If you’ve been in a motorcycle crash in Iowa, you are probably wondering if you need an Iowa motorcycle accident lawyer for your insurance or legal claim. The insurance adjuster may be telling you that you can settle this on your own, without any lawyers. (They shouldn’t be giving you legal advice –should they? But they will!) Before you talk to an insurance adjuster or decide to settle your claim, it is a good idea to speak with a motorcycle accident attorney to consider your options.
Not All Motorcycle Accidents Need an Attorney
Hiring an attorney is not always necessary. If your accident caused only vehicle damage or very minor, temporary injuries, it’s unlikely you will receive enough in compensation to make you want to hire a lawyer.
However, if the wreck caused serious injury or a need for an extended amount or ongoing medical care, you will likely need an Iowa motorcycle accident lawyer to negotiate a fair settlement. Most Iowa motorcycle attorneys offer a free consultation, so you can talk about your case without spending any money. Discussing your case with a knowledgeable motorcycle accident attorney will help you decide whether or not you need their services.
Does Your Lawyer Need to Ride to Understand Motorcycle Accidents?
A side note about experience: Does your lawyer need to ride a bike to understand your case? Maybe – it does offer some inside, real world knowledge. I ride and have been riding since I got my first Honda 50 as a kid. But there are exceptional trial attorneys who do not ride. The truth of the matter is whether you chose to ride a Harley Street Glide, Café, or just your everyday commuter cruiser – you are not hiring an attorney to be your “riding” buddy. You need a skilled trial attorney first and foremost.
Our firm has handled dozens of motorcycle crash cases. I have litigated and tried death and serious injury cases, such as brain and spinal injury cases. Make sure your attorneys have the success that only comes through hard work and actually trying civil jury trials on a regular basis. Your case will likely settle like most do, but it will settle a lot better if you are working with an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer that the insurance company knows will go to trial if necessary to get the job done.
Iowa Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Know What Experts to Hire
If you have been injured enough to need an attorney’s services, make sure you’re hiring an attorney with experience in motorcycle accidents – not just car accidents. If they have worked bike wrecks before, they will know which motorcycle accident experts to hire. These experts have been trained to analyze the accident scene and help prove who was really at fault for the crash.
The experts will study:
- Skid marks to determine the speed of the vehicles at the time of the accident
- Weather conditions the day of the accident to determine if it was a factor in your accident
- Damage to all vehicles involved to determine how the collision occurred
- Numerous other factors
Your attorney will then analyze these results. This information is essential to determine how much you should be compensated for the injuries you sustained.
While you may be able to hire a motorcycle crash expert on your own, it may be more difficult to find someone if you don’t have connections.
Bike Accident Attorneys Know How to Negotiate with Insurance Companies
Don’t be fooled – insurance companies are probably not out to pay you what you might consider a “fair” amount of money for your injuries. Their interest is to pay you the least amount of money that they can.
If you’re not sure how much to ask for or how to ask for it, the insurance representative may try to settle your case for less money than you’re entitled to. Everything you say directly to the adjuster may come back to be used against you in some fashion.
That is why it is simply best to let an experienced Iowa motorcycle accident lawyer do the talking for you. You should focus on recovering from your injuries or the loss of a loved one.
A motorcycle accident attorney will look at your medical bills and any other outstanding bills you owe before beginning to negotiate a settlement. This analysis will give them a good idea of how much compensation to consider asking for – but this is only the beginning. They will factor in any medical bills still due, any future medical costs, and other fees before they contact the insurance company to begin negotiating.
There are numerous other losses that go into what happens when you are injured in a motorcycle accident. All of those things must be considered in order to measure the true loss you have experienced.
Some insurance companies have used unfair tactics to prevent folks like you from getting the compensation you deserve. A knowledgeable motorcycle accident attorney won’t let them get away with it. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident and want to know how to protect yourself, call us at 1-319-774-1542.
