Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
When a motorcycle and car collide, the accident is usually caused by the driver of the car. Insurance adjusters nevertheless argue that the motorcycle rider was at fault. A motorcycle accident lawyer will try to settle the case as quickly as circumstances permit, but the amount of time it will take to settle depends upon several factors.
Healing Times Affect Georgia Motorcycle Accident Settlements
No injury victim should ever settle a claim until the full extent of the injury is known. When victims settle under the mistaken belief that the injury is minor, they cannot ask for more money after learning that the injury is more serious than they expected it to be.
When insurance adjusters suspect that an injury will be serious, they often try to settle the case quickly, before the full extent of the injury is clear. They may pressure an accident victim to settle before the victim obtains legal advice.
It is rarely appropriate to settle a claim until the accident victim’s doctor decides that the injury has fully healed or that it is unlikely to heal further within the next year. A permanent injury or one that causes a long-term impairment requires more compensation that one that heals completely.
Permanent injuries usually involve enduring pain and additional expenses, such as the cost of continuing care. Motorcycle accident victims will not obtain full compensation if they settle before a doctor has established the lasting nature of the injury.
Disputed Facts Affect Georgia Motorcycle Accident Settlements
Cases are more likely to settle quickly when the driver’s fault is undisputed. When a driver blows through a red light and collides with a motorcyclist, and when a police officer witnesses the accident, there is little opportunity for an insurance adjuster to blame the motorcyclist for the accident.
In many cases, fault is less easy to establish. When a driver makes a left turn at an intersection in front of an oncoming motorist, the driver is negligent for failing to yield. If the motorcyclist might have been able to avoid colliding with car, the rider’s failure to react more quickly might also be regarded as negligent.
Insurance claims adjusters and motorcycle accident lawyers will both investigate the facts. In some cases, the lawyer might want an accident reconstruction expert to determine how the collision occurred. The lawyer might also want an investigator to locate and interview witnesses. Finding the evidence to resolve factual disputes takes time, but the process is essential to assuring that motorcycle accident victims receive full compensation.
Unreasonable Claims Adjusters Affect Georgia Motorcycle Accident Settlements
When an injury lawyer and an insurance claims adjuster disagree about fault or the severity of the accident victim’s injuries, negotiations might stall. The lawyer will then file a lawsuit. Most cases settle before trial, but insurance companies sometimes wait until the eve of trial before they make a reasonable offer.
Some adjusters think that delaying settlement of a claim will make the victim more willing to accept inadequate compensation. When a motorcycle accident victim is unable to work after a collision, an insurance adjuster might hope that the victim will be desperate for money and will accept a low offer just to make a dent in accumulating bills.
Experienced motorcycle accident lawyers know how much compensation an injury victim should receive. They use their experience to move cases forward as quickly as they can, but they have no control over court calendars. Some cases proceed to trial more quickly than others. A dedicated injury attorney will make every effort to settle cases promptly and for full value, but the time it will take to achieve that result is different in every case.
