Florida Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Riding down one of Florida’s many scenic highways and roads on your motorcycle, while normally a freeing and invigorating experience, can quickly turn into a nightmare if you end up in an accident. These crashes, compared to those involving everyday cars, can be especially dangerous, given the lack of safety features that motorcycles have to offer; you can’t depend on seat belts or an airbag to help you avoid catastrophic injuries.
As such, if you’ve been in a Florida motorcycle crash, you’ve likely sustained significant injuries that have left you with astronomically high medical expenses and the inability to work as you recover, and your motorcycle might also be damaged (or even totaled).
All of these factors add up to expenses that you should not have to deal with on your own, but thankfully, a motorcycle accident lawyer in Florida can help you fight for fair compensation. Below, you’ll learn more about your rights, whether no-fault laws apply to you, and how a FL motorcycle injury attorney can help make a difference.
How Kennon Law Group Can Help With Your Motorcycle Accident Claim
Navigating the personal injury claims process is always a complex feat, but that can be overwhelmingly true if you have suffered serious injuries that leave you with lasting medical needs or an inability to live your life as you once did. At Kennon Law Group, our team of Florida motorcycle crash lawyers can guide you from the very beginning.
One of the first things we’ll do is ensure you understand what your options are. In motorcycle accidents, you must file a claim against the party responsible for the accident instead of turning to no-fault insurance; that means demonstrating that the other party was at fault.
To that end, our team will investigate the accident and gather the evidence that can paint a clear picture of what happened. Furthermore, we can contact accident reconstruction experts to provide their testimony, and we will reach out to all eyewitnesses for their accounts as well.
Lastly, with a motorcycle accident lawyer in Florida by your side, negotiations with insurance companies can also be easier. Any of the attorneys from our team will aggressively fight for the compensation you deserve to cover your losses. We know all of the tactics that insurers will use to attempt to minimize your claim, and we can protect you from being treated unfairly.
Injured in a Florida Motorcycle Accident? You’re Not Alone
Above all else, our Florida motorcycle crash lawyers understand how much stress you’re under after suffering injuries because of another party’s conduct. You don’t have to go through the process alone — by hiring the motorcycle accident attorneys of Kennon Law Group, we’ll help present a clear case that proves the other person is to blame for your losses. And that, in turn, means you’ll have a better chance of receiving the compensation that you not only need but deserve.
Understanding Your Rights: Key Differences in Florida Motorcycle Accident Claims
Given that the injuries you sustain in a motorcycle accident can be much more severe than those that occur in traditional car accidents, you’ll need more substantial compensation to cover ongoing medical needs, loss of earning potential, and a variety of other losses.
Florida operates under a no-fault system when it comes to traffic accidents. In other words, in most collisions involving motor vehicles, your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance will cover the losses you sustain. That is not the case, however, with regard to motorcycle accidents.
You don’t need PIP insurance to operate a motorcycle in Florida, which, naturally, means you can’t depend on such coverage after a collision. To be able to recover losses, you must instead demonstrate that you were not to blame for the accident so that you can pursue a direct claim against the other party.
Florida has modified comparative negligence laws in place, which allow you to still be able to recover losses even if you hold some blame for the crash. Your winnings, however, will be decreased by your percentage of fault. It’s essential to demonstrate that you are no more than 50% to blame for the accident, as exceeding more than half of the total fault will disqualify you from receiving any compensation whatsoever.
The other party’s insurance company, understanding that, will do everything it can to place the blame on you and effectively bar you from recovering. And unfortunately, there’s a particular bias to blaming motorcycle riders for their injuries.
One of the most commonly noted factors that could impact how much you receive in the claim is whether you were wearing protective gear when the accident occurred. In Florida, helmets aren’t required for people over 21 and who have at least $10,000 in insurance, but not wearing one can be seen as being partly to blame for your injuries.
These differences can be understandably overwhelming, but with a FL bike wreck lawyer from Keennon Law Group in your corner, you’ll improve your chances of defending your claim against these tactics. Our attorneys not only have access to expert witnesses but also know how to gather the most important evidence.
Navigating the Complexities of Your Florida Motorcycle Accident Claim With a FL Motorcycle Injury Attorney
Beyond the intricacies of Florida’s negligence laws, further difficulties with motorcycle injury claims may include calculating the appropriate damages. Because motorcycle accidents can cause such catastrophic injuries, having a motorcycle accident lawyer in Florida assisting you ensures that you take all of your losses into account.
Your FL bike wreck lawyer will also ensure that you don’t miss the statute of limitations when filing a claim. You generally have two years to file, though there could be exceptions that narrow that window of opportunity. If you miss the deadline, you cannot recover any losses, which means retaining legal counsel as soon as possible after your accident is vital.
Benefits of Working With a Florida Motorcycle Accident Lawyer at Kennon Law Group
When searching for a motorcycle accident lawyer in Florida, look no further than Kennon Law Group. We have decades of experience assisting people throughout the state who have suffered serious injuries because of another party’s negligence.
In particular, one of the reasons people searching for the best motorcycle accident lawyer in FL often choose us is that we provide the compassionate support and individualized attention our clients deserve. Through our empathetic, knowledgeable, and experienced assistance, our team can make the process of pursuing a claim a bit easier. You’ll never be treated like just another case.
Contact us at Kennon Law Group today to speak with an attorney about your case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Right after your accident, it’s critical that you seek and receive immediate medical attention. Even if you’re not sure whether you suffered an injury, it’s best to call emergency services and allow them to assess you at the scene of the accident. Alongside paramedics, make sure that you also call the police, as you will need a copy of their report to successfully file a claim.
Start gathering evidence from the scene. Take pictures of the vehicles, your injuries, street signs, road conditions, and anything else that you think will be helpful. You should then speak with witnesses. Likewise, you should exchange information with the other party, but make sure to keep the conversation short and civil, never mentioning fault.
After taking care of these immediate steps, it’s time to call the best motorcycle accident lawyer in FL to begin the process of filing your claim.
These are common tactics that insurance companies use to get you to either settle quickly or drop your claim altogether. If either of them comes up in your legal efforts, you mustn’t allow yourself to be fooled and instead immediately contact an attorney to represent you. The team at Kennon Law Group is ready to guide you and help fight for what you truly deserve after your accident.
One factor that could affect your case is whether you were wearing a helmet. Although Florida does allow certain riders to go without them, insurers will always latch on to the fact that you didn’t have one on and try to blame you for your injuries because of that.
Being negligent in any way can significantly affect your case as well. For instance, if you were on the phone, speeding, or engaging in any other unsafe maneuvers, like lane splitting, when the accident occurred, your share of fault will increase. And if it exceeds 50%, you will be unable to recover any compensation at all.
Motorcycle accidents can cause all manner of injuries, beginning with road rash and whiplash and only heightening in severity from there.
Broken bones are common, as are facial injuries, which can leave you with scars that require reconstructive surgeries. Spinal cord injuries are also a possibility, the worst of which can result in paralysis. And even if you were wearing a helmet, you can still experience a traumatic head injury as well. These can range from minor concussions to severe wounds that cause permanent brain damage.
When filing a claim, the severity of your injuries, how long it will take to recover from them, and how they impact your life will all play a major role in determining the kind and amount of damages you can receive. If you can no longer live your life as you used to or if you can’t return to work, you can expect a larger compensation value.
You usually have two years from the date of your accident to file a claim. Keep in mind, however, that there may be circumstances that shorten that time frame, so having a motorcycle accident lawyer assisting you from the very start is key to preventing you from losing your chance to recover.
An experienced motorcycle accident attorney will understand what kind of evidence can make the most difference in these types of claims. Our team can turn to expert witnesses to help corroborate what caused the crash, and we know how to negotiate with insurance companies as well.
We not only have experience with the various tactics they’ll use to persuade you into settling early, but we have leverage, too. The knowledge that we can always take the case to court if we feel that insurers are not treating you fairly often incentivizes these companies to make better offers.
You can receive economic and non-economic damages. The former category covers medical expenses, including future needs you may have, as well as lost wages. If the injuries are so severe that you can’t return to work or you have to cut your hours, we can also fight for damages that cover loss of earning potential. The latter category compensates you for the losses that aren’t tangible, such as a loss of enjoyment of life, as well as pain and suffering.
Although it is not required to have a lawyer with you to file a claim after a motorcycle accident, it’s never a good idea to attempt such complex legal actions on your own. By hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer in Florida from Kennon Law Group, you’ll have people on your side who understand the law, know what your rights are, and will always fight for the compensation you deserve.
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Have questions or need legal assistance? Contact Kennon Law today for expert guidance on personal injury and insurance claims.
