DEALING WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY
Hiring an experienced San Luis Obispo motorcycle accident attorney to handle your case is essential because of the complicated nature of these cases and the insurance companies’ reluctance to offer an adequate settlement amount. The insurer will often try to avoid paying your claim. Whenever a motorcycle is involved in an accident, insurance companies are likely to attribute the cause to reckless riding, not wearing a proper helmet, or excessive speed. It is fairly typical for an insurer to hold a bias against bikers, assuming that they have a reckless lifestyle or are habitual risk takers.
HOW CALIFORNIA’S HELMET LAW COULD AFFECT YOUR CASE
You may be concerned because you weren’t wearing a helmet, as California law requires. It could affect your recovery in these situations:
- If you were wearing a helmet and still sustained head or neck injuries, the helmet is important to your claim because it shows that your injuries were not exacerbated by your own assumption of unnecessary risk. It also is evidence of how much worse your injuries could have been, considering the driver’s dangerous behavior, if you had not been wearing a helmet.
- If you suffered head or neck injuries and were not wearing a helmet, it may be difficult to recover from your injuries because of the amount of risk you assumed.
- If you were not wearing a helmet and did not suffer an injury to your head or neck, the fact that you did not wear a helmet is irrelevant.
CONTRIBUTORY NEGLIGENCE: WHEN YOU WERE PARTIALLY AT FAULT
Throughout the Central Coast in cities like San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Monterey, even if you are partially to blame for the accident, you can still recover compensation, but it will be reduced by your percentage of fault. Your attorney will work to minimize the percentage of blame attributed to you to allow you a greater recovery award.
DON’T GO IT ALONE
Trying to handle insurance companies without an experienced San Luis Obispo personal injury attorney is an uphill battle. A claimant attempting to recover compensation usually has very little idea of the true value of the case. The insurance adjuster will often attempt to dispose of a case quickly with a low payout. Insurance companies rely on the fact that a biker knows neither the law nor what constitutes a reasonable settlement amount.
Don’t give a recorded statement or sign medical authorizations if the adjuster requests them, unless your attorney tells you to. It could work against you and lessen the value of your claim.
WHAT A SAN LUIS OBISPO MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT ATTORNEY WILL DO FOR YOU
When you hire award-winning Central Coast personal injury lawyer Jude Basile to represent you, he will investigate the accident, often with the assistance of various experts, such as traffic safety engineers and accident reconstruction specialists to collect the evidence to demonstrate the other driver’s liability.
He will also gather evidence to prove your damages, both economic and non-economic, including:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages or earnings
- Long term disability or hardship
- Damage to your quality of life as compared to how it was before the accident
- Mental trauma and anguish
CALL FOR A COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION
Call the law offices of Jude Basile today for expert representation by one of Central California’s most respected personal injury lawyers. Experience counts, and Jude has been practicing personal injury law since 1985. Regain your peace of mind by letting him help you win the recovery that will help you get your life back on track after a serious motorcycle injury.
