Though cars are used more than motorcycles when it comes to the daily commute and road trips, motorcycles have their own charm that you cannot ignore for long. You can easily find a motorcycle in the garage of many people. They drive it for both traveling and recreation. People ride motorcycles to get an enjoyable and memorable experience.
Thousands of motorcyclists explore the roads and mountain trails in various cities in the US state of Michigan. Though summertime is the most preferable for going on a motorcycle ride, people drive motorcycles during other times of the year as well.
Michigan has a large number of wonderful trails that you can explore through motorcycle riding. Along with boating, hiking, and skating, motorcycle riding is also one of the fun activities people perform in this state. Even national and international tourists take motorcycles for rent in Michigan. Motorcycle riding is great for those who want to visit new places alone or with a loved one.
Motorcycle riding is exciting, but you should not neglect your safety. You need to follow all the traffic rules applicable in your suburb or city while riding a motorcycle. You should also maintain the necessary safety precautions while driving.
But regardless of how safe you try to be, the possibility of getting into an accident cannot be removed completely. Other people driving a vehicle on the road can make mistakes due to which you might get into an accident. You need to always keep in mind that staying safe while driving involves not only practicing safety measures but also keeping an eye on other vehicles.
What to Do When You Get into a Motorcycle Accident?
It’s quite possible that despite driving carefully, you might get into an accident due to the fault of another person. If you get into a motorcycle accident, i.e., if you get into an accident while riding a motorcycle, you should stay calm and take all the essential steps to reduce your pain and suffering.
You need to get medical treatment for the injuries you might have sustained. Then, you need to get your vehicle repaired so that it can return in a working condition. Last but not least, you need to demand compensation from the at-fault party to cover the expenses borne by you.
However, first of all, you need to understand that you cannot blame yourself for the accident. Many times, people go on a guilt trip. They blame themselves for the crash or collision and refrain from taking any action against the other party. Many people go into a deep state of trauma as the memories of the accident can be quite disturbing and upsetting.
You can explain the whole situation of the accident to doctors, police officers, and other people only when you come out of shock. Thus, you need to remind yourself that the accident was not your mistake. When you are in the right state of mind after the physical recovery process, you can start the process of asking for compensation.
But you don’t have several years or centuries for the same, as a statute of limitations is applicable in the state of Michigan. A statute of limitations is a law that prescribes the maximum period available to the victims after an event to take legal action. If the accident has occurred in Michigan, you have three years as a statute of limitations. Within three years from the date of the motorcycle accident, you need to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party.
In some cases, the victims of accidents get injured so badly that they need more than three years of time to recover. In such circumstances, it’s in your best interest to hire a Michigan motorcycle accident attorney. Even if you recover quickly, you should not take the stress of handling legal formalities. You should hire an experienced attorney who can represent your case properly.
How Can a Michigan Motorcycle Accident Attorney Help You?
An attorney can conduct negotiations with the other party and their insurer. They can study the details of the accident, evaluate the situation, and take the best course of action. An attorney will help you in deciding whether you should opt for an out-of-court settlement (informal settlement) or file a lawsuit to settle the case in court (formal settlement).
Even if you decide to settle the matter outside court by taking a suitable amount as compensation from the at-fault party, an attorney can guide you at every step. They can convince the other party and their insurance company to give the maximum possible amount as compensation.
Now, you might be wondering, “How can a motorcycle accident attorney help me if I am partially at fault for the accident?”. Well, if you ride a motorcycle, you must know that, as per the comparative negligence law applicable in the US state of Michigan, parties that are even partially at fault can claim compensation. The amount of compensation, in this case, will be decreased accordingly.
You can claim compensation for the cost of treatment, psychological trauma, loss of income, and more. At times, victims are not able to go back to routine life and work like before due to being severely injured. In such cases, they can seek compensation for the potential income that they lost. You might even be able to get compensation for the cost of therapy sessions required for recovering from mental trauma.
There are some motorcycle accident attorneys who don’t charge a fee before starting to work. They charge fees from their clients only when their clients get a settlement amount. Hiring an attorney is beneficial in many ways. Your attorney will coordinate with police, eyewitnesses, doctors, and others.
A motorcycle accident attorney will conduct a proper investigation to determine the compensation amount. They will consider relevant factors, such as the degree of the fault of both the parties, type of medical treatment, severity of your injuries, effect of the accident on your life, and insurance policy limits. It is an established fact that without legal representation, you might not be able to get the compensation amount that you deserve.
Final Thoughts
You should select a motorcycle accident lawyer that has earned a good reputation for representing innocent and partially at-fault parties in motorcycle accidents.
