Get a lawyer after a motorcycle accident. A lawyer will allow you to focus on your recovery. Your lawyer will also protect your rights and look out for the best interests of your case.

Hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer in Cape Girardeau may benefit both your health and your case. These may be your two greatest priorities after your collision, underscoring the importance of having a lawyer’s help.

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Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Use Client-Friendly Contingency Fees

Those who hire motorcycle accident lawyers don’t have to worry about paying out of pocket.

Your attorney will almost certainly use a contingency fee structure, which means:

• Your law firm will be responsible for the upfront cost of your case
• You won’t pay the firm out of your pocket (under any circumstance)
• Your attorney will only receive a fee if they secure a settlement or judgment for you

This fee structure means you won’t have to add any more financial uncertainty to a situation that is already uncertain. Your law firm will have to get the results you deserve in order to receive payment, and their fee will come from the financial recovery they obtain for you.

What You Risk if You Don’t Hire a Motorcycle Accident Attorney

There are many reasons to hire a lawyer, and there are many reasons why handling your own case could be a hazardous decision.

Those who lead their own motorcycle accident case may:

• Struggle to understand the process of completing an insurance claim or lawsuit
• Have to build the case with funds from their own pocket
• Struggle psychologically because they must relive the experience of their motorcycle accident
• Suffer physically because they aren’t focusing on their recovery as they should
• Fail to obtain the compensation they are seeking

While a motorcycle accident attorney is not a cure-all, they can be exactly what your case requires.

What a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Does

Understanding the responsibilities of a motorcycle accident lawyer can help you understand why their services are so valuable. Your motorcycle accident lawyer will:

Protect Your Case from Start to Finish

Your lawyer will will protect your case by:

• Advising you about what to do (and what not to do) after your accident
• Developing a personalized strategy for your claim or lawsuit
• Being the point of contact for insurance companies (who might attempt to undermine your case in multiple ways)
• Helping you write any statements you must make
• Guiding you through the deposition process, if such a process is necessary

You will not have to lose sleep over case-related responsibilities. Your lawyer will ensure your case moves forward without a hitch while you focus on recovery.

Communicate with Insurers

Insurance companies will almost certainly be involved in your case, and your lawyer will:

• Handle all claim-related communications with insurance companies
• Provide any information and documentation insurers require
• Urge insurance companies to resolve your claim as quickly as possible
• Ensure insurance companies cannot mislead or bully you into accepting a lowball settlement

Insurance companies do not always handle motorcycle accident claims in good faith. Your lawyer will ensure that, no matter how insurers handle your claim, your rights will be secure.

Document the Accident (and Secure Evidence of Negligence)

You (or your lawyer) must establish who caused the motorcycle accident. Doing so will prove who owes you compensation for accident-related damages. Evidence of fault may include:

Obtain Proof of Your Damages

Your claim is only as strong as the documentation of accident-related damages.

Your lawyer with strengthen your claim with:

• Medical records, including a doctor’s diagnosis of your injuries
• X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and any other images of injuries
• Employment records that prove the value of lost income
• Expert testimony detailing your damages
• Any other documentation that is relevant to your case

Attorneys are used to collaborating with doctors, employers, mental health experts, and others who may provide valuable documentation for your case.

Calculate a Fair Settlement and Lead Negotiations for You

Your legal team will calculate the exact value of your accident-related damages. They will make sure this calculation is accurate and up to date when they begin negotiating a settlement on your behalf.

Take Your Case to Trial, if Necessary

Attorneys most often settle civil cases, including motorcycle accident cases. Some cases don’t result in a settlement, though, and lawyers often take these cases to court.

If your case ends up at trial, your lawyer will:

• Lead you through any necessary deposition, which is a fact-gathering step that may precede trial
• Continue negotiating a settlement, as liable parties may be motivated to settle if trial is imminent
• Exchange trial-related materials with the defense (a process known as discovery)
• Organize their case in advance of trial
• Question witnesses (including expert witnesses, who they will pay to participate in your case)
• Present evidence
• Handle every other aspect of the trial process

When you hire a motorcycle accident lawyer, you make it possible to go to trial if necessary. Left on your own, you would likely not be able to represent yourself in court (and doing so could prove disastrous for your case).

Damages Your Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Will Seek Compensation For

Research notes that motorcycle accident victims suffer decreased quality of life because of their collisions, and your lawyer will determine every way in which those who caused your accident have harmed you.

Common damages among injured riders include:

Disability-Related Damages

Because riders are highly exposed to serious injuries, they face a heightened risk of suffering disabling medical conditions.

Those with disabling injuries may:

• Suffer pain and suffering throughout the remainder of their life
• Need wheelchairs, specialized vehicles, and other equipment to be mobile
• Need to add handrails, ramps, and other features to their home
• Be unable to earn an income for the remainder of their life (or may have a limited income)
• Require physical rehabilitation indefinitely

Disabilities can be devastating in several ways, and lawyers seek compensation reflecting the severe nature of disabling injuries.

Medical Expenses

Your attorney will seek compensation for all accident-related medical costs. Your costs will depend on the unique details of your injuries and the specific treatments you require.

Pain and Suffering

You may experience pain and suffering because of the motorcycle accident and the effects of your injuries.

Such pain and suffering may include:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Anxiety (which may include a fear of riding motorcycle or being in motor vehicles)
• Depression
• Sleep problems
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Lost quality of life

Some accident victims experience debilitating pain, which can sometimes be chronic. Your attorney will account for the non-economic toll your accident has taken.

Lost Income and Other Professional Damages

Motorcycle accidents often have a high professional cost that can include:

• Lost income
• Lost bonus opportunities
• Lost opportunities to earn promotions
• Diminished earning power
• Psychological and emotional harm caused by being unable to work

You should receive compensation covering all of your accident-related professional harm, and your lawyer will work to ensure that you do.

Mental Health Service Costs

If you need any mental health services to help the symptoms of your accident or injuries, your lawyer will seek fair compensation to cover those services.

Damages in Fatal Motorcycle Accident Cases

Motorcyclists overpopulate fatal accident statistics. Unlike motor vehicle occupants, riders have little physical protection from collisions, and thousands of people lose loved ones in fatal motorcycle accidents each year.

If you lost a loved one due to a fatal motorcycle collision, your recoverable damages may include:

• Loss of spousal companionship and other non-economic benefits you received from the decedent
• Funeral expense
• Burial or cremation costs
• Any pain and suffering the decedent experienced because of the accident
• Survivors’ pain and suffering, including grief
• Grief counseling costs (and other mental health service costs)
• Loss of the decedent’s income
• Loss of the decedent’s household services

Pain and suffering is usually a sizable damage in wrongful death cases. Your attorney will learn who your loved one was and the damages their loss has imposed on you.

How Much Money Am I Entitled to After the Motorcycle Accident?

Nobody can tell you how much money you deserve until they gather all relevant information about your accident and damages.

Factors that may affect the value of your case include:

• Whether you have lost a loved one
• The severity of accident-related injuries
• How much you earn (as this may significantly affect the value of your professional damages)
• Whether your motorcycle was totaled
• The nature and severity of your pain and suffering

One of your lawyer’s most important duties will be calculating exactly how much compensation you deserve. Calculating such damages can be a complex process, which is one reason to hire your lawyer as soon as possible.

How to Position Your Attorney (and Your Case) for Success After the Accident

To position your case for success:

• Document your damages: You should keep track of medical costs, keep a journal detailing your physical and psychological symptoms, and keep any documentation that could help your case.

• Seek thorough medical evaluations: You should not wait to get medical care after your accident. Insist that medical providers give you clear diagnoses for injuries and symptoms, and request that they do medical imaging if necessary.

• Hire an attorney as soon as possible: Your lawyer will need to secure evidence from your accident. Hire your attorney as soon as possible so they can investigate your collision right away and work towards a settlement or judgment.

Your lawyer will be your guide through the claims process and, if necessary, the legal process. The sooner you hire them, the sooner they may be able to resolve your case.

How Soon After My Accident Should I Hire a Lawyer?

When you identify the right lawyer to lead your case, they will immediately take over the claims process. You can let your lawyer handle every step of the process while you remain focused on recovery.

You can find a personal injury attorney online, and consider law firms’ case results and client reviews before choosing your attorney.