Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Serving Baton Rouge
After being involved in a motorcycle crash, odds are good that you’ve suffered a number of serious and catastrophic injuries.
Motorcyclists are incredibly vulnerable during a collision, and even wearing a helmet can’t always protect you from the worst of the damage. Recovering from this situation can be incredibly expensive, leaving many victims uncertain of how to juggle all of the unforeseen expenses and lifestyle changes.
The wounds and property damage caused by a motorcycle wreck can put your finances and future well-being at risk. Make certain you get the settlement you deserve by working with a Baton Rouge motorcycle accident lawyer.
When you didn’t cause your motorbike crash, you shouldn’t be expected to handle this situation uncompensated. Getting the funds you need from the at-fault party won’t be simple, however. A Baton Rouge motorcycle accident lawyer from Spencer Calahan Injury Lawyers can fight to ensure that you get the settlement you need, allowing you to focus on getting your life back to normal.
Taking On an Insurance Company After a Motorcycle Wreck in Baton Rouge
While you’d like to think that the insurance company is there to make things easier after a collision, the truth is that dealing with them can be nearly as stressful and overwhelming as the accident itself was.
Louisiana observes comparative fault, which means that everyone involved in the wreck will be evaluated for negligence and receive a portion of the overall percentage of fault, ranging from zero to one hundred. Your percentage of fault will then be used to reduce your settlement amount accordingly.
Insurance companies love to take advantage of this by pinning as much of the blame onto injury victims as possible. The higher your percentage of fault, the less they’ll have to pay you. Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable here, as insurers and opposing attorneys often try to take advantage of popular stereotypes that paint motorcycle riders as reckless and careless—the cause of their own crashes.
Your Baton Rouge motorcycle accident lawyer will be able to build a compelling case that fully demonstrates the other side’s fault and minimizes your own. We can also handle all of the communication with the insurance adjuster, so you don’t have to worry about giving a statement that might be twisted and used against you later.
Gathering Evidence After a Baton Rouge Motorcycle Crash
One of the key elements of any legal case is evidence. You need evidence to prove that another party involved with your motorbike collision in Baton Rouge is responsible for the injuries you’ve sustained. How do you prove another party’s liability? You must have evidence. And how do you acquire evidence? Through investigation.
Investigating what led to your motorcycle crash isn’t necessarily easy. In many cases, the cause of the crash won’t be obvious. That’s why it’s so important that you have help with investigating and determining what factor caused your crash and who would be liable for it. It’s not always the first person who comes to mind.
For instance, when another vehicle collides with you, you probably immediately blame the other driver for the accident, but what if some other factor caused that driver to lose control of his or her vehicle and smash into you? What if it was a pothole or a faulty car part that was to blame? Who would be liable then?
These are the questions your Baton Rouge motorcycle crash attorney will need to answer through the investigation process. How does one investigate a motorcycle crash case? See below for a list of the activities your attorney will perform in order to gather evidence to prove your case:
- Find crash scene investigators and expert witnesses to testify about your wreck
- Visit the crash scene and analyze the area
- Obtain photos and video of the crash scene, signs, roads, etc.
- Obtain photos, videos, and other evidence of the actual crash
- Collect police reports, crash reports, and witness statements
- Gather all other evidence that pertains to your crash
- Gather medical evidence of your injuries
- Keep careful records of your damages
Determining Fault in Motorbike Accidents
The key to building a strong personal injury claim is developing a case that includes all of the available evidence and witness testimony. This can take many forms and will vary with the specifics of your Baton Rouge motorcycle wreck.
Many different factors could have caused your crash. These are just a few of the potential causes that will need to be considered:
Distracted Driving
Often involved in lane-change and left-turn collisions with cars, distracted driving is an increasingly common reason for accidents in this country. When you’ve been injured because of a distracted driver, you should be compensated. It’s important to hold a distracted driver accountable and bring awareness to the dangers of distracted driving, hopefully preventing others from being injured.
Intoxicated Driving
Whether from drugs or alcohol, intoxicated driving is extremely dangerous. Drinking and driving is known to cause accidents, but people still do it. If a drunk driver injured you, he or she can be held accountable in civil court through your Baton Rouge motorcycle wreck claim.
Hazardous Roads
Dangerous road conditions, such as potholes or improperly steep shoulder drop-offs, can cause motorcycle crashes just like reckless drivers can. Dangerous roads are actually more dangerous for motorcyclists because of the instability of two-wheeled vehicles. If you were injured because of a hazard on the road, you could hold the government responsible for your injuries.
Unsecured Road Construction Sites
Road construction can actually lead to motorcycle collisions. Construction can cause confusion—drivers aren’t sure where to turn or which lane is closed. This can mean unsafe lane changing, wrong-way driving, and other issues that cause accidents.
Defective Motorcycle Parts or Tires
The manufacturer of your motorcycle and its parts can be held liable for any part malfunctions that contribute to an accident or to the severity of your injuries. Additionally, part and vehicle malfunctions of other cars on the road can cause you to be involved in a crash.
Reckless Driving
Speeding, tailgating, and rapid lane changing are a few examples of reckless driving. This type of behavior is dangerous to all drivers but especially so for the vulnerable motorcyclist. If a reckless driver caused your injuries and suffering, you can hold him or her accountable through your claim.
It’s entirely possible that more than one of these causes might have played a role in causing your motorbike crash. You’ll need to name them all in your lawsuit, as doing so will maximize your potential compensation, whether the at-fault parties are an individual, a company, or a government entity.
Motorcycle Crash Injuries and Your Settlement
Your Baton Rouge motorcycle accident lawyer will need to work closely with your doctors to ensure that the full impact of your injuries is accounted for in your demand for compensation. Injury type will be central to your claim, as it will indicate what sort of treatments you’ll need and how your life might be affected.
Take a look through the following list of serious motorcycle crash injuries that could change your life forever:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
A head injury or brain damage can greatly reduce your cognitive and physical capabilities, potentially making it impossible to continue working and damaging your marriage and personal relationships. - Spine Injuries
If your motorcycle crash in Baton Rouge left you paralyzed or in chronic pain from a back injury, you might need special accommodations and equipment, as well as medication. - Broken Bones and Amputations
Damage done to your limbs could be temporary and heal in time or result in the permanent loss of that limb. Either way, your ability to work will be affected, and you’ll likely experience significant pain and mental anguish. - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
While not physically apparent, emotional trauma is every bit as real as physical injuries and can dramatically impact your day-to-day life. - Severe Burns
Burn injuries are not just surface wounds. They can go deep into your muscle tissue and affect the function of your nerves. These types of injuries can create permanent scarring and disfigurement, as well as issues with mobility. - Organ Damage
Damage to vital organs can obviously affect your life. Depending on how serious the damage is, you could even lose an organ. Your health is important, and if it has been compromised, you can hold the liable party accountable for your injuries. - Neck and Shoulder Damage
Many people don’t realize how serious soft tissue injuries can be. These injuries can affect you for the rest of your life. This type of injury can permanently alter your range of motion and can cause chronic pain that will make it difficult to function.
No matter what type of injury you’ve suffered, your Baton Rouge motorcycle accident lawyer can see to it that you get the monetary compensation you deserve for a wreck you didn’t cause. If your injury is serious, you will need the money to provide for your future.
A Full Settlement for Your Motorcycle Wreck
Recovering from a motorbike crash is neither easy nor inexpensive. The negligent party will be expected to compensate you for all of your monetary losses and non-economic damages. While some of these will be obvious, others are less so, and many won’t have a readily apparent dollar value.
A Baton Rouge motorcycle accident lawyer from our firm can assist you with fully assessing what your claim is worth. Whatever the injuries you’ve experienced, we’ll know what to look for when uncovering your damages.
For example, your financial damages will need to include future losses—not just your current expenses. This applies to medical bills, lost income, transportation expenses, prosthetics and mobility aids, property damage, and any home renovations that you’ve made to accommodate an accident-related disability.
Your non-economic damages, on the other hand, account for how the motorcycle wreck and your injuries have negatively affected how you live your life. These losses cover pain and suffering, damage done to your marriage, emotional distress, lost enjoyment of life, and permanent disfigurement.
Contact a Baton Rouge Motorcycle Crash Attorney
After sustaining an injury in a motorbike wreck, you need a settlement to cover your damages and losses. Don’t let an insurance company convince you that your claim is worth less than it really is. Spencer Calahan Injury Lawyers knows how to get the largest settlement possible for an accident, and we put that knowledge toward maximizing our clients’ compensation.
To find out what your claim is worth and how best to proceed with your claim, schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced Baton Rouge motorcycle accident lawyer. To get started, simply give us a call at 225-387-2323 or complete the contact form to the left.
Confidential. Secure. No obligation.
Baton Rouge Motorcycle Accident FAQ
A Baton Rouge motorcycle accident lawyer from our office will be able to answer any questions and address any concerns you might have. We’ve answered a few of the most common questions below, but if you would like further information, please call our firm.
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Am I at fault if I wasn’t wearing a helmet during my motorcycle crash in Baton Rouge?
Possibly. If you suffered injuries to your skull, brain, or face, you might be found partially responsible because wearing a helmet could have prevented the damage. However, you’ll still be able to seek compensation for the other party’s percentage of fault.
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Who is responsible when a pothole causes a motorcycle accident?
The majority of the time, a government agency is responsible for maintaining roads and highways to safe standards. When dangerous potholes and other road conditions cause motorcycle wrecks, they might be at fault—even if your bike was the only vehicle involved.
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What happens if my passenger caused my motorcycle wreck?
A passenger can be just as likely to be at fault for causing an accident as anyone else involved in the collision. It can be difficult to seek compensation from a friend or family member, but it’s critical that you receive the funds that your recovery requires. A motorcycle accident lawyer in Baton Rouge can help in such a situation.