Damages to Collect as a Result
In a legal context, “damages” refers to compensation for losses you’ve suffered. If you have medical bills, lost wages, or any other losses as a direct result of the injury, that means you have damages to collect.
Pursuing Compensation for Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Some people believe that when an injured person files a car accident or motorcycle accident lawsuit, they’re just trying to capitalize on a tragedy. However, when we represent a client, we’re not trying to recover compensation to see how much money you can receive.
Motorcycle accidents can impact every area of your life, and adequate compensation can help you ensure you can afford your everyday expenses as you recover.
While this is not an exhaustive list, it includes some of the types of compensation our Independence motorcycle accident attorneys most commonly recover for clients:
Medical Costs
Many motorcycle accidents lead to serious injuries, and medical costs can easily be hundreds of thousands of dollars or more. If you didn’t cause your accident, you shouldn’t have to handle the financial fallout alone.
In some cases, your injuries may need ongoing care. When this happens, we may be able to secure compensation for future medical care as well.
Lost Income
Medical bills aren’t the only way a serious accident can impact your finances. Many of our clients are left unable to work for weeks, months, or more. Any settlement you receive will likely include reimbursement for your lost income.
Diminished Earning Capacity
In some cases, our clients can eventually go back to work. However, if your injuries have left you with some degree of disability, you might be unable to earn as much as you did before the accident.
If your injuries have permanently reduced your earning capacity, we may be able to help you secure compensation to make up for the loss.
Motorcycle Repair or Replacement
Most of the time, your injuries are the main focus after an accident. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be compensated for your motorcycle. We may be able to recover compensation to cover repairs or replacement.
Pain and Suffering
In a motorcycle accident case, compensation isn’t solely based on economic losses. While there’s no way to put a dollar value on physical and emotional pain, courts and insurance companies will generally try to compensate you.
There’s no set formula for pain and suffering compensation. However, when we discuss your case with you, we can give you an idea of how much compensation you’re likely to receive.
Loss of Consortium
If your injuries impact your relationship with your spouse, your spouse may be able to file a loss of consortium claim. Technically, this is separate from your accident claim. However, because it’s dependent on the results of your motorcycle accident claim, your spouse’s loss of consortium claim is often filed along with it.
Award-Winning Motorcycle Lawyers in Independence, Missouri
After a motorcycle accident, you typically have one chance to secure a settlement. There’s no way to guarantee fair compensation, but working with the right attorney can dramatically increase your chances of success.
Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers has spent decades working to secure maximum compensation for our clients. As the only law firm in Missouri with an exclusive focus on motor vehicle accidents, we are well-equipped to help you stand up to insurance companies.
If you’ve been injured, our Independence motorcycle accident lawyers may be able to help. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation!
Locations near Independence where we’ve helped victims of motorcycle crashes include Jefferson City, St. Louis, O’Fallon, Florissant, Springfield, Kansas City, Columbia, Kirksville, and more.
