The majority of motorcycle accidents are catastrophic and life-changing. Since motorcycles lack many protective features, bikers often suffer more severe injuries, even in accidents that occur at relatively low speeds. These injuries can result in a lifetime of pain, suffering, and disability.
If you suffered an injury in a motorcycle accident, you are not alone. In one recent year, 88,000 motorcyclists sustained injuries in accidents across the United States. Other drivers caused the majority of these catastrophic injury accidents.
When another driver causes your motorcycle accident, you can seek compensation for your injuries and for the damages you suffered. You need money for medical bills, rehabilitation, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Rebuilding your life will take time, and you need compensation.
However, reaching a fair settlement takes work. For this reason, injured motorcyclists need a law firm on their side from the very start.
At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, our skilled motorcycle crash attorneys are experienced negotiators and litigators who can hold negligent parties accountable. Contact us today to learn more about average motorcycle accident settlements in Arkansas.
If you suffer an injury in a motorcycle accident, the “at-fault” driver is responsible for paying damages. When you seek these damages in a motorcycle accident claim in Arkansas, the insurance company will likely want to settle the case out of court. This is often advantageous for insurance companies because it saves them litigation costs. They also hope to get motorcycle accident victims to agree to lower compensation overall.
A motorcycle settlement is an agreement between the injured motorcyclist and the “at-fault” insurance company. This agreement resolves the dispute and releases the responsible party from further liabilities. In turn, the injured party receives a set amount of money to compensate them for their expenses and losses and the pain and suffering they endured.
When you agree to a settlement after a motorcycle accident, you cannot seek more compensation in the future.
Both parties must go through the motorcycle accident settlement process to reach a fair settlement.
Going through the legal process is significantly easier with an attorney working for you. The process includes:
Many factors can impact the amount of money you receive in a motorcycle accident settlement in Arkansas, including:
One of the essential factors in determining your settlement is the severity of your injuries. If you suffered severe injuries in a motorcycle accident, you could expect to receive more money than if you sustained minor injuries. Why? Severe injuries require extensive medical treatment and may prevent you from working or participating in activities.
Another factor that will impact your settlement is whether or not the other driver was at fault for the accident. If the other driver was clearly at fault, you could expect to receive more money than if the accident was partially your fault.
Finally, the location of the accident can also impact your settlement. Collecting compensation is more complicated if the accident occurred in a state with no-fault laws. However, if the accident happened in a state with fault laws, you can sue the other driver and receive compensation for your injuries and damages. Fortunately, Arkansas is an at-fault state.
Each of these factors can impact the money you receive in a motorcycle accident settlement. If you suffered an injury in an accident, you must speak with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney to understand your options and get the best possible settlement.
When two or more parties get into a motorcycle accident, insurance companies will look to assign a percentage of fault to each party. This percentage of fault will determine how much each party will pay for damages. The higher the percentage of fault, the greater the responsibility for damages.
In most cases, the insurance company bases the percentage of fault on the police report. The police report contains information about who caused the motorcycle accident. If the police report is unclear, the insurance company will consider other factors when determining fault. These include witness statements, vehicle damage, and video camera footage.
Once the insurance company assigns a percentage of fault, it uses this information to determine the settlement it will offer.
It is important to note that insurance companies do not always agree on who was at fault for an accident. If there is disagreement, hiring an experienced Arkansas motorcycle accident lawyer is vital to negotiating a fair settlement.
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Even if you believe you contributed to the motorcycle accident in Arkansas, you can still file a claim and reach a settlement. Arkansas is a modified comparative negligence state. If you 49% responsible or less for the motorcycle accident, you can still recover compensation for your injuries and damages. However, your settlement will get reduced by your percentage of fault.
For example, if the court finds that you were speeding at the time of the motorcycle crash, they may find that you are 10% responsible for the accident. If you receive a settlement of $10,000, your award will get reduced by $1,000 (or 10%).
You can’t collect compensation and settle if you caused the accident and are more than 50% responsible for the crash. In this case, you’ll have to turn to your health insurance or auto insurance policy to see what money you’re entitled to.
This is why you need to contact an experienced motorcycle accident attorney. Your attorney will examine your case to prove liability. If the insurance company claims you’re to blame, your lawyer may find evidence to show otherwise. In some cases, multiple parties can share the blame, further increasing the settlement you receive.
Your motorcycle accident attorney will begin by investigating your accident and determining the true extent of your injuries. To do this, they may involve medical experts, forensic specialists, and accident reconstruction teams. They will begin the settlement discussions when they determine how much compensation you deserve.
Settlement negotiations usually begin when your lawyer sends a demand letter to the “at-fault” motorist’s insurance company. This demand letter typically includes the compensation you want and the evidence required to support this claim.
The insurance company will then review the demand letter and decide whether to accept this claim, reject it, or make a counteroffer. Most insurance companies will make a counteroffer to your claim and offer you an alternative settlement number. It will be up to you to determine which settlement offer to accept. However, your motorcycle accident attorney in Arkansas will be there to advise you of your options and help you choose the best settlement offer.
After a motorcycle accident, you might wonder how to calculate your settlement. After all, how will you know if the insurance company’s offer is fair without calculating your own?
You must keep certain variables in mind when calculating your Arkansas motorcycle accident settlement. Some of those variables include your injury severity, the cost of medical treatment, and the extent of your lost wages.
A few additional factors can make your settlement calculation more complex, such as whether the other driver was at fault and whether you and the other driver have insurance. If the “at-fault” driver has few assets and limited insurance, the amount of compensation you receive will be less. Even if your case went to trial, it is difficult to collect the total amount of the verdict from someone with limited assets.
Valuing a motorcycle accident claim is complex and requires experience and knowledge. It also means figuring out what you might get if your claim went to court.
To get a more accurate settlement calculation, it’s best to speak with a personal injury lawyer with experience handling motorcycle accident cases. They can help you understand the complexities of the legal process and ensure that you receive the full amount of compensation you’re entitled to.
Every motorcycle accident case is different. As such, the amount of your settlement will vary widely. The best settlement for you will consider all the losses you suffered, both economically and non-economically, including:
Although rare, in some cases, courts may award punitive damages.
A fair settlement depends mainly on how much money you need to recover or rebuild your life. If you face lifelong disabilities that prevent you from working, you will need significantly more compensation than someone who can return to work quickly.
At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, our motorcycle accident attorneys work with medical teams to determine how your injuries will affect your life and future. We then use this information to make sure any settlement offer you receive is fair and provides enough money to rebuild your life after a devastating motorcycle crash in Arkansas.
Motorcycle accident settlements can range from several thousand dollars to millions. Soft tissue injuries will settle for significantly less than catastrophic injuries, such as brain injuries.
To better predict how much your accident settlement is worth, it is crucial to contact an experienced and skilled motorcycle accident lawyer.
The amount of money you can expect from a neck or back injury settlement will depend on many factors, including the severity of your injuries, the medical expenses you have incurred, and the extent of lost wages you have suffered.
It is important to remember that most insurance companies will not pay out more than their policy limits. Therefore, it is important to consult an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer to determine your best course of action.
At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, we’ve helped recover millions for injured bikers. Back and neck injuries can quickly become chronic and result in lifelong impairment. Any motorcycle accident settlement in Arkansas must include enough money to pay for future rehabilitation and surgical procedures required.
At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, we helped injured motorists and motorcyclists recover millions after serious accidents. Brain injuries are some of the most severe and life-changing injuries. As such, settlements are significantly higher.
Here are just some of our brain injury cases:
At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, we’ve helped injured motorcyclists after suffering serious fractures. Here are just some of our most recent settlements and verdicts.
In Arkansas, families can file wrongful death claims against negligent parties. These claims seek compensation for the losses they’ve suffered and will endure due to the loss of their loved one. Compensation for wrongful death can include loss of companionship, financial support, and pain and suffering.
At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, we were able to help a grieving family collect $400,000 after they lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident. This is just one example of the type of settlement you might receive. Call our office to set up a free consultation, and we can give you a more accurate estimate of what your case might be worth.
A soft tissue injury might not seem like a severe and life-long injury, but this is untrue. Soft tissue injuries can result in a lifetime of pain and suffering. Insurance companies may wish to play down the severity of soft tissue injuries or claim that your injuries are minor.
Suppose you are considering filing a personal injury claim. In that case, it is important to speak with an experienced Arkansas attorney who can help you understand the value of your motorcycle accident case and what you can expect to receive in terms of compensation.
It can take months or even years to reach a motorcycle accident settlement in Arkansas. Depending on the severity of the injuries and the accident details, your attorney may need to make several offers and counteroffers before getting a fair settlement.
The accident settlement process is influenced and affected by several factors:
Insurance companies will look to reduce their payouts as much as possible. They may question your injuries, the policy limits, and the liability of all parties. During this process, your motorcycle accident attorney will work tirelessly to protect your rights at every turn.
Like most injured motorcyclists, you will want to know whether or not to accept the insurance company’s settlement offer. Your attorney will help you evaluate the settlement offer and determine whether it is fair and reasonable. If your Arkansas motorcycle accident lawyer believes that your case will win in trial, your attorney may advise you not to take the settlement.
In general, it might be a bad idea to settle if:
Motorcycle accidents often result in severe and life-changing injuries. You need a law firm on your side that can go head-to-head with insurance companies – and win. At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, our dedicated motorcycle accident lawyers have what it takes to do just that.
With offices throughout Arkansas—Little Rock, Springdale, Conway, Hot Springs, Bryant, Jacksonville, and Jonesboro—our Arkansas and Tennessee motorcycle accident lawyers are easily accessible when you need us. Contact our team at Rainwater, Holt & Sexton Injury Lawyers today. Fill out a free contact request form, which only takes a minute, or dial (501) 868-2500 and tell us your story.
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