It's not a secret that motorcycle accidents can often result in severe injuries. You may be able to walk away with just a few scrapes and scratches from a totaled car, but a high-speed motorcycle collision is often much worse. As a result, you can often face a long road to recovery and expensive medical bills if you're hit by a car while you're on your motorcycle.
Unfortunately, not every state requires drivers to carry bodily injury liability coverage. Even in states that do require these policies, many drivers may only have the minimum amount necessary. In these cases, it's critical to understand how you can have the best chance to recover damages and ensure that someone else's mistake doesn't turn into a financial disaster for you.
Who Pays When Another Driver Is At Fault?
The at-fault driver's bodily injury liability coverage is your first recourse following an accident. This policy will pay for your medical bills and will typically also pay for any pain and injury claims. If the driver has a sufficiently large policy to cover your injuries, then you'll usually have a good chance of recovering your damages.
For uninsured or underinsured motorists, the situation can become more problematic. If you have uninsured motorist coverage on your motorcycle policy, your own insurance company will step in and help you recover additional damages. There may also be commercial liability coverage if a truck, delivery van, or another commercial vehicle caused your accident.
Beyond this, you may be able to sue the responsible party beyond their coverage limits. However, these cases may be more challenging since most people will not have the money or the assets to pay for your damages. These situations usually require case-by-case evaluations.
Do You Need An Attorney?
Consulting with a personal injury attorney is usually a good idea if you suffer significant injuries in an accident. Even if the at-fault party has sufficient coverage, their insurance company may not immediately offer to cover your entire bill. In some cases, the insurance company may even hire investigators to cast doubt on the cause of the accident.
An attorney can help you evaluate your case to determine if sufficient coverage exists so you can assess your options for compensation. If necessary, an attorney can negotiate with the at-fault party's insurance company and even conduct their own investigation to prove that the other driver was at-fault for the accident.
The outcome of a personal injury case is often substantially affected by the actions you take shortly after an accident. Once you attend to your immediate medical needs, consulting with an attorney is often the next best step you can take to ensure an adequate settlement, especially in cases where the other driver may be uninsured or underinsured.
Consult an attorney, such as Brian E. Buckmeier P.C. Attorney at Law, to discuss your case.
Share4 November 2021
I have never been someone who likes the idea of suing another person, but after my family was plowed into by a drunk driver with no regard for the law, my tune changed. I realized that I needed to do what I could in order to make things right, so I started looking for a lawyer who could help me to fight for the settlement I deserved. It took a few months in court, but by the time I won my settlement, I felt a lot better about things. This blog is all about getting the legal help you need when you need it the most.