If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident caused by someone else, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your damages. But you may be wondering whether you need a lawyer to file your claim. Let’s look at what a Lafayette motorcycle accident lawyer does and how they can help you.
A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Will Investigate Your Accident
Before anything else, your attorney needs to understand exactly what happened. This means reviewing the police report, gathering photos and video from the scene, identifying and interviewing witnesses, and, when necessary, working with accident reconstruction experts to piece together how the crash occurred.
Motorcycle crashes often leave less physical evidence than car accidents, so a thorough, prompt investigation matters.
A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Will Identify All Liable Parties
While many motorcycle accidents involve a single at-fault driver, others involve multiple responsible parties. Liable parties could include another driver, a trucking company, a government entity responsible for a dangerous road condition, or even a manufacturer if a defective motorcycle part contributed to the crash.
Your attorney’s job is to identify every party who may be legally responsible, not just the most obvious one, so you don’t leave compensation on the table.
A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Handles Insurance Companies
One of the most immediate and important roles your attorney plays is dealing directly with insurance adjusters, so you don’t have to. Insurance companies are skilled at minimizing payouts, and they often reach out to injured riders quickly, hoping to secure a recorded statement or a quick settlement before the rider understands the full extent of their injuries.
Your attorney takes over that communication, protecting you from tactics designed to undervalue your claim.
A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Calculate the True Value of Your Claim
A fair settlement needs to account for more than your immediate medical bills. Your attorney will work to calculate the full scope of your damages, including:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage to your motorcycle and gear
- Long-term rehabilitation or assistive care, if needed
This often requires working with medical providers, economists, and other experts to project costs that extend well beyond the settlement date.
A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Will Negotiate on Your Behalf
Once your attorney has built a complete picture of your damages, they negotiate directly with the insurance company, presenting evidence and pushing back against lowball offers or attempts to shift blame onto you. Skilled negotiation often makes the difference between a settlement that barely covers your bills and one that actually reflects what your case is worth.
A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Address Biases Against Motorcyclists
Riders frequently face unfair assumptions, such as that they were speeding, weaving through traffic, or otherwise reckless simply because they were on a motorcycle. Part of your attorney’s job is countering that bias with solid evidence, making sure the facts of your specific crash are what drive the outcome, not stereotypes about motorcyclists in general.
A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Navigate Louisiana’s Comparative Fault Rules
Louisiana follows a modified comparative fault system under Louisiana Civil Code Article 2323. If you are 50% or less at fault, you can still recover compensation, although it will be reduced according to your percentage of fault. However, if you are 51% or more at fault, you cannot recover any compensation.
Your attorney works to keep any fault assigned to you as low and as accurate as possible, since even a small shift in percentage can have a real impact on your final recovery.
A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can File a Lawsuit, If Necessary
Most personal injury claims settle without going to trial, but not all of them do. If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, your attorney can file a lawsuit and take your case through litigation, including discovery, depositions, and, if needed, trial.
Having an attorney who is genuinely prepared to go to trial often changes how seriously an insurance company takes your claim from the start.
A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Keep You Informed Throughout the Process
Beyond the legal work itself, a good accident attorney in Lafayette keeps you updated as your case progresses, explains your options in plain language, and answers your questions along the way, so you’re never left wondering what’s happening with your claim.
Talk to a Lafayette Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today
From the first investigation to a final settlement or verdict, a motorcycle accident lawyer’s job is to protect your interests at every step. At Anderson Blanda & Saltzman, our personal injury lawyers in Lafayette bring more than 100 years of combined experience and over $300 million recovered for our clients to every case we handle.
Call us at (337) 233-3366 or complete the short form on our contact page to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.