When a motorcycle is involved in an accident with another vehicle, the motorcyclist often takes the brunt of the damage. With little more than a helmet and the clothes on their back to protect them, motorcycle riders are incredibly vulnerable to injury. If you suffered damages in a collision, an experienced Tustin motorcycle accident attorney can help you recover damages.
At the Simmrin Law Group, we have a proud history of helping motorcycle accident victims recover the compensation they deserve. Following a crash, our team of experienced Tustin personal injury lawyers will work diligently to ensure a favorable outcome for your case. Contact us today to schedule a free initial case consultation with a member of our legal team.
Damages You Can Recover in a Motorcycle Accident Case
Following a motorcycle accident, you will likely be dealing with severe injuries and may even be facing permanent paralysis. Because these accidents often involve significant harm to the motorcycle rider, the amount you can recover from the at-fault party tends to be significant.
When attempting to secure compensation, you will need to identify all the damages you are eligible to claim. Determining all the damages that apply can be challenging on your own. Fortunately, an experienced motorcycle accident attorney serving Tustin can help.
Your lawyer will work to ensure you get the money you need through a court ruling or out-of-court settlement. While there are likely going to be several types of damages you are able to pursue, all your compensatory damages fall into the broad categories of economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
The most straightforward damages you can recover are economic damages. Calculating the value of these losses tends to be fairly straightforward as this category includes all of your losses that have a direct financial impact. The amount awarded in damages is meant to cover the money you have spent and will spend for these losses.
Some of the economic damages most frequently available following motorcycle accidents include:
- Property damage
- Medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Lost ability to earn income
Non-Economic Damages
These damages are far more complex than economic damages. The losses covered in this category are diverse, as any damages you sustain that do not have a direct financial impact are included here.
Because these losses are of a personal nature rather than financial, quantifying them can be difficult. While there are guidelines for determining the value of these losses, there are many variables that can affect how much is rewarded, including the discretion of the court. Some of the non-economic damages most frequently available following motorcycle accidents include:
- Diminished quality of life
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Permanent disability
- Emotional distress
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of companionship
- Mental anguish
Punitive Damages
In addition to the compensatory damages reviewed in the previous sections, the details of your case may also qualify you to recover punitive damages. Rather than being used to compensate an accident victim for their losses, the money awarded in punitive damages is meant to punish the at-fault party for the role they played in causing the crash to discourage future recklessness.
Punitive damages are only awarded in extreme cases involving either intentional harm or criminal negligence.
For a free legal consultation with a motorcycle accident lawyer serving Tustin, call (310) 896-2723
A Motorcycle Accident Attorney in Tustin Can Help You Meet the Statute of Limitations for Filing a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit
After suffering damages in a motorcycle accident, you must pay attention to the filing deadline if you are planning on filing a lawsuit. In California, the personal injury statute of limitations grants accident victims two years to pursue compensation. If you fail to file in time, you could be out of options for recovering damages.
However, you should still reach out to an experienced Tustin motorcycle accident attorney, even if you believe your window for filing a lawsuit has closed. The details of your case may create an exception that allows you to file beyond the typical deadline.
Alternatively, you could find that the specifics of your situation put you in a position where you have less than two years to take legal action. The best way to protect yourself against an unexpected deadline is by securing the services of an experienced lawyer as soon as possible after your accident.
Tustin Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Near Me (310) 896-2723
Pure Comparative Negligence in California
When assigning fault and determining the ability of an accident victim to pursue compensation in California, a pure comparative negligence rule is used. Under this rule, anyone who suffers damages in an accident has the right to pursue compensation as long as they are not solely responsible for the crash.
However, if you did share in the fault for the accident, the amount you can recover will be reduced in direct proportion to your level of fault. For example, you can still pursue damages even if you are 80% to blame, but you will only be able to recover 20% of your losses.
Using this example, if your damages are valued at $100,000, the maximum payout you could recover would be $20,000.
Click to contact our Tustin Personal Injury Lawyers today
Get Started on Your Case With the Help of an Experienced Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Serving Tustin
Following a motorcycle accident, the best way to ensure you recover the compensation you need and deserve is by engaging the services of an experienced Tustin motorcycle accident lawyer. At the Simmrin Law Group, we have a proven track record of success in helping injury victims recover favorable compensation from those responsible for their damages.
Contact us by completing our online contact form or by giving us a call today and scheduling your free case review with a member of our legal team.
Call or text (310) 896-2723 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form