South Carolina's warm climate makes Columbia a great place for bikers to use their motorcycle to get around the city or enjoy the occasional joyride. Yet, the convenience and enjoyment of riding a motorcycle disappear when accidents happen.
Motorcyclists unjustifiably hold the reputation of riding their bikes unsafely. In reality, they must share the road with careless motorists whose negligence leads to dangerous motorcycle accidents.
Bikers do not have the same amount of protection from the road afforded to those in passenger vehicles, so they face more severe injuries. Motorcycle accident injuries are also more likely to be fatal. Even when a biker survives a crash, the aftermath comes with physical, mental, and financial struggles.
If you suffered injuries in a Columbia motorcycle accident, you should not have to suffer financially on top of the pain of your injuries.
The Columbia motorcycle accident lawyers at Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers have the experience and resources to help Columbia motorcycle accident victims fight for compensation for their injuries. We can review the circumstances of your accident, determine the viability of your claim, and advise you on the best path forward for your situation.
- Why Choose Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers for Your Columbia Motorcycle Accident Claim
- Compensation in Columbia Motorcycle Accident Claims
- Statute of Limitations in Columbia Motorcycle Accident Claims
- Types of Injuries in Columbia Motorcycle Accidents
- Fighting the Insurance Company After a Columbia Motorcycle Accident
- What to Do After a Columbia Motorcycle Accident
- Get the Legal Help You Need from a Columbia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Why Choose Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers for Your Columbia Motorcycle Accident Claim
You need to focus on healing from your injuries after a Columbia motorcycle accident. Dealing with insurance companies and their attempts to avoid financial liability for an accident takes away your valuable time.
The skilled legal team at Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers has decades of experience fighting for victims of negligence to get compensation for their injuries, including those who sustained injuries in motorcycle accidents.
Our firm has extensive experience in the settlement, negotiation, and litigation of personal injury claims in South Carolina, including those in the Columbia area.
The Columbia motorcycle accident lawyers at Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers are committed to helping accident victims seek justice and recover maximum compensation for their motorcycle accident injuries. Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers's dedication to client service has led to the recovery of millions of dollars in settlements and jury awards. Their commitment to professional excellence has also garnered them awards and honors from elite organizations like the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Super Lawyers, and Best Attorneys of America.
We prefer to meet potential clients in person for a free case consultation. However, motorcycle accident injuries and other obligations sometimes make face-to-face meetings difficult. If you cannot travel to our Columbia office, we also offer convenient online consultations.
Contact us today online or at (843) 232-0944 to discuss your Columbia motorcycle accident and learn more about how we can help you through the accident injury claims process.
Compensation in Columbia Motorcycle Accident Claims
After a preventable Columbia motorcycle accident injures you because of someone else's careless choices, South Carolina law permits you to sue for damages in civil court to recover the economic and noneconomic losses related to the motorcycle accident and your injuries.
Economic losses include medical expenses, vehicle repairs, and other expenses with specific costs. Noneconomic losses refer to the effects of a motorcycle accident and injuries on someone's life, with pain and suffering at the top of the list.
Each claim has specific facts and circumstances that dictate how much a motorcycle accident victim could receive in a settlement or jury award and what damages apply.
Common damages in Columbia motorcycle accident claims include compensation for:
- Medical treatment costs, including emergency room services and ambulance transport, hospitalization, surgery, X-rays, lab tests, prescriptions, follow-up doctor visits, and travel to and from the treating facility
- Estimated future medical expenses when a Columbia motorcycle accident victim needs ongoing care because of severe or permanent injuries
- Rehabilitation services, including specialized treatment with physical therapists, occupational therapists, mental health professionals, and other specialists that help motorcycle accident victims work through the physical and emotional struggles related to their injuries
- Lost income and earnings from taking time off work or closing a business because of a motorcycle accident and injuries
- Estimated future lost earnings when a Columbia motorcycle accident prevents someone from working
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of consortium
- Scarring and disfigurement
Specific factors that impact the amount and type of compensation included in a Columbia motorcycle accident claim include:
Scope and Severity of Injuries
Those with the most severe motorcycle accident injuries typically have the highest value claims. Also, those with more or more comprehensive injuries often receive more compensation.
For example, someone who breaks an ankle in a motorcycle accident might not receive as much money in a settlement as someone who breaks both legs and an arm. Similarly, permanent injuries that leave scars or deform someone's body lead to more significant damage. For example, someone who suffers an amputation can expect more compensation than someone who breaks a leg during a motorcycle accident.
Total Economic Loss
The economic loss someone incurs from a motorcycle accident strongly aligns with the severity of their injuries. Severe motorcycle accident injuries require victims to spend days or weeks in the hospital, making them more costly to treat.
Motorcycle accident injuries also lead to more time away from a job or business, sometimes without the ability to return. Catastrophic injuries that prevent people from working come with a lifetime of lost income and earnings, leading to a higher settlement amount or jury award.
Chances for a Full Physical Recovery
Motorcycle accident victims who make a full recovery or are expected to make a full recovery from their injuries may receive less compensation for their injuries in a settlement or jury verdict in their favor.
Permanent injuries typically require continued care and treatment, which is costly. Victims must also cope with the mental aspects of a permanent injury and may be unable to work. Together, these factors drastically increase the value of a Columbia motorcycle accident claim.
An experienced Columbia motorcycle accident lawyer from Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers can review your claim, gather evidence, obtain necessary documents, and consult with medical experts to advise you on the type and amount of damages that apply to your Columbia motorcycle accident claim.
Statute of Limitations in Columbia Motorcycle Accident Claims
If you get injured in a Columbia motorcycle crash, you have three years from the accident to take legal action against the motorist or another party responsible for your injuries. Surviving family members who lost a loved one in a deadly Columbia motorcycle crash also have three years to file a wrongful death lawsuit to receive compensation for their loss.
Although you have three years to take action after a Columbia motorcycle accident, consult a lawyer as soon as possible.
If you miss the statute of limitations deadline for your accident, you will likely lose the chance to recoup losses related to your injuries. South Carolina law allows for rare exceptions. For example, the court might extend the clock if your accident incapacitates you for months.
Taking swift action after a Columbia motorcycle accident also preserves evidence in your claim. As time passes, investigators struggle to find evidence from surveillance cameras, cell phone recordings, and traffic cameras. Finding witnesses grows harder, and their recollection of the accident typically becomes less reliable. Once you hire a Columbia motorcycle accident lawyer to represent you, they can begin working on your case immediately.
Types of Injuries in Columbia Motorcycle Accidents
Bikers suffer the same types of injuries that car accident victims suffer. However, their injuries are often more severe and likely to result in death. Even the safest motorcycle enthusiasts face severe and life-threatening injuries when a negligent motorist causes an accident.
Types of injuries that often give rise to a motorcycle accident injury claim include:
- Broken arms. Bikers often break a fall with their arms, which leads to broken wrists and arms.
- Broken legs. During a motorcycle crash, vehicles often hit a biker's leg, leading to a wide range of broken bones in their lower extremities.
- Traumatic brain injuries. Even those wearing helmets can suffer a brain injury during a motorcycle crash.
- Road rash. Bikers who slide on the ground after a crash can suffer severe scrapes and wounds that lead to infection and permanent scars.
- Back and spinal cord injuries. The impact of a motorcycle accident can cause a wide range of injuries along the spinal column, including fractured vertebrae, bulged discs, and spinal cord injuries.
- Internal injuries. Motorcycle crashes can cause internal bleeding and organ damage.
Fighting the Insurance Company After a Columbia Motorcycle Accident
Insurance carriers stay in business by avoiding paying out claims when their policyholders cause accidents. This is especially true with motorcycle accidents. Auto insurance providers often try to shift blame to the victim so they can deny the claim. When they cannot deny a claim, they do what they can to devalue it, often by downplaying injuries. Once the insurance company receives the accident claim, they assign a representative to process it and decide whether to approve it.
Insurance representatives investigate the claim by talking to involved parties and gathering evidence. If an adjuster has yet to contact you, you can expect they will eventually. In most cases, adjusters want a recorded statement and want to gain access to medical records. Speak to a lawyer before this discussion. If this is not possible, do not let them record your statement. Also, do not give them access to your entire medical history. Insurance companies comb through this information to find reasons to deny or devalue your claim.
An experienced Columbia motorcycle accident lawyer from Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers can handle communications with the insurance company and protect you from the questionable tactics they use to process a claim. This gives you the best chance of a positive outcome for your claim.
What to Do After a Columbia Motorcycle Accident
Receiving maximum compensation for your injuries means you must protect your claim's value. Hiring a Columbia motorcycle accident lawyer provides this protection. However, you can take some steps to help out your lawyer and your case.
Following these guidelines make it more difficult for the insurance company to deny your claim or downplay your injuries.
- Follow your doctor's treatment plan for your injuries. This includes keeping all medical appointments for follow-up visits, physical therapy, etc.
- Keep proof of economic loss, including medical bills, motorcycle repair bills, pay stubs, and other documents.
- Obtain a copy of the official accident report for your Columbia motorcycle accident.
- Record information about your daily physical, emotional, and financial struggles in a written journal to share with your lawyer.
- Only post on social media once your motorcycle accident claim resolves.
- Only discuss your case with your lawyer so friends and family do not accidentally say something to jeopardize your motorcycle accident injury claim.
Bring all documents, photos, and other information to your initial meeting with a Columbia motorcycle accident lawyer who can review your case and advise you on your next steps.
Get the Legal Help You Need from a Columbia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
If you sustain injuries in a Columbia motorcycle accident, you can bring a lawsuit against the driver or another party responsible. Contact a Columbia motorcycle accident lawyer to review your case. Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers has the knowledge and resources to help you fight for damages. Reach out to a Columbia personal injury lawyer.
You should have to shoulder the economic struggles that come with severe motorcycle accident injuries when someone else's choices caused the accident. Contact Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers online or call us at (843) 232-0944 to discuss your accident, your injuries, and the way your injuries have derailed your life.
