What Can You Expect From Insurers After Motorcycle Accidents?

Car and motorcycle accident cases are treated very differently by insurance companies. While adjusters rarely offer fair settlements to any accident victims — even those with serious injuries — they’re even more likely to make it difficult for a motorcycle accident victim. If you were injured in such a collision, they’d typically try to blame you automatically for causing the crash. Unfortunately, motorcycle riders are often seen as engaging in activities that are inherently dangerous. That’s why every accident victim would ideally have a law firm on their side after suffering injuries in these crashes.

If you speak with an insurance company after your accident — which is not advised prior to meeting with a motorcycle accident lawyer in Las Vegas — there are various things they’ll try to do. One of their favorite tactics is something they also use on car and truck drivers involved in accidents: solicitation of negligence admissions. Every insurance company is most worried about profit, and if they can avoid or minimize the payouts they have to make, that’s exactly what they’ll do. While the questions you hear may sound like they’re coming from a concerned party, the real goal is to have you accept some measure of liability for your motorcycle collision.

An insurance adjuster will also likely offer a quick settlement. They’re hoping you accept this offer without ever speaking with a skilled motorcycle accident lawyer. That’s because most people don’t realize how much their personal injury claims are worth. By accepting an offer based entirely on property damage and current medical bills, you’ll miss out on potential financial compensation claims related to lost wages, pain and suffering, future medical expenses, and other forms of reimbursement.

Don’t let an insurer take advantage of you. You need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Las Vegas on your side to ensure you get maximum compensation. Contact Murphy & Murphy Law Offices today for a free consultation.

What Are Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries?

It’s an unfortunate reality, but throughout vehicular history, motorcycle accidents involved injuries that are typically far more serious than other auto accidents. This isn’t to say that an individual can’t suffer serious injuries in a car or truck, but motorcycle crashes present a highly increased risk of catastrophic and even fatal accidents. This is another reason insurance companies often prefer to offer quick offers — because if a victim is able to secure the maximum settlement, it can constitute a substantial cost for the insurer.

That’s because the following injuries are some of the most common in motorcycle accidents. As you’ll see, the beginning of this list starts out relatively minor. As you go further down, however, it becomes clear why injury victims in these accidents are often entitled to substantial compensation claims.

• Road rash
• Lacerations
• Whiplash
• Fractures
• Internal bleeding
• Disfigurement
• Spinal cord injury
• Organ damage
• Head injury and traumatic brain injuries (TBI)

These severe injuries can result in high medical expenses along with other costs. In particularly serious cases, fatal collisions can be the outcome. Even those who suffer seemingly minor TBIs — such as concussions — can experience significant medical problems in the future (e.g., depression). Unfortunately, many of these injuries aren’t as simple as “get treated and move on.” In many instances, motorcyclists end up needing lifelong medical care to deal with their injuries.

This is why speaking with a motorcycle accident attorney in Las Vegas is so imperative. If you accept an offer from an insurance company, you could end up paying out of pocket for future medical needs. It’s also highly unlikely that an insurance adjuster will offer any compensation related to pain and suffering and other non-economic losses. The injuries that result from motorcycle accidents are just too serious to trust insurers to do the right thing.

Craig Murphy has handled motorcycle accident lawsuits in Nevada — ranging from broken bones to wrongful death accidents — over the course of decades. No online blog can tell you whether you have a claim worth pursuing, but at Murphy & Murphy Law Offices, you’ll receive a free case evaluation so you’ll fully understand your rights and what you’re up against. Contact us today to learn more.

What Should You Do After a Motorcycle Accident?

Just one moment of distracted driving from someone else on the road can leave a motorcyclist unable to do anything other than wait for help. If you’re capable of safely moving around following your motorcycle accident, though, there are some things you can do to help yourself later. By following these steps, you’ll make it easier for your personal injury attorney to secure maximum financial compensation.

• Distance yourself from the accident and flow of traffic
• Contact the police and wait for them to arrive
• Don’t take off your helmet or other safety gear
• Collect information from the other driver and witnesses
• Take photos of the entire scene (e.g., accident location, vehicles)
• Note any strange behavior on the part of the other driver
• Make sure the officer who arrives puts your statement in the report
• Seek medical attention

Even if you feel fine and don’t think you were injured in a motorcycle wreck, it’s still important to follow the last step of seeking medical attention. The fact is that some injuries will not be readily apparent. You may not even realize you have whiplash until much later when your ears start ringing, and you feel dizzy. Similarly, symptoms of depression have been linked to concussions and whiplash and may not appear until years after the fact. When it comes to medical issues, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve owned your bike — just like it doesn’t matter how many motorcycle collisions an attorney has covered. The fact is that only a healthcare professional can clear you medically.

Unfortunately, the scene of the accident isn’t where the difficulties end. First, you want to abide by all your doctor’s instructions and keep meticulous medical records. Researching motorcycle accident lawyers should also be a top priority. Once you hire a law firm to represent you, things typically go much more smoothly. Still, you’ll want to keep all your follow-up doctor appointments, do exactly as your attorney tells you, and keep an injury journal. Use this journal to document each and every difficulty you face due to the harm you suffered.

Were You Partially at Fault for Your Motorcycle Accident?

Rarely is any accident involving motor vehicles “cut and dry.” At Murphy & Murphy Law Offices, we’ve handled personal injury cases where an accident may not have happened at all if the victim hadn’t engaged in certain behavior. For instance, if car and truck drivers fail to yield at an interchange, speeding motorcycle riders may have no chance to stop. Now, is it possible the accident would’ve been avoided entirely if the motorcyclist hadn’t been speeding? It’s a very real possibility, but that’s something the law already takes into account for motorcycle accident claims.

That’s because Nevada is a modified comparative negligence state. This means a law firm can help individuals recover damages even if they were partially at fault for their accident. In the scenario discussed above, many people would agree that the driver who didn’t yield was most at fault. If the judge or jury decides that the driver was 80% liable and the motorcyclist was 20% liable, the motorcycle driver will still receive financial compensation to the tune of 80% of the eventual court award. So if the judge decides that $1 million compensation is appropriate given the situation, the victim will receive $800,000.

Before you start making guesses as to your percentage of fault, though, take time to contact a motorcycle accident attorney in Las Vegas. This only requires a few minutes of your time, and if you reach out to the right law firm, your initial consultation will be free. There are countless factors to consider — ranging from traffic laws to the mindset of the other driver — so speak with a legal team before making any decisions that could affect your ability to obtain fair financial compensation.

How to Get Compensation With a Motorcycle Accident Claim?

The only way that you’re going to get compensated is to make sure that you have an attorney with the skill and experience necessary to handle motorcycle crash claims. If you follow all the steps discussed above on what to do after a motorcycle accident, it will be more difficult for the insurance company to deny your claim. Even if you couldn’t complete any of these steps — which is common considering how detrimental such a collision can be — don’t fall into the trap of thinking you don’t have a valid legal claim.

The first step to securing fair compensation is not to speak with the insurance company. Craig Murphy has experience as an insurance defense attorney, and he knows all the tricks of the trade. Talking to an adjuster before reaching out to a law office can be the worst thing you do for your case. Once you obtain legal representation, your motorcycle accident attorney will communicate directly with the insurer. If they can reach a settlement, you’ll never have to worry about court dates. If a settlement can’t be reached, though, the case will need to go to trial.

You’ve likely seen advertisements from television lawyers saying they’re the best for your motorcycle accident case because they ride as well. In reality, that’s not what you need. You need someone experienced in this type of case that’s taken similar claims to trial. Around 95% of all personal injury cases are settled out of court, so many law firms have minimal experience arguing the facts before a judge. With Las Vegas motorcycle accident lawyer Craig Murphy, though, you’ll have a trial attorney who knows his way around the courtroom. Getting fair compensation after an accident requires taking a series of smart steps.

And if you want to improve your chances of securing what you deserve, a free consultation with our law firm is a great place to start.

Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Las Vegas Can Help

If you or a loved one has experienced a motorcycle wreck, figuring out the next step can seem daunting. Don’t worry; you’re not alone in these thoughts. Dealing with insurance companies and the legal processes involved can pull you in countless directions, even as you’re trying to recover or caring for a loved one. Fortunately, you don’t have to face difficulties on your own. Whether another driver was at fault for wrongfully changing lanes or the government itself is liable for unsafe road conditions, Murphy & Murphy Law Offices wants you to get justice.

Even if you’re unsure whether you’re entitled to monetary compensation, Contact us today by calling (702) 369-9696. You need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Las Vegas who’s on your side and experienced in obtaining settlements and taking cases to trial. That’s exactly what you’ll find at Murphy & Murphy Law Offices.