No universal dataset tells the average payout for a motorcycle accident. No single authority compiles such data, but we know that motorcycle accident victims often deserve large financial recoveries.
Many accident victims have tens of thousands to millions of dollars in medical bills and even more in lost income if they are out of work. However, this figure only accounts for economic costs from an accident and, therefore, does not reflect the full cost of a collision.
Always hire an experienced Las Vegas motorcycle accident lawyer to calculate the exact cost of your damages, as each accident victim has different losses. You cannot trust insurance companies, but the right attorney will have your best interests in mind and determine your injury claim’s true value.
Average Payout Figures Do Not Show What Your Accident Is Worth
Looking at averages does not help your specific motorcycle accident claim because:
- Average figures capture a wide range of cases, from minor, low-speed collisions to catastrophic high-speed collisions.
- The amount of money another motorcycle accident victim receives has no bearing on the amount of compensation you should receive.
- The details of your motorcycle accident (and damages) are unique, and comparisons to other cases can be inaccurate.
- You may deserve far more than the average motorcycle accident settlement or verdict.
Rather than spending time or effort seeking out average settlement statistics, hire a motorcycle accident lawyer to determine the value of your settlement.
Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Don’t Rely on Data from Other Cases
Motorcycle accident lawyers understand how to complete cases like yours. It is telling that these lawyers don’t waste time worrying about other cases.
Instead, a motorcycle accident lawyer will:
- Calculate the cost of your economic damages (like medical bills and lost income)
- Calculate the cost of your non-economic damages (perhaps using the multiplier or per-diem calculation method to do so)
- Projecting any damages you are likely to suffer in the future
Your lawyer’s focus will be on you and your damages.
A competent motorcycle accident lawyer ensures the accuracy of their settlement calculations by:
- Gathering all documentation of your damages (such as medical bills and invoices for vehicle repairs)
- Using legally accepted methods to calculate non-economic damages (including but not limited to pain and suffering)
- Hiring experts—such as doctors, mental health experts, and economists—to confirm that the value of damages is accurate
- Relying on other lawyers and paralegals to confirm the value of accident-related damages
You should hire a motorcycle accident lawyer with extensive experience with similar cases. Such experience will ensure your settlement target is fair and accurate.
A Seasoned Lawyer Will Rely on Experience from Former Cases
Even with no data database detailing average motorcycle accident payouts, an experienced lawyer has something even more valuable—real-world experience.
An attorney’s background with motorcycle accident cases may:
- Allow them to understand the common injuries motorcycle accident victims suffer
- Give them a general feel for how costly medical care, lost income, and other damages from a motorcycle accident tend to be
- Enable them to calculate your damages accurately and fight for the money you deserve (without delay)
Experience is always a benefit when you hire a lawyer. There is no blueprint for calculating the cost of a motorcycle accident, so a lawyer’s knowledge and experience can be invaluable for you.
What Damages Should a Motorcycle Accident Payout Cover?
Lawyers evaluate their clients’ damages on a case-by-case basis, as there is no cookie-cutter approach to evaluating an accident.
Your lawyer will identify all harm resulting from your collision, which may include:
- Repairs for the motorcycle and other damaged property: Automotive professionals will help your lawyer calculate the cost of repairing (or replacing) your motorcycle. Your attorney will also calculate the replacement cost of phones, clothing, and other damaged property.
- Temporary transportation: If you need temporary transportation while you are without your motorcycle, your lawyer will add the expense to your claim or lawsuit.
- Medical bills: Perhaps one of your most costly damages, medical expenses can be immensely stressful. You may get relief through a settlement or verdict covering your accident-related medical services.
- Lost income, missed bonuses, and other professional damages: Most accident victims need time to heal after a motorcycle accident, which can mean time away from work. You may face long-term professional damages if you have a severe or disabling injury. Your lawyer will demand complete financial coverage of your accident-related professional damages.
- Pain and suffering: Motorcycle accident survivors may experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), emotional anguish, psychological distress, and several other forms of pain and suffering. Your attorney will demand compensation for all such damages.
- Counseling and other treatments for pain and suffering: If you seek treatment for accident-related pain and suffering, your attorney will include the cost of treatment in your case.
You may have damages in addition to those listed here. Rest assured that your lawyer will account for all accident-related damages and fight for the compensation you deserve.
You Deserve Fair Compensation If You Have Lost a Loved One
Motorcyclists account for three percent of registered vehicles but 14 percent of vehicles involved in fatal accidents. In other words, motorcyclists face an extreme risk of injury when involved in a collision. If your loved one lost their life because of accident-related injuries, an attorney will pursue justice for you and your loved ones.
Recoverable damages in a fatal motorcycle accident case may include:
- Survivors’ pain and suffering, including grief
- Any pain and suffering the decedent endured before passing
- Medical expenses (which may result from emergency treatment and end-of-life care)
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of the decedent’s income (through retirement age)
- Loss of the decedent’s household contributions
- Funeral and burial expenses
If you pursue justice for a wrongful death, a lawyer will lead your case with privacy, discretion, and respect for the tragic circumstances you face. You do not have to re-experience the details of the fatal accident when you hire a lawyer to represent you.
How Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Fight for Their Clients’ Financial Recoveries
Securing a fair settlement or verdict is the goal. To achieve this, a motorcycle accident lawyer must:
Handle Case-Related Communications (Including with Insurers)
Your attorney will deal with insurers and others involved in your case. Trusting these duties to your lawyer will:
- Ensure that the insurance company cannot deceive you or pressure you to accept a lowball settlement
- Grant your lawyer the control they need to build your case
- Ensure that you can focus on your recovery without being bothered by insurers or other parties
A motorcycle accident lawyer handles every detail of your case, including phone calls, letters, and other communications.
Determine the Cause of the Accident (and Establish Liability)
Driver inattentiveness is one of the leading causes of motorcycle accidents. Your lawyer will determine if distracted driving, speeding, tailgating, dangerous roads, vehicle defects, or any other hazard caused your collision.
Alcohol is another common factor in motorcycle accidents. If your motorcycle accident involved alcohol, both the drunk driver and the establishment that served them alcohol may be liable for your damages.
Secure Evidence of Negligence
Attorneys build insurance claims and lawsuits with evidence, often including:
- Video footage of the collision
- Eyewitness testimony
- Expert opinions about liability
- A physical or digital reconstruction of the accident
- The police report detailing the accident
Evidence varies from case to case. If you hire a qualified lawyer, they will secure all available evidence as quickly as possible.
Document Your Damages
Your lawyer will enter settlement talks with definitive proof of your damages, which may include:
- All accident-related medical bills
- A doctor’s detailed notes about your injuries, symptoms, and treatment needs
- A mental health professional’s diagnosis of your pain and suffering (including conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder)
- Invoices for the repair or replacement of your motorcycle (and any other damaged property)
- Your own account of how the motorcycle accident has negatively affected you
Such proof of damages will be useful if insurers or other liable parties contest the nature or cost of your damages.
Negotiate a Settlement
Ultimately, you will evaluate your lawyer based on whether they secure a settlement or judgment for you. A motorcycle accident attorney may prove their worth during settlement talks. Liable parties may resist paying you fairly and argue against your case.
Your attorney will present evidence of your damages, explain their calculation of your settlement demands, and address any arguments made by liable parties.
Complete a Trial (if Necessary)
Though a trial is not always necessary for a motorcycle accident case, many attorneys prepare each case as if a trial will occur. This approach means the attorney can take action if liable parties never offer a fair settlement.
Who Is Financially Responsible for a Motorcycle Accident Victim’s Damages?
Your lawyer will settle this question. Liability often depends on the cause of a motorcycle accident, and liable parties may include:
A Motorist
Motorists are often the cause of motorcycle accidents.
Common types of motorist negligence that lead to motorcyclist injuries and deaths are:
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Failing to check blind spots before changing lanes
- Braking suddenly (and without reason)
- Failing to notice a lane-splitting motorist
- Driving under the influence
- Driving while distracted
A motorist may even be liable for failing to service their car, truck, or SUV. For example, if a motorist’s tire bursts because of a lack of service, and that motorist hits a motorcyclist, then the motorist may be liable for accident-related damages.
A Vehicle Manufacturer
The manufacturer may be responsible for victims’ damages when vehicle or motorcycle defects lead to a collision.
A manufacturer has the duty to:
- Design the vehicle in a safety-conscious way
- Ensure the vehicle’s components are made of high-quality materials
- Safety test the vehicle
- Fix any safety hazards that emerge during safety tests
- Issue all necessary warnings and instructions to consumers when selling the vehicle
Manufacturers do not always meet these responsibilities. When they fail, and accidents occur, victims of manufacturers’ negligence can demand compensation for their damages.
A Municipality
If hazards within a municipality’s control cause a motorcycle accident, the municipality may owe compensation to the victims.
Such hazards may include:
- Potholes
- Uneven pavement
- Debris in the road
- Work zones positioned too close to the road
- Medians, barrels, or barriers positioned too close to the roadway
- Defective traffic signals
- Downed signage
Attorneys know how to establish liability for motorcycle accidents. Your attorney will quickly diagnose who owes you compensation, and they will build the case to obtain compensation from those liable parties.
Can I Afford a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer’s Services?
You can afford to hire a lawyer thanks to the contingency fee structure that most motorcycle accident attorneys use.
A contingency fee structure works like this:
- You choose the law firm to lead your
- The law firm presents its fee structure, explaining what percentage of your financial recovery it will receive.
- You agree to pay the law firm a percentage of any financial recovery it secures for you.
- The law firm covers all case-related expenses—filing fees, expert fees, transportation fees, and the hidden costs of completing a motorcycle accident case.
- If the law firm wins, you receive your settlement or verdict after the law firm claims its agreed-upon percentage.
- If the law firm does not secure the compensation you deserve, you do not pay any fee.
This contingency fee structure makes sense for personal injury firms because:
- Traffic accident victims often lack the financial means to pay for a lawyer upfront
- Law firms generally have the financial means to cover a case
- The contingency fee structure aligns the client’s goals with the law firm’s
This structure also ensures that anyone can hire a motorcycle accident attorney, even when facing tight financial circumstances.
When Should I Hire an Attorney?
Always hire a motorcycle accident lawyer. Your attorney may have a short time to file your case, as there are typically deadlines for filing insurance claims and lawsuits.
Las Vegas personal injury attorney offer no-cost, no-obligation consultations. Find law firms serving your area and begin your research today. You will no longer need to wonder about what your motorcycle accident claim is worth.