Finding the right personal injury lawyer to represent you after you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident isn’t as easy as doing a quick “auto accident injury” search in Google.
Virginia personal injury laws sometimes make motorcycle accident cases more difficult to negotiate and win than other states. There are also unique challenges riders face in that regular car, truck or SUV drivers don’t have to deal with.
In many cases it’s in a rider’s best interest to seek out a lawyer with extensive experience in the realm ofmotorcycle accident injury litigation and negotiation.
Personal injury lawyers with that kind of expertise understand the vulnerable position of riders on Virginia roads and can speak to the steps you take every day to minimize your accident and injury risk. They can help explain things like accident-avoidance maneuvers that may seem reckless to jurors who don’t understand the dangers posed by distracted or careless motorists.
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Contributory Negligence Laws in Virginia
The concept of contributory negligence practiced in Virginia personal injury law is less forgiving than the comparative negligence laws in many other states. In effect, if an injured person is partially responsible for an accident, they won’t be able to recover damages.
There are a lot of motorcycle accidents in Virginia where the rider is not at all to blame, so you shouldn’t immediately give up hope if you were injured in a motorcycle accident. Contribution negligence doctrine often just means you’ll need a lawyer who can thoroughly investigate your accident and aggressively negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf.
This is also why it’s so important to take all the right steps right after an accident. Never admit fault at the scene of the accident to law enforcement or the other driver. Always try to take accident photos or gather evidence. See a doctor right away to get all of your injuries properly documented and to get treatment started. Doing those things can help your lawyer develop a motorcycle accident injury case with a better chance for success.
Make Sure You’re Comfortable with Your Attorney
You’ll frequently see good communication listed as a selling point for lawyers. There’s more to good communication than keeping you apprised of your case’s progress and being responsive to your calls and emails. When building a motorcycle accident case, it’s important your attorney understands you and what happened in your accident.
Attorneys who don’t ride can still be good car crash lawyers, but they likely won’t understand the physics of your motorcycle accident or why you made the choices you did leading up to a crash. A law firm that focuses its practice on representing riders should have that type of understanding.
At the Motorcycle Law Group, our lawyers understand accident-avoidance maneuvers and know how to use them when building a case that shows you did everything right in an attempt to avoid an accident.
You may also feel more comfortable working with a lawyer who understands riding and why you use a motorcycle for recreation or just to get around. When your lawyer is a rider you don’t have to worry about being judged for your bike or who you are.
Lawyers Who Understand the Bias Against Riders
Most motorcycle riders are familiar with the disdainful glaring or rude behavior or some drivers on the road. Those same drivers may end up on a jury if your Virginia motorcycle accident injury case ever gets to a full trial phase.
Changing a juror’s mind about riders isn’t always easy or straightforward, but it often helps if your lawyer is also a rider. Our attorneys can speak to judges and juries, help them understand what happened in your accident and show them you’re just like every other safety-conscious driver on the road.
Insurance company negotiations can be challenging for riders for the same reason. The insurance company knows you’ll be at a disadvantage during trial just by being a motorcyclist and not a car driver. They may assume they can settle for less than you deserve by inferring you’ll have trouble winning a case in court.
Our motorcycle lawyers understand the insurance company’s negotiating tactics and will fight hard to ensure you get as much money as possible to recover after your motorcycle accident.
Call Our Motorcycle Lawyers in Virginia
Virginia riders who have been injured in a motorcycle accident can call the Motorcycle Law Group for attentive, dependable representation from a fellow rider.
We’ve handled thousands of cases throughout Virginia and North Carolina.Our lawyers understand the unique challenges inherent in Virginia auto accidents of all types and will provide an honest assessment of your case and what we may be able to accomplish on your behalf.
If you’d like toschedule a consultation, please call us at(855) 529-7433.