Freeport Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Ways Our Freeport Lawyers Can Help

To investigate your case, our attorneys may do any or all the following:

• Collect police accident and investigative reports and eyewitness statements
• Download black box information from the other vehicle involved in the accident
• Collect medical records to demonstrate the severity of injuries
• Use an accident reconstruction expert to examine details of the accident

What Is a Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?

The amount of a motorcycle accident settlement depends on several factors, including the seriousness and permanency of one’s injuries, the type of medical treatment administered, and how much the injuries have impacted one’s ability to conduct everyday life.

Other factors to consider are whether the motorcyclist was, to some degree, at fault and the amount of the insurance policy limits available to cover expenses.

Damages for Pain and Suffering

Any person injured in a New York motorcycle accident can sue the liable party for economic or non-economic damages. You may be eligible for pain and suffering damages.

This compensates a motorcyclist for their physical pain as well as suffering, disability, and scars or disfigurements caused in the accident.

Damages for Medical Expenses and Lost Income

New York is a no-fault state. Suppose you are injured in a motorcycle crash and qualify for no-fault/personal injury protection insurance benefits. In that case, it must first be established which insurance agency is responsible for reimbursing medical expenses.

Moreover, medical bills not covered by insurance may be recoverable in a lawsuit. Your attorney can help you collect the damages you are entitled to.

Calculating Motorcycle Accident Damages

Motorcyclists who have an accident will likely incur extensive medical bills for their treatment. As a result, a claim may request substantial damages. For example, economic damages, including medical bills, lost wages, and decreased earning capacity, will likely be involved in a claim. Beyond this, a claimant may ask for compensation for a lower quality of life, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and more.

However, those non-economic damages cannot be assigned an absolute financial value and are challenging to calculate. This is especially true if the individual incurred severe and devastating injuries, such as permanent brain damage or paralysis. In this situation, calculating a loss of future income and medical expenses is often vital for accurately representing the plaintiff’s losses.

One of our motorcycle accident attorneys can assist an injured plaintiff in evaluating the full extent of the damages incurred. It is important to note that a motorcyclist may not request compensation for property damage inflicted on their bike. Instead, they must pursue this through their auto insurance agency. However, if two or more motorcycles were involved in a crash, the injured rider may seek property damages from the at-fault motorcyclist(s).

Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Collisions

Motorcycle accidents are rarely the motorcyclist’s fault. Car and truck drivers are typically responsible for motorcycle collisions, but the actions of both motorists are considered regarding a legal settlement. In most accidents, the biker is not found negligent and did little or nothing to cause the accident. Instead, the event is usually caused by a negligent motorist who ignores motorcyclists’ rights on the streets.

The most common causes of motorcycle accidents in New York are failure to yield and speeding, according to 2014 research conducted by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Distraction was also a significant cause of motorcycle collisions, with improper passing/lane changes and following too closely also causing many crashes. Other common causes of motorcycle collisions in New York are the following:

• Driving while intoxicated
• Intersection accidents
• Abrupt stops
• Left-turn accidents
• Head-on crashes
• Poor road conditions

Unfortunately, law enforcement may consider you at fault for the accident, even if a negligent motorist was responsible for the event. Fortunately, though, the legal team at the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP handles motorcycle accident cases and can investigate and potentially prove your claim.

Motorcycle Accidents Often Result in Severe Injuries

Motorcycle accidents often cause devastating injuries to both bikers and their passengers. Among the most common injuries are:

• Spinal cord injuries
• Brain injuries
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Shoulder injuries
• Knee injuries
• Broken and fractured bones
• Road rash
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Psychological conditions, such as PTSD

Motorcycle accident victims often require surgery, prolonged hospitalization, and comprehensive rehab. Many of these injuries lead to permanent disability and the inability to work or engage in recreational activities. They can also dramatically impact relationships with loved ones.

All of these are good reasons to seek legal counsel. An attorney from our firm can help you recover damages for any of these injuries, losses, and more.

Legal Rights of an Injured Passenger

If you are a passenger who was injured, you are also legally entitled to seek compensation. Lawsuits can be filed against motor vehicle drivers or an at-fault motorcycle driver they are riding with at the time of the collision. It’s possible another party, such as a government agency, is liable, and you may sue them as well.

The passenger is usually considered innocent in a motorcycle accident. As a result, recovering compensation is likely less challenging.

Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit

If a motorcycle crash resulted in fatal injuries to a motorcycle driver or passenger, family members and their legal counsel could initiate a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent individual that caused the crash.

This type of lawsuit pursues a financial recovery for the victim’s pain and suffering before death, a family’s loss of companionship, loss of inheritance, and more.

Recover Damages for Your Nassau County Motorcycle Accident Now

A motorcycle accident can leave a rider physically and emotionally debilitated for months, years, or even a lifetime. At the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP we are dedicated to working hard and exhausting the proper resources to get our clients the outcome they deserve.

Please contact us today at (866)-878-6774 for a free consultation with a team member. We are eager to learn the facts of your case and determine how we can help.