How Long Does a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit Take?
It is not easy to answer the question, “How long does a motorcycle accident lawsuit take?” Each lawsuit is unique, so timelines vary on a case-by-case basis. Once your motorcycle accident lawyer understands your damages and engages in initial settlement talks, they can get a feel of the insurance company’s position and provide a more precise estimate of how long your case might take.
If you file a lawsuit against those responsible for your car accident, your case may take longer than if your lawyer negotiates a settlement with insurers. No matter how long the case takes, your Tulsa motorcycle accident attorney will be determined to secure the entire financial recovery you are entitled to. The important thing is to be patient and never jump to accept less than you deserve too quickly.
What Determines How Long a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit Will Take?
There are many variables in the claims process and legal proceedings. These variables will determine how long your case will take, and they include the following:
- The type and severity of your injuries: Severe injuries often require a large settlement. Your attorney will work to ensure you have compensation for medical care, rehabilitation services, lost income, and all other damages from the accident. However, liable parties may work to avoid paying such a large sum to you. This can complicate your case and extend its timeline.
- The clarity of fault for the motorcycle accident: Sometimes, one party is clearly at fault for a motorcycle accident. This may prevent arguments about who is responsible for the collision. If the fault is unclear, this can cause disagreement that prolongs a case.
- The ease of settlement negotiations: If liable parties enter settlement negotiations determined not to pay you fairly, this bad-faith approach can extend the negotiating period.
- Whether your lawyer needs to file a lawsuit: If your attorney does not reach a settlement agreement, they may need to sue liable parties. Because a lawsuit is an added step in a case, suing someone may extend the time it takes to resolve the case.
- Whether your case requires a trial: Even if your lawyer files a lawsuit, they may convince liable parties to offer a fair settlement. If a case goes to trial (rather than settling), the case will take longer than if a settlement had occurred.
The majority of civil cases settle, and yours may fall into that category. However your case ends, you should trust your lawyer to secure all the compensation you deserve—the most important thing.
Motorcycle Accident Injuries (and Damages) Can Be Complex
Broken bones and other serious injuries are likely when a rider is in an accident. Riders lack physical protection from the impact of an accident, aside from a helmet and any protective clothing they wear. This means that:
- Injured riders often suffer severe injuries that significantly diminish the victim’s quality of life
- The memories of the violent collision can cause severe pain and suffering that requires significant compensation
- The overall value of your case may be high, which means liable parties may refuse to pay the large sum you deserve
Your lawyer will need to prove fault, detail your damages, determine your case value, and secure the compensation you are entitled to. Each of these steps may be complicated, and that speaks to how difficult winning your case may be. Let a proven lawyer lead every step of your case.
Your Attorney Will Do Everything Possible to Resolve Your Case Efficiently
Attorneys understand that clients need compensation as quickly as possible. If you file a lawsuit, your lawyer will immediately start your case and bring a sense of urgency to every step in the claims and legal processes.
Some measures your lawyer may take to resolve your case as soon as possible are:
- Starting and finishing their accident investigation as quickly as possible
- Insisting that insurance companies complete their investigations on time
- Arranging settlement negotiations as soon as they have composed your case
- Rejecting lowball settlements so negotiations can continue
- Deciding to file a lawsuit once it becomes clear that liable parties will not extend a fair settlement offer
Law firms have many resources that will ensure your case moves forward rapidly but thoroughly. From multiple lawyers to paralegals and financial support, your case may benefit greatly from a law firm’s offerings.
What Your Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Will Do for You
Your motorcycle accident lawyer will take your case head-on, handling every detail so you can recover safely. Some of the most important duties your lawyer will handle are:
- Handling communications and paperwork: Insurance claims and lawsuits come with a great administrative burden. Your lawyer will ensure all paperwork is accurate, complete, and filed on time. Your legal team will also handle communications, ensuring you can focus on recovery without case-related interruptions.
- Obtaining all relevant evidence: Your lawyer will collect any witness accounts, photographs, videos, expert opinions, police reports, or other evidence that lends itself to your case. The more evidence your lawyer gathers, the stronger your case may be.
- Detailing accident-related damages: Your legal team will secure medical records, vehicle repair bills, expert testimony, and any other documentation that helps detail your accident-related damages.
- Calculating your case value: Attorneys understand how to calculate economic damages (like medical costs) and non-economic damages (including pain and suffering). Together, the cost of these damages will determine the value of your case.
- Negotiating a settlement for you: Your lawyer will be your representative during settlement negotiations. During settlement talks, they will have precise settlement demands and documentation of damages in tow. Liable parties may try to pay you less than you deserve, but your lawyer will remain steadfast in seeking the compensation you are entitled to.
- Going to trial, if necessary: Some motorcycle accident cases require a trial. This usually happens when liable parties will not accept a lawyer’s settlement demands.
Each case requires different responsibilities from the lawyer. Your attorney will diligently handle every aspect of your case, as even the most minor detail matters.
Negotiations and Trial Are Where a Lawyer Shines
An accident victim can handle some aspects of an insurance claim or lawsuit. However, negotiating a settlement or convincing a jury to award compensation can be difficult for the inexperienced. This is where a lawyer may prove their value to you.
Your lawyer will:
- Prepare and organize all relevant evidence and documentation in advance of settlement negotiations
- Present their case in a logical manner during negotiations
- Address any arguments made by liable parties (including any undervaluation of your damages, lowball settlement offers, or accusations that you caused the accident)
- Persevere over all negotiation-related challenges
Attorneys hope that liable parties will negotiate in good faith but know that motorcycle accident cases can be difficult. Your attorney will be ready to transition to trial if settlement negotiations stall.
How to Evaluate Prospective Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
You must find the lawyer who is most capable of winning your case. You also want a lawyer who will treat you with respect throughout your claim or lawsuit.
Some data you can use to evaluate lawyers include:
- Reviews: Former clients will tell you the good and bad about law firms. While client reviews are not always reliable, they often are. You should look at review trends, including positive and negative themes.
- Results: Motorcycle accident lawyers generally provide case results on their websites. You should pay attention to these results, as they speak to a law firm’s experience and ability to win cases like yours.
- Consultations: You can complete free consultations with prospective motorcycle accident lawyers. Use these consultations to get to know a law firm’s level of client service and attentiveness to your needs.
You can find a lawyer who will handle your case urgently and capably, and you should settle for nothing less.
Recoverable Damages in Your Motorcycle Accident Case
The serious nature of motorcycle accidents means victims often experience severe, life-changing damages. Such damages may include:
- Pain and suffering: Data shows that injured motorcyclists’ quality of life usually improves with time, but pain and suffering may still be severe. Your pain and suffering may include your physical pain, emotional anguish, psychological distress, and lost quality of life.
- Healthcare costs: Your lawyer will value the cost of any emergency services, medical imaging, surgery, hospitalization, and other accident-related medical services. If you are still healing or have disabling injuries, your attorney will calculate the cost of future medical care.
- Professional harm: Injured riders may suffer lost income, lost earning power, missed bonuses and promotions, and other types of professional harm. These damages can be especially costly in cases of disabling injuries.
- Mental health service costs: If you choose to undergo counseling, take medications, or receive other mental health services, your lawyer will value the cost of such treatment.
- Motorcycle repairs and other property costs: Your attorney will seek fair compensation from liable parties if you need to repair or replace your motorcycle (and other damaged property).
You may have more damages that entitle you to money. Your lawyer will identify and value your accident-related harms and pursue the settlement you deserve.
Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Also Lead Wrongful Death Lawsuits
Riders account for 14 percent of all traffic deaths. Motorcycle accident lawyers represent the loved ones of deceased riders, filing wrongful death cases on their behalf. Recoverable damages in fatal motorcycle accident cases may include:
- Funeral costs
- Burial costs
- Cremation costs
- The decedent’s pain and suffering
- Survivors’ pain and suffering
- Loss of the decedent’s income
- Loss of the decedent’s contributions to their household
- Loss of consortium (which may include the loss of a spouse’s companionship)
- The cost of grief counseling and other treatment for pain and suffering
The process of calculating damages requires complex math, ample research, and an understanding of common values for different damages. There is no question why so many motorcycle accident victims allow lawyers to handle this process.
Can I Afford a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?
Injured riders and victims affected by wrongful deaths can all afford to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer. Contingency fees are the reason why legal services are affordable to all.
A contingency fee arrangement means:
- The law firm is responsible for all case costs
- The client pays no upfront fees or costs
- The law firm builds the case (perhaps with help from experts)
- The client agrees to the law firm receiving a percentage of any settlement or verdict
- The law firm receives its fee only if the client receives compensation
The client pays no out-of-pocket costs for legal services, regardless of circumstances. This ensures the law firm, not the accident victim or their family, bears the risk of the insurance claim or lawsuit.
Reasons to Hire Your Motorcycle Accident Attorney as Soon as Possible
You should find your Tulsa personal injury lawyer as soon as possible, as waiting can be immensely damaging to your case. If you wait any significant time to hire your lawyer, then:
- You risk letting the statute of limitations lapse: You likely have a window for filing an accident-related lawsuit, and this deadline is known as the statute of limitations. If this statute expires before you file your case, the courts may prevent you from taking accident-related legal action.
- You may lose access to important evidence: Certain evidence, including video footage, may be time-sensitive. If you do not dispatch a lawyer to secure evidence as quickly as possible, you may be unable to use key evidence in your case.
- You may forfeit the compensation you deserve: If waiting to hire a lawyer diminishes the quality of your case, you may be unable to receive the money you deserve. The sooner you hire an attorney, the less risk you face that evidence will go unclaimed, or the statute of limitations will elapse.
Attorneys make themselves easy to access. You may call or submit an online request for a free consultation. From there, you can complete the consultation and learn the next steps in your case.
Find your legal team today. Let them fight for a fair settlement or judgment while you work on your health.
