Motorcycle accidents have been known to be debilitating. If you have suffered critical or life-threatening injuries, you may be anxious to hold the liable party accountable.
Pursuing your motorcycle accident claim could be more difficult than you thought. Reach out to a Panama City motorcycle accident lawyer at GED Lawyers to discuss your next steps. Our Panama City Personal Injury Lawyer can handle the legal process while you recover from your injuries.
What Is Your Panama City Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?
Calculating the value of your motorcycle accident claim will be essential. You can only file a claim with the insurance company and bring your case to court after you know how much your claim is worth. To determine its value, your attorney will need to go over how your life has been affected by your injuries.
You have the right to be compensated for both economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages are monetary in nature. They can be proven by providing the court with receipts, hospital bills, quotes, bank statements, and other records.
Some of the more common types of economic damages that may be awarded in a Panama City motorcycle accident claim include:
- Lost income
- Diminished earning capacity
- Medical expenses and equipment
- Future medical care
- Costs of increased insurance premiums
- Unexpected household maintenance fees and childcare expenses
- Costs of repairing or replacing your motorcycle
However, you also have a right to be compensated for your non-economic damages. Non-economic damages include how your life has been impacted by your motorcycle accident and resulting injuries. Some of the more common types of non-economic damages you may be able to recover include:
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of love and support
- Loss of companionship and guidance
- Loss of protection, society, and advice
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Skin scarring, disfigurement, or dismemberment
Wrongful Death Damages
If you lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident, our wrongful death lawyers can lead your lawsuit while you grieve in peace with your family. We want to seek fair awards to help your family cope in the absence of your loved one and properly honor their memory.
We can seek compensation for:
- Funeral and burial/cremation costs
- Your loved one’s medical bills
- Your loved one’s pain and suffering
- The income your loved one provided
- The companionship and services your loved one provided
We want to help your family through this difficult time, and we can determine who has the ability to take legal action on your loved one’s behalf.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Panama City
Motorcycle accidents in Panama City can occur in a variety of ways. However, there are ways in which motorcycle accidents occur more frequently than others. Some common causes of motorcycle accidents include:
- Negligent driving, including distracted driving, drowsy driving, driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, aggressive driving, reckless driving, impaired driving, speeding, following too closely, failure to signal, failure to yield, failure to use a turn signal, making illegal turns, and other unsafe driving practices
- Unsafe or dangerous road conditions, including potholes, unsecured road construction zones, missing streetlights, stop signs, other road signs, and other hazards
- Motorcycle or other motor vehicle parts that are defective or malfunctioning
These are only a few of the more common ways in which motorcycle accidents occur in Panama City. If your motorcycle accident was caused by something that was not listed above, you might still have grounds for a claim. You can discuss your legal options going forward with a motorcycle accident attorney at our firm.
Who Is Liable for Panama City Motorcycle Accidents?
Establishing liability is essential in Panama City motorcycle accident claims. The liable party will be responsible for compensating you for your damages. Your attorney will need to carefully examine the way your motorcycle accident occurred to determine who is responsible for causing your injuries.
Here are some of the parties who could share liability for your motorcycle accident based on the cause of your collision:
- If your motorcycle accident was caused by negligent driving, negligent drivers and dram shops could be held accountable for your injuries.
- If your motorcycle accident was caused by dangerous road conditions, government officials and agencies, the Department of Transportation, maintenance technicians, contractors and subcontractors, and other third parties could all be responsible for your damages.
- When defective or malfunctioning auto parts close your collision, anyone involved in the chain of distribution of these parts could be accountable such as dealerships, auto parts manufacturers, designers, distributors, suppliers, maintenance technicians, safety inspectors, executives, and other third parties.
File Your Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit Before the Deadline
The statute of limitations in Florida is generally two years for personal injury lawsuits involving motorcycles, per Florida Statutes § 95.11. Motorcycle accident lawsuits would be considered a type of personal injury case. Although two years seems like plenty of time to move forward with a personal injury claim, you might be surprised. The evidence that will be most valuable to proving liability in your Panama City motorcycle accident claim will be time-sensitive.
If you fail to get the evidence you need in a timely manner, it could be lost and unable to help support your right to financial compensation. If the statute of limitations expires before you pursue your lawsuit, you will lose your opportunity to have your case heard in the Panama City civil court system.
How to Win a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Panama City
If you hope to win your Panama City motorcycle accident claim, your attorney must prove liability based on a preponderance of the evidence. In criminal court, guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The burden of proof is less in civil court.
Instead, your lawyer will need to introduce evidence that shows the jury the defendant is more than likely at fault for causing your injuries. Some of the more common types of evidence that could be used to establish liability in a motorcycle accident claim include:
- Reports from police, accident reconstructionists, injury reconstructionists, safety inspectors, maintenance technicians, and other reports
- Video footage of the accident, including CCTV footage, dash cam footage, body cam footage, and surveillance from nearby homes or businesses
- Photos of the accident scene, the injuries you sustained, your injuries as you heal, and any property damages that occurred
- Cell phone records, chemical blood alcohol test results, and other forensic evidence
Work With a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Panama City
Motorcycle accident claims are some of the more complex types of personal injury cases. Make sure you have a knowledgeable legal advocate representing you.
Work with our Panama City motorcycle accident lawyers at GED Lawyers. You can discuss your legal options for financial recovery during a free consultation. Call our office or fill out our quick contact form.
