When it comes to the average payout for a motorcycle accident, these amounts can range wildly. Yet, no average payout reflects your settlement following a motorcycle collision. In some instances, your case can result in substantially more money, while in others, you may receive much less.
“To fully understand the average payouts for motorcycle collisions, it is essential to consider the factors that can impact your settlement. Seeking the assistance of a motorcycle accident lawyer can help you navigate these complex factors and pursue the maximum amount of financial compensation you deserve. This post will provide an overview of what you can expect from average payouts and highlight the importance of seeking legal assistance to ensure that you receive fair compensation for your injuries and other damages.
What is the average motorcycle accident settlement in Arizona?
In Arizona, motorcycle accident settlements vary widely based on the specifics of each case. On average, settlements range from 10,000 to 250,000.
When it comes to a motorcycle accident, numerous factors can affect the overall payout you can obtain, including:
- The type and extent of the injuries you suffered because of the collision
- Whether you sustained a permanent disability
- The types of insurance policies involved and the amount of these policies
- The willingness of the other side to provide you with the money you need
- The type of medical treatments needed now and in the future
- The effect of the injuries on your ability to live a normal life
- The ability to work following the accident
- The amount of lost wages you sustained from not being able to work following the accident
- The extent of your pain and suffering
While determining how these factors can affect your payout is challenging, you will not have to figure them out alone. Instead, when you work with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney, your lawyers can gather the information required to evaluate your legal claim properly, determine the extent of your losses, and help you go after the highest settlement possible.
The Physical Injuries That Can Influence Your Payout Offer
One of the main factors that can affect a motorcycle accident payout amount is the physical injuries following a motorcycle collision.
While these injuries can include many issues and trauma, in general, some of the more common injuries that tend to result following a motorcycle collision include:
- Traumatic brain and head injuries
- Spinal cord damage and paralysis
- Broken bones
- Neck and back injuries
- Wrist and knee injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Internal damages, such as internal bleeding and internal organ damage
- Road rash
- Soft tissue injuries
- Facial trauma, including mouth and eye injuries
- Wrongful death
Depending on the extent of these injuries, the medical bills can be astronomical, leading to a lifetime of financial hardships. For these reasons, consider discussing the incident with a knowledgeable motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible following a motorcycle accident. Your lawyers can figure out not only what the full extent of your injuries and losses are, but they can help you go after the maximum amount of compensation you need to get the medical treatments you require.
Can Accepting the First Settlement Offer Affect Your Payout Amount?
Although getting a settlement offer shortly after a motorcycle collision can seem like great news, you should stay wary of accepting the first settlement amount you receive, especially if you want to maximize your payout.
Often, insurance companies will try to offer a meager settlement right after a motorcycle accident in hopes that you do not verify whether this amount is fair to you or talk to a lawyer about this offer. They also know that if you accept this amount, you cannot return to them in the future and ask for more money when you discover that you need more funds to cover your expenses.
That is why, before accepting anything from the insurance company, it may be a good idea to review this settlement offer with an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer. These legal professionals can determine whether the insurance company offered a reasonable settlement. If not, they can go back to the insurance company and negotiate for more money for you.
In addition, when you talk to these insurance companies, be careful about what statements and observations you make to them. Avoid making definitive comments about what happened, apologizing for the collision, or claiming the accident was your fault. The insurer can use these statements to decrease your payout and prevent you from getting all the money you need.
Fight for Maximum Financial Damages After Your Motorcycle Accident
If the other side is not willing to provide you with the compensation you need after a motorcycle collision, your lawyer may decide that it is time to go after maximum financial damages by taking your case to trial.
These instances may entitle you to both non-economic and economic damages, which typically include payment for:
- Medical bills due to doctor visits, hospital stays, prescription medications, surgeries, medical devices, rehabilitation therapy, emergency services (ambulance rides), and other medical treatments
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Personal property damages, such as replacement and repair costs
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Humiliation
- Inconvenience
- Loss of reputation
However, because these damages include both subjective and easily tangible losses, to ensure you go after the maximum financial recovery you are entitled to, contact an experienced motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible following your accident. Your lawyers can review the facts of your accident, determine which of these damages you can pursue, and help you prepare the strongest legal case possible to go after all the monetary damages you need.
The Evidence That Can Help Your Payout Following a Motorcycle Accident
Following a motorcycle accident, certain types of evidence can help corroborate your legal case and help you go after the maximum amount of compensation you deserve. This evidence generally includes:
Medical Reports
Even if you believe you only suffered minor injuries after a motorcycle collision, you should still get to a medical professional as soon as possible. Your doctors can ensure that you do not have any serious injuries where symptoms have not yet manifested, such as internal bleeding. They can also provide you with medical documentation that can help show the extent of your trauma and provide your attorney with evidence of a connection between the harm you sustained and the motorcycle accident.
This evidence can be critical if the other party or the insurance company tries to argue that your injuries are not that severe or a result of a separate incident.
Bills Associated With the Accident
Ensure you keep documents and bills associated with your motorcycle accident and the injuries sustained. These records can help your lawyer understand the full extent and severity of the trauma you suffered and help them go after the most money possible on your behalf.
Testimony From Medical Experts
To help prove that you deserve financial damages after a motorcycle accident, your attorney may hire a medical expert to provide testimony that can substantiate your case by showing the severity of your injuries and how these injuries have affected your life and will continue affecting your life in the future.
Evidence Following the Accident
Following an accident, when a lawyer investigates what happened, they can look for videos and photos showing:
- The scene of the accident
- The damage to your motorcycle and the other vehicle
- The placement of these vehicles on the road after the accident
- The weather and traffic conditions at the time of the accident
- Traffic signs and signals near the area
- The condition of the road at the time of the collision, including any skid marks or road defects
These pictures can assist your lawyer in bolstering your legal claim by helping show what happened, who was at fault, and the extent of your damages. More importantly, when you hire a knowledgeable attorney, they can work on gathering all of this evidence for you. At the same time, you focus on more important things, such as your healing and recovery.
Witnesses Testimony
If individuals at the accident scene saw your collision, your attorney could try to find them and get their statements regarding the accident. These witnesses are helpful when it comes to providing your lawyer with valuable information regarding the incident, as well as testifying to help collaborate your legal claim.
How Long Does It Take to Reach a Settlement Offer?
Unfortunately, the settlement process is not always easy or quick. Sometimes, the average settlement can take months to years to resolve. It will take some time to investigate the case, and your attorney will likely want to wait until you obtain maximum medical improvement. This will give them a better idea of the extent of your injuries and the type of medical treatment you will need, which can help them understand how much payout they should go after.
When you go over the facts of your motorcycle accident with an attorney, these legal professionals can help you better understand this settlement process, including the factors that can affect the timeline to resolve your case. These attorneys can also speed up this process by ensuring that the insurance company or the other party is not dragging their feet regarding your settlement offer.
Do Not Run out of Time to Go After the Payout You Deserve
Following a motorcycle accident, it is also important to make sure you do not run out of time to pursue legal action after the accident. The statute of limitations is a law that lays out how long individuals have to pursue a lawsuit after an alleged offense.
While this limit will depend on the state where the accident occurred, the circumstances surrounding the collision, and whether any exceptions apply, if a person does not file their legal case before the deadline expires, the court can stop them from going after the money they deserve.
That is why after a motorcycle collision, consider speaking with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible. Your lawyers can figure out precisely how much time you have to file your legal case and ensure that the appropriate documents, files, and motions are prepared and submitted before time runs out.
In addition, even if you may have years to file a lawsuit after a motorcycle accident, you may not want to wait that long. As more time passes after the accident, the higher the likelihood is of evidence disappearing, witnesses no longer being able to testify on your behalf, and memories of the incident fading, all factors that can ultimately affect the amount of money you can obtain.
How Can an Experienced Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Recover Your Payout?
If you believe you have a viable legal claim after a motorcycle accident but do not know what legal actions you should take next or what type of payout to expect, contact an experienced motorcycle accident attorney today.
Your lawyers can go over the accident with you in detail, help you understand whether you have a valid case, and determine what legal actions you need to take to secure a maximum financial recovery. Plus, because the initial consultation is free, you will not have to spend anything to gain further insight into pursuing this legal claim, including information regarding what kind of payout you could expect following a motorcycle accident.
Jason Hutzler
Jason Hutzler is the founding partner of Phoenix personal injury law firm Hutzler Law, and represents individuals throughout Arizona. His practice is primarily dedicated to personal injury and car accident claims, leveraging his deep expertise as a former insurance adjustor to navigate the complexities of insurance negotiations.