Average Motorcycle Accident Settlement (What you Need to Know)
Motorcycle accident settlements can vary widely, from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars, depending on the specific circumstances of the case. That is why the notion of an average motorcycle accident settlement can be misleading. Factors that impact a settlement include the type and extent of the damages, insurance coverages available, negligence, and various other legal considerations.
While most insurance companies lay out the things covered in their policies, these documents can be tricky to read and hard to understand. For those reasons, hiring a personal injury attorney will give you the best chance of getting a fair settlement in your motorcycle accident.
What Are the Common Injuries that People Can Face In a Motorcycle Accident?
Motorcycle accidents often result in injuries that are life-altering or even life-ending, which is why there are so many laws and regulations pertaining to motorcycles' safety.
Sadly, many drivers are still not adhering to the rules of the road, and it puts bikers at risk quite often, making them "moving targets" through no fault of their own.
Here are a few of the most common injuries associated with motorcycle accidents.
- Broken ribs
- Broken or amputated limbs
- Lacerations
- Spinal injuries
- Whiplash
- Facial disfigurement
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
Medical bills usually make up a substantial part of a motorcycle accident claim. According to the US Department of transportation, the most frequently seen and treated injuries associated with motorcycle accidents relate to the lower extremities.
The Department of Transportation also stated that the average cost for minor lower extremity care at the hospital was estimated at $21,000, with a median cost of care at $39,000 and severe cases costing patients around $56,000.
When you are hospitalized for much more serious injuries, usually sustained to the abdomen, chest, and head, hospital and treatment costs go up significantly, which is why insurance and a personal injury attorney will play such an important role in settling your case.
However, medical costs are only part of the picture. A motorcycle crash can cause severe injuries that lead to short or long-term disabilities, lost wages, pain and suffering, loss of use, and other damages. Even soft tissue injuries can have significant financial impacts beyond the medical bills themselves. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney will help you get compensation for medical bills you have incurred, ensuring you get a fair accident settlement amount to cover future medical expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering, and any other damages caused by your motorcycle accident.
What Factors Affect a Motorcycle Accident Settlement?
Before an offer is brought to the table, you and your motorcycle accident lawyers will discuss what amount of money is appropriate for your accident; you need to consider many different factors that can really add up, placing the victim into serious financial trouble.
Lost Wages
When someone is injured in a motorcycle accident, they are unable to perform their daily job. Since your job generates income used to take care of your expenses, this can really add up quickly. It should be up to the responsible party to cover that massive loss. As an injured motorcyclist, you may have the right to financial recovery for lost wages.
Mental and Physical Pain and Suffering
Just because pain and suffering don't come in the form of personal expenses doesn't mean that someone's painful experiences do not deserve compensation.
Just like any other factor, pain and suffering will help determine how much money someone can win in a lawsuit. The more physical and mental pain sustained, the more financial recovery you may be awarded in the final settlement. A law firm experienced in handling motorcycle accident cases will ensure that your pain and suffering are taken seriously and appropriately compensated as part of your personal injury settlement.
Medical Bills
In our legal system, no one should have to pay their own medical expenses if they didn't do anything wrong to cause the accident that directly leads to the services rendered.
Every medical bill that accumulates due to an injury sustained by the victim of a motorcycle accident is usually added to the settlement amount. As an accident victim, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer to ensure the insurance company pays your medical bills and you are not left with expensive hospital bills.
Wrongful Death
Motorcycle accident trauma lasts much longer than crash clean-up. Although the physical reminder on the road is gone after a few hours, the damaging effect can linger for years afterward, and it isn't just the driver that is affected.
If a motorcyclist passes away after a fatal motorcycle accident, the family may file a wrongful death lawsuit. The settlement value will be different in a fatal accident, as there will be funeral expenses many other financial responsibilities that still accrue to the family members after the accident. An experienced lawyer is essential in cases of wrongful death to ensure your family receives a fair accident settlement from the insurance company.
How Much Is a Good Settlement for a Motorcycle Accident?
You cannot put a one-size-fits-all sticker on a motorcycle accident. The amount won in a settlement should match the damage that occurred as a direct result. In an accident, the money recovered in a settlement should be determined based on the facts of the case.
With that said, the average settlement amount paid out in a significant motorcycle accident today is right around the $80,000 range, with minor accidents hovering at about $10,000.
While it is nice to think all accidents end up in fair settlements, that isn't always the case, and those who lose a limb or suffer and cannot work may over time lose much more financially than the amount they win in a settlement. The insurance company will try to protect its interests in any accident case, and you should hire an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer to protect your interests.
How Long Does Reaching a Settlement Take?
Settlements can get taken care of rather quickly as long as both parties are in agreement and the insurance company doesn't try to deny the claim.
Things begin to extend when the accident exceeds the insurance coverage amount, or worse, one of the parties involved didn't have any insurance at all. In such cases, financial recovery may be sought from pip insurance, uninsured motorist coverage, and other responsible parties involved.
You also have to factor in the details of the accident, who's at fault, if there is a clear cut right or wrong, and how long the road to recovery looks like for the victim. Personal injury cases are unique and your specific settlement amount will be determined by the details of your accident. Contact an experienced and reputable personal injury lawyer for a free case evaluation to get a better idea your situation.