Motorcycle Accident: Do You Need a Lawyer?

If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident, you may be wondering whether or not you need to hire a lawyer. Should you just take a settlement from the insurance company and move on with your life, or is it worth the time and expense of hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer? The attorneys at Blackstone Law have provided these tips to help you decide if you need a lawyer for your motorcycle accident.

#1 – Liability

One thing you need to take into consideration when deciding whether or not to hire a lawyer for your motorcycle is the liability. In other words, who is at fault for the accident?

California, for example, is a shared fault state. Unless you can prove without a doubt that the other party is primarily at fault in your motorcycle accident, you won’t be able to get much of a settlement.

If you don’t think you can prove that the other party was at fault, you probably won’t benefit from hiring a lawyer for your motorcycle accident. On the other hand, it takes a knowledgeable motorcycle accident attorney to handle the runaround of insurance companies and prove that the other party is at fault, so you won’t want to try to go to court without a skilled lawyer by your side.

#2 – Damages

How much damage was done to your property? How badly were you injured? The amount of money you get from a trial or a settlement is for the damages incurred due to the motorcycle accident.

If you only suffered bumps and scrapes and the damage to your motorcycle is minimal, you may not benefit from hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer. On the other hand, if you have lost work and expect to continue losing work due to injuries sustained during the accident, a lawyer can help you get enough money to cover these damages in a settlement or through a trial.

#3 – The cost of a lawyer

Lawyers don’t work for free. Some motorcycle accident lawyers charge an hourly fee that must be paid regardless of whether you win or lose your case. Other motorcycle accident lawyers work on contingency, meaning they take a percentage of any money you receive as payment and don’t get paid at all if they can’t get you any money.

#4 – Putting it all together: Do you need a lawyer for your motorcycle accident?

Are you (or any attorneys you consult) fairly confident you can prove that the other party had some liability for the accident? Did you suffer significant damages from your motorcycle accident? Are you expecting a large enough settlement that you can afford to pay a lawyer?

If you answered yes to all three of these questions, you likely need a lawyer for your motorcycle accident. If you answered no to any of those questions, you may not benefit from an attorney.

#5 – Get consultations

The best way to know whether or not you need a lawyer for your motorcycle accident is to get consultations from several different motorcycle accident lawyers. Lawyers who work on contingency won’t take on cases they don’t think they can win, so they will be honest about whether or not you should hire them. Lawyers who charge hourly rates get paid whether or not they win your case, so they may be less honest about the odds of winning your case.

After doing research and getting recommendations for good motorcycle accident lawyers like the motorcycle accident lawyer Lynnwood services, you should consult with the top few on your list. Different lawyers may have different perspectives, success rates, and fees. Find the lawyer you think can get you the best results for the best fee.

Trying to decide whether you should hire a lawyer or accept a settlement from the insurance company can be stressful, but if you look at your case through an impartial eye with the tips presented here, you should be able to decide if a motorcycle accident lawyer will help get you the results you are hoping for. When in doubt, consulting several lawyers who work on contingency can give you the best idea of whether or not it’s worth hiring a lawyer and taking your case to court.