This is Kentucky Injury Lawyer Tate Meagher with Meagher Injury Lawyers. Motorcycle accidents are often very traumatic. After spending years defending motorcycle accident claims for insurance companies, I now represent victims of motorcycle accidents. I love what I do for a living in helping motorcycle accident victims get the compensation they deserve, but it’s often quite devastating to see a client’s life completely shattered following injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.
By using the tips I’m about to share, you give yourself the best odds possible to maximize your injury claim following a motorcycle accident.
Tip 1: Gather Evidence and Send it to the Insurance Company
If possible, take photographs at the scene of the accident and the property damage to your motorcycle and any other vehicles at the scene. If you are unable to do this, call a loved one to see if they can come to the scene and do it for you. Also, take photographs of any visible injuries, such as wounds or bruising. Track down any witnesses to the accident at the scene and get their contact information. If there is any dispute as to who is at fault for the accident, a witness can confirm that another party involved is at fault instead of you. Ask any favorable witness to stay at the scene until the police arrive to provide their statement.
Once you have completed medical treatment, collect all of your medical records and bills from that medical provider. The more favorable evidence you have that you can submit to the insurance company, the stronger your case will be.
Tip 2: Don’t Miss Your Doctor’s Appointments
This may be obvious, but it’s important to obtain medical treatment after your accident and not miss your appointments. Medical treatment will help you get better physically, and it provides evidence in the form of medical records that document the extent of your injuries and the impact they have had on your life. Seek medical treatment as soon as possible to create a clear record of your injuries, the treatment you have received, and the pain and suffering you have endured.
Tip 3: Start Negotiations with a Demand for the Policy Limits
In my state, Kentucky, the law does not require the insurance company to disclose the amount of their insured’s policy limits. If the insurer refuses to disclose this information, I typically send a written demand that the insurer offers their insured’s policy limits to settle my client’s injury claim. This forces the insurance company to either deny the claim, make an offer for an amount less than their insured’s limits, or offer the policy limits to settle the claim.
Tip 4: Do Not Accept the Insurance Company’s First Offer
Unless the insurance company’s first offer is for the policy limits, do not accept it. It’s been my experience that the insurance company’s first offer is never the most they will offer you. If the first offer is for the policy limits, you may consider accepting it. However, if it is for an amount below the policy limits, you should continue to negotiate and aim for a higher offer.
Tip 5: Hire an Expert
Consider hiring a medical doctor to provide a report on your medical condition and what future medical treatment you may need due to your injuries. A medical expert can increase the value of your claim. If the other driver’s insurance company is claiming you were at fault or partially at fault for the accident, look into hiring an accident reconstruction expert who can investigate the accident, reconstruct how it happened, and possibly provide favorable testimony to help you win your case. Hiring an expert can help maximize the value of your case, but experts are typically not inexpensive to hire.
If you can’t afford to hire an expert, consider retaining an injury lawyer. Most injury lawyers, including myself, will front the costs of paying an expert and add that expense as a case expense on your case.
Tip 6: Hire an Injury Lawyer
A study by the Insurance Research Council found that personal injury victims who hired attorneys received settlements that were on average three and a half times higher than those who did not hire attorneys. The injury claim process can be complex, and an experienced injury lawyer can help you maximize the value of your case. Most injury lawyers, including myself, work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you only have to pay the lawyer if you win the case, and the lawyer’s fee comes out of the settlement.
I hope that you have found this video to be helpful. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel to learn more about the ins and outs of injury cases and watch more of my videos. Lastly, if you are injured in a motorcycle accident in Kentucky, remember: don’t wait, call TATE.
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