Do I Really Need a Motorcycle Accident Attorney?
It is always best to have an attorney represent you in an injury claim. For those involved in a motorcycle accident, the insurance claims process and potential for a lawsuit are greater, and therefore even more complicated and confusing for the injured motorcyclist.
There is much more to handling a motorcycle accident case than simply negotiating a dollar figure with an insurance company.
Many legal details and statutes may bar you from any recovery for your damages. Furthermore, an injured rider often deals with medical liens from healthcare providers and emergency rooms. California lien laws are complicated and confusing, and those who are unaware of these laws often pay far more money from their settlement or judgment to their healthcare providers than is necessary.
Likewise, a person’s own insurance carrier may try to take a piece of their judgment or settlement, through a process known as subrogation. Without an attorney, people often pay far too much money to their insurance carriers. Scott J. Corwin fights for you not only to recover the maximum settlement, but also fiercely negotiates and settles any insurance subrogation claims or medical liens to minimize their effect on your recovery.
Be careful when deciding on your motorcycle accident lawyer — many lawyers look at insurance claims or medical liens as “your problem.” These lawyers consider their job complete once they get their fee from a settlement or judgment. Scott J. Corwin stays with his clients every step of the way — even after settlement or judgment — and ensures that his clients receive, and keep, the largest recovery possible for their motorcycle accident.
How Do I Choose The Right Motorcycle Accident Attorney?
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident in Los Angeles, are undergoing a painful recovery, and are out of work, you will probably need help to get through your day-to-day obligations. Managing your injury claim will be even more difficult if you are feeling much worse for wear.
This is why finding the right motorcycle accident lawyer is the most important decision you can make following a wreck.
You should hire the person best qualified to handle a motorcycle accident claim with a proven record of accomplishment. But who will that be? Make a checklist of questions to ask a motorcycle accident attorney during an initial consultation so you can be confident you are making the right choice.
We suggest you include these questions in your checklist:
- How long will my case take to settle?
- How often will you communicate with me?
- What experience do you have handling motorcycle accident cases?
- How will my potential recovery be determined?
- Will you send me regular updates on the status of my case?
- Are there any liability issues in my case, and how will you handle those?
- Can I receive a copy of my file if requested?
- Will you give me adequate written notice of any important dates, medical examinations, or court appearances?
- How long have you practiced law, and how many people have you represented?
Attorney Scott J. Corwin is an experienced and qualified motorcycle accident lawyer who helps clients throughout the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. He takes pride in providing personalized and compassionate legal counsel that puts your worries at ease. Scott is also a tenacious opponent when dealing with insurance companies. This combination of talents is exactly what you need to obtain the maximum recovery for your injuries.
Scott has recovered over $175 million and represented more than 3,000 injured victims. He has been recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyers® member every year since 2007. His peers have honored him for his skills, assertiveness, and commitment to helping injured clients.
How Much Will It Cost to Hire a Lawyer?
California law requires a written fee agreement between any motorcycle accident lawyer and their client. This agreement describes the actual terms for retention of the attorney working on your case. The written fee agreement will contain language specific to payment of attorney’s fees, payment of expenses and any other factors that are necessary for adequate representation.
It is important that you read and understand all the retainer agreement’s terms before signing.
Our motorcycle accident law firm will fight aggressively for your case. We represent injured victims based on a “contingency” fee. There are no upfront attorney fees, and you won't pay anything until we win your case and receive the successful settlement or judgment. We will not take on your case unless we are confident that we can recover compensation for your injuries and losses.
What to Expect from Your Insurance Claim
Unfortunately, it is difficult to deal with insurance company lawyers hired to defend drivers responsible for injuring motorcyclists. These attorneys invariably try to place the blame on the motorcyclist, even when the other driver is clearly at fault. In motorcycle accident trials, these lawyers try to convince the judge and jury that the motorcyclist is at fault for not reacting sooner to an illegal left turn or failure to yield.
Making a strong case against these outrageous claims requires a high level of skill and expertise.
Also, remember that motorcycle accident data and statistics can be used selectively by the insurance company's lawyer against motorcycle riders. Sadly, insurance companies’ attorneys take advantage of this data against riders.
Insurers attempt to assign fault to the motorcyclist any way possible. The purpose of their finger-pointing is to divert a jury's attention from the real issue of who caused the crash, and therefore responsible for compensating the motorcyclist and/or their passenger for any devastating injuries suffered.
Make no mistake, this is the goal of all insurance companies — to pay out as little as possible. If you or a loved one is involved in a motorcycle accident claim or litigation, motorcycle accident lawyer Scott J. Corwin can help you fight for the maximum compensation you are entitled to.
Serious Injuries Require Serious Representation
Motorcyclists are far more vulnerable to serious injuries than motorists using other forms of transportation like cars, trucks, and SUVs. Without the protection of a metal chassis, seatbelt, and airbags, a motorcyclist can be permanently injured in even a relatively slow-speed crash.
Motorcycle accidents frequently lead to catastrophic injuries, such as:
- Amputations: Severe damage to an arm, hand, leg, or foot might require it to be medically amputated later. Advanced prosthetics can help recover some lost mobility and dexterity after an amputation, but the consequences of the injury will always be permanent and life-changing.
- Brain damage: Motorcycle helmets are crucial for reducing the risk of head injury in a motorcycle accident. But these pieces of safety equipment can only do so much. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are still inordinately common in this type of collision.
- Fractures and broken bones: In an average motorcycle accident, the rider will be thrown completely off their bike and into the street. The impacts from landing and then tumbling can cause multiple bone fractures, which might result in permanent disabilities if they don’t heal correctly.
- Neck and back injuries: Harm to the neck or back can instantly cause a life-changing injury. What might feel like a dull ache at first can gradually worsen to debilitating pain. If you think your neck or back was hurt in a motorcycle accident, then you should see a doctor immediately.
- Paralysis: When the spinal cord is severed, it can cause paralysis. The body parts affected by paralysis depend on where the damage to the spine occurred. Paralysis of the legs is called paraplegia, and paralysis of all four limbs is called quadriplegia or tetraplegia.
- Road rash: Road rash is a severe injury that is suffered almost exclusively by motorcyclists. It occurs when a motorcyclist skids across the asphalt, which destroys their skin and underlying tissues. Untreated, severe road rash can lead to fatal infections.
- Scars/disfigurement: A severe injury can cause permanent scarring or disfigurement. If scarring is in a noticeable area like the face, neck, or hands, then it can be considered a catastrophic injury, especially if the motorcycle accident survivor feels self-conscious about their altered appearance.
- Shoulder injuries: Falling off a motorcycle and onto your shoulder could cause it to break or slip out of its socket. Ample medical care, including hospitalization, could be required to ensure the shoulder injury heals correctly and does not cause a permanent complication.
- Soft tissue injuries: Joints, and ligaments such as the ACL or MCL, are among the most vulnerable parts of the human body. In a wreck, they can be severely damaged and require specialized treatments to heal, such as surgeries and rehabilitative therapy.
- Spinal cord injury: Complete damage to a section of the spinal cord that causes a severance of this bundle of nerves can result in total permanent paralysis. Even moderate or “mild” damage to the spinal cord can cause partial and/or temporary paralysis.
Regardless of the type of injury that you have suffered, Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation is prepared to take aggressive legal action on your behalf.
Call Today for a Free Consultation
Was another driver too distracted to see your motorcycle? Did they fail to afford you an equal right to the road? Our motorcycle accident attorney handle cases in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, San Diego, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties and throughout the state of California.
Learn more about your legal rights by requesting a free case evaluation from a Los Angeles motorcycle accident attorney. Call Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation at (310) 683-2300 or fill out our online contact form today.
