Florida Motorcycle Accident Attorney
A motorcycle wreck can be a life-changing event that alters the course of your future. The Florida motorcycle accident attorneys at Halpern Santos & Pinkert are here to help you plot the way forward and pursue the compensation you need for medical expenses, lost income, and other damages.
We provide legal guidance and aggressive representation to motorcycle riders who were seriously injured in collisions throughout Florida. We also assist families who have lost loved ones in motorcycle crashes.
Our motorcycle accident lawyers have more than 60 years of combined experience in legal practice, and they have recovered more than $200 million for clients. To discuss your case in a free initial consultation, contact our law firm today at 305-445-1111.
How Much Is My Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?
The cost of recovering financially after a motorcycle wreck can be exorbitant. From medical bills to lost income to vehicle repairs, a single accident could easily wind up being the most expensive event of your life. That said, it’s natural to want to know how much money you might recover from your personal injury claim so you can gauge the impact of the accident on your financial future.
Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for calculating the value of a motorcycle injury claim. Also, no attorney can guarantee a specific outcome for your case. The lawyers at Halpern Santos & Pinkert will review the evidence you have gathered, perform a thorough investigation to compile other evidence, calculate your damages, and provide honest predictions of how your case might unfold.
There are many factors that influence the value of motorcycle accident claims. Some of those factors are:
- Cost of Medical Bills: Motorcycle accident victims often require emergency care, invasive surgeries, rehabilitation, and expensive prescription medications. The hospital stay can be lengthy, and the long-term cost of treatment can quickly reach tens of thousands of dollars and beyond. Your personal injury claim can include all accident-related medical expenses you have already incurred as well as the healthcare expenditures you will incur in the future. Our lawyers can use diagnostic imaging, prescription records, other medical documentation, and medical expert witness testimony to prove the value of your healthcare expenses.
- Cost of Lost Income: Because motorcycle riders have little protection from impact, the injuries sustained in accidents are often debilitating. Brain trauma, broken bones, and internal injuries are common, and they can put you out of work for weeks or months while you heal. The injury attorneys at Halpern Santos & Pinkert can review your paystubs, tax records, and other documentation to calculate the amount of income you lost during recovery and will continue to lose until you are able to return to work. If necessary, we can bring in financial and vocational experts to provide testimony.
- Effect of the Injuries on Your Earning Capacity: Your claim can include lost or reduced earning capacity, which can be substantial if you sustained a severe injury that prevents you from returning to the same profession or returning to work at all.
- Cost of Vehicle Repairs: Whether your vehicle was totaled or can be repaired, you can include the cost of property damage in your claim.
- Cost of Other Accident-Related Expenses: Our attorneys will make sure your claim accounts for all accident-related expenses in addition to medical bills, lost income, property repairs, and non-economic damages. Those expenses might include vehicle rental, home and vehicle modifications to accommodate your injury, childcare, and other costs incurred due to your injury.
- Long-Term Effects of the Injury: If you suffered scarring, disfigurement, or a disability, this will affect the value of your non-economic damages.
- Cause of Your Injury: If the defendant acted with gross negligence or intentional misconduct, punitive damages may be part of your monetary recovery.
I Was Partially at Fault—Can I Still Recover Compensation?
Even if you were partially at fault for your motorcycle wreck, you may still be able to recover compensation. Although motorcycle riders are excluded from Florida’s personal injury protection (PIP) insurance requirement, they still have the option to purchase no fault insurance. If you have PIP or MedPay coverage, you can file a claim with your own insurance company no matter who was liable for the crash.
If your PIP or MedPay coverage limits are too low to cover your losses or if you intend to pursue compensation for damages that are not covered by PIP or MedPay, you will have to bring a claim against the at-fault party and/or that party’s insurance company. If you were partially liable for the crash, this could reduce the amount of compensation you ultimately recover from your third-party claim.
The state of Florida uses a pure comparative negligence standard when awarding compensation in cases that involve multiple liable parties. Your damages will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are determined to have been 20 percent at fault for the crash, then your recovery would be reduced by 20 percent.
Let’s say, for instance, that you were driving over the speed limit though an intersection and you were hit by a vehicle that was making a left turn. The court might determine that the other driver was 75 percent at fault for the crash and you were 25 percent at fault. If you incurred $80,000 in damages, your monetary award would be $60,000, or 75 percent of the available compensation.
Discuss Your Case in a FREE CONSULTATION with a Florida Motorcycle Accident Attorney
The Florida motorcycle accident attorneys at Halpern Santos & Pinkert have an in-depth knowledge of Florida law and the resources to take on even the largest insurance companies and corporations. We use proven legal strategies during settlement negotiations and litigation to give our clients the best possible chance of recovering the compensation they deserve.
We will help you gather evidence, calculate your damages, identify all liable parties, and fight for the maximum payout. Before you sign anything from the insurance company, contact our law firm to discuss your case. Call 305-445-1111 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
