Motorcycle accident costs will depend on the facts of your case. Factors like the type and severity of your injuries and how long you are out of work after the crash will determine some of your losses. Every injury claim is different.
If you get hurt in a motorcycle accident, you will feel the pain financially and physically. The medical bills can pile up, and if you cannot work because of your injuries, you might have a hard time keeping a roof over your head and putting food on the table.
After you get through the initial medical treatment for your injuries, your financial woes might continue. Some people cannot earn as much money as before the accident, and some experience life-long disabilities.
Types of Losses in Motorcycle Accidents
The kinds of damages an injured motorcyclist will experience will vary from one case to the next; however, here are some of the common categories of injury claim costs:
Medical Expenses
Make sure that you include all reasonable costs that you incurred to treat your injuries from the crash. These items encompass much more than the doctor and hospital bills. You might also have bills from the:
- Ambulance
- Emergency room
- Specialists
- Surgery
- Physicians
- Diagnostic testing like x-rays, MRIs, and lab tests
- Prescription drugs
- Physical therapy
If you had to go to a rehabilitation facility for the additional treatment of severe injuries, like a traumatic brain injury, that is an expense from the accident. Sometimes people who sustain catastrophic harm, like spinal cord damage, cannot live independently after a crash. Long-term care expenses can be part of your damages claim because you would not have incurred those bills but for the accident.
Equipment and supplies related to your injuries can also count as motorcycle accident costs of the injury. For example, you might include:
- Crutches
- Wheelchairs
- Prosthetic limbs
- Adapted vehicle
- Home renovations, like ramps, a wheel-in shower, and life equipment
You might have additional medical expenses not covered here. The amount of medical expenses will vary from one case to the next.
Lost Income
There are several ways that a motorcycle accident can impact your earnings. For example, you might miss paychecks when are unable to work because you are recuperating from your injuries. Your losses can include the money you did not get paid, whether that is wages, salary, self-employment, or other forms of regular income.
When you return to work, you might have to work reduced hours because of your injuries. The physical damage you sustained might make it impossible for you to work full-time. Sometimes people are unable to perform the same kind of work as before because of their injuries. They have to seek a less-demanding, lower-paying job. The difference in income can be part of your damages claim.
When a person suffers devastating harm, he might not be able to support himself through gainful employment for the long-term. Measurable impairment can be compensable.
Intangible Losses
Some types of harm do not come with invoices or receipts. For example, a person who becomes paralyzed or loses a limb might experience a loss of enjoyment of life because he can no longer engage in the activities he used to enjoy. This loss is valid and real, even though there is no paper trail that establishes the monetary value.
Disfigurement from extensive or visible scars is another type of intangible loss, also called a noneconomic loss. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often develops after a crash that involved life-changing injuries or fatalities. Some people have chronic anxiety or depression from getting injured severely.
“Pain and suffering” is a kind of intangible loss. “Pain” refers to the physical discomfort of the injury, medical procedures, operations, recuperation, physical therapy, and chronic pain. “Suffering” means the emotional distress of being in a crash, having to undergo medical care, worrying about whether you can pay the bills and keep your job, and feeling stress about your future.
How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help With Your Motorcycle Injury Claim
Whether you want to try to reach a settlement with the insurance company of the at-fault driver or take the case to trial, it can be a wise choice to have a motorcycle accident lawyer fighting for you when seeking compensation for your motorcycle accident costs.
Our clients can focus their attention on getting better because they know that we are taking care of their legal matters. We deliver personal, responsive legal services and can work directly with the claims adjuster so that you do not have to do so. We work tirelessly to get our clients all the compensation they deserve so that they can rebuild their lives.
Call S. Burke Law today at (404) 842-7838 for a free, no-obligation consultation.