Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Jacksonville

Being involved in a motorcycle accident can lead to severe injuries and expensive property damage. However, if someone else caused your crash, you could recover damages from them. A Jacksonville motorcycle accident lawyer can help you build a strong case against any liable parties.

Whitley Law Firm offers exceptional legal support to motorcycle accident victims and their families. We have more than 120 years of combined legal experience advocating for the rights of our friends and neighbors throughout North Carolina.

Discuss your motorcycle accident case with a Jacksonville personal injury lawyer from our team.

Who Is Liable for a Motorcycle Accident?

In many instances, a motorist is at fault for a motorcycle crash. If a driver takes their eyes off the road or commits other negligent acts, they can slam their vehicle into a rider and be held responsible for all associated losses.

Along with a motorist, other parties that can be liable for a motorcycle collision include:

• Another rider
• Truck driver
• Motorcycle manufacturer
• Motorcycle helmet manufacturer
• Government entity

Meet with the Whitley Law Firm team as soon as you can following your motorcycle accident. We can teach you about the most common motorcycle accident injuries, determine who is to blame for your crash, and help you request compensation from them.

Schedule a free consultation with an aggressive motorcycle lawyer in Jacksonville today. The Whitley Advantage isn’t just one thing—it’s everything.

Proving Liability After Motorcycle Crashes

The first step in your financial recovery is to prove that careless drivers owed you a duty of care at the time of your motorcycle collision. That “duty of care” describes the responsibility every motorist on the road has to the people around them.

If you can prove that another party engaged in distracted driving, intoxicated driving, or dangerous driving habits, you can argue that said party violated the duty of care they owed you at the time of your accident.

You can then use evidence to argue that you sustained economic losses as a result of that negligence, and as a result, the liable party owes you compensation for pain, suffering, and other financial losses. Our Duval County representatives can walk you through this process and make sure you have the right to a claim before moving a case forward on your behalf.

Should You File an Insurance Claim After a Motorcycle Accident?

In an ideal world, an insurance company would offer you the financial support you needed to overcome all of your financial barriers after a motorcycle wreck. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Many insurance companies have biases against motorcycle operators and want to do everything in their power to deny collision victims coverage.

Does this mean you shouldn’t file an insurance claim after a collision with an at-fault driver? No. However, we recommend that you wait to file an insurance claim until a Jacksonville motorcycle accident attorney has taken a closer look at your case.

Our law firm can make sure you have the data necessary to hold a provider accountable for the value of your losses. We can format our findings to suit an insurance company’s needs and then represent you in conversations about your right to coverage. Our involvement can prevent a provider from misrepresenting your losses or wrongfully denying your request for support.

Jacksonville Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Near Me (800) 785-5000

How Much Time Do You Have to File a Jacksonville Motorcycle Accident Claim?

North Carolina’s General Statutes (G.S.) restrict the amount of time you have to submit a claim based on a motorcycle crash. Per G.S. 1-52, you have three years to request compensation. A motorcycle accident lawyer serving Jacksonville, NC, can help you ask for compensation through an insurance claim or injury lawsuit.

It is mandatory to have insurance if you ride a motorcycle in North Carolina. If a motorist crashes their car into you while you are riding your motorcycle, inform your insurer. Next, your insurance company and the driver’s insurer can investigate the incident together.

Unfortunately, even if the driver involved in your crash is liable, their insurer can dispute your claim. Your lawyer understands the statute of limitations for motorcycle accidents in North Carolina and the insurance claims process. They can assist you if your claim is unsuccessful and you want to pursue compensation through an injury lawsuit.

When Should You Contact a Jacksonville Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?

Securing legal representation in the wake of an auto accident or motorcycle collision doesn’t mean that you have to go to trial. Experienced motorcycle accident attorneys can help you file a claim with an insurance company and challenge insurance adjusters who attempt to minimize your losses or deny your request for support.

If you want to explore your legal options, our team can break down the legal process and help you file a personal injury claim before your statute of limitations for motorcycle accidents expires. We can then represent you in negotiations with a negligent party and prevent them from misrepresenting their insurance coverage or minimizing your losses.

Our team can also take negligent drivers to civil trial should negotiations fail. If you want to take advantage of any of these legal options, we encourage you to book a free case consultation with a Duval County attorney sooner rather than later. The faster you reach out, the sooner you can recover compensation.

What Types of Damages Can You Recover in a Jacksonville, NC, Motorcycle Accident Case?

A motorcycle accident attorney serving Jacksonville, NC, wants you to recover economic and non-economic damages. The compensation you get does not change the fact that you were injured in a motorcycle crash.

However, it can give you peace of mind that you have money to use for the losses you suffered during the incident, including:

• Lost Wages: This category represents paychecks you missed when you could not work because you were recuperating from your injuries. If you suffer severe injuries that affect your ability to earn a living for the rest of your life, you could request compensation for your future lost wages.
• Medical Expenses: Usually, the reasonable cost of the medical treatment you need for your injuries is recoverable. 
• Damage to Your Motorcycle: You can ask for compensation to cover the costs of repairing or replacing your motorcycle. 
• Rehabilitation: A traumatic brain injury (TBI), road rash, and other injuries that can affect you long into the future could require medical care in a rehabilitation center. You can include your rehabilitation costs in your damages request. 
• Long-Term Care: Paralysis, spinal cord damage, broken bones, and other catastrophic injuries can prevent you from living independently. In your motorcycle collision case, you could receive compensation for the costs of hiring in-home help. 
• Pain and Suffering: These cover physical discomfort and emotional distress related to your motorcycle accident. Your attorney can share details on how pain and suffering are calculated and whether to use a multiplier or per-diem method to determine how much to request for these losses. 
• Other Non-Economic Damages: Catastrophic injuries can cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, and other subjective harm.  

A Jacksonville, NC, motorcycle accident lawyer puts you in a position to receive a fair settlement. They can provide you with statistics for motorcycle accidents to show you how much your case could be worth. During your litigation, your attorney advocates for you and looks for ways to prove to a judge or jury that you are in no way at fault for your motorcycle crash.  

What About Punitive Damages?

In North Carolina, you may be entitled to punitive damages if the party responsible for your motorcycle accident acted with willful, wanton, or reckless disregard for your safety.

Punitive damages are meant to punish particularly egregious behavior and are awarded in addition to economic damages (like medical bills and lost wages) and non-economic damages (like pain and suffering).

You can request punitive damages as part of your personal injury claim, and they may be awarded either through a settlement or at trial. Our legal team can help determine whether punitive damages may apply to your case and guide you through the process of seeking them.

Evidence You Can Use in Your Motorcycle Accident Case

A Jacksonville, NC, motorcycle accident attorney helps you collect proof. They can discuss the evidence you need in your motorcycle accident claim and how your proof can lead a judge or jury to rule in your favor.

Evidence that can help you in your motorcycle collision case includes:

• Accident Report: The official accident report filed by law enforcement officers at the scene provides details about your crash, including the time, location, and circumstances surrounding the incident. It often contains officers’ observations and any citations issued, which can be pivotal in establishing fault. 
• Traffic Camera Footage: If your accident occurred in an area monitored by traffic cameras, this footage can offer an unbiased account of the events leading up to, during, and following the incident. This visual evidence can be instrumental in corroborating your version of events and disproving false claims against you. 
• Eyewitness Testimony: Statements from people who witnessed your accident can provide additional insights and details that might not be evident from a police report or traffic cam footage. Eyewitnesses can describe the behavior of the parties involved in your crash, the conditions at the scene, and any factors that might have contributed to the incident. 
• Medical Records: Documentation of your injuries, including medical reports and bills, can help you show the extent of your physical and emotional suffering. These records are essential in quantifying your losses and justifying your compensation request. 
• Accident Scene Photos: Photographs taken at the scene can illustrate the severity of the crash and support claims included in a police report and by witnesses.

North Carolina operates under a contributory negligence system. With this system, if a plaintiff is found to be partially at fault for a motorcycle accident, they cannot recover damages from the other party. Therefore, if you are involved in a motorcycle crash in Jacksonville, NC, it is vital to prove that you are not responsible for it. 

Tips to Help You With Your Motorcycle Accident Case

Trust a Jacksonville, NC, personal injury lawyer who has relevant motorcycle crash case experience to assist you. This attorney looks at the vehicles, road conditions, and other factors relating to your crash as they try to prove liability.

They can provide tips to help you with your legal proceedings, such as:

Let Your Lawyer Communicate With the Insurance Company on Your Behalf

What you say about your collision to an at-fault party or their insurer can impact your case results. If either of these parties contacts you about your accident, tell your lawyer. From here, your attorney can discuss your case and keep you updated on any conversations they have about it.  

Be Careful What You Publish Online About Your Case

Share updates about your case with friends and family via phone and video calls, emails, and text messages. If you publish content about your case on social networks, an at-fault party and their insurer can access it and try to use it against you. Instead, make your online profiles private and avoid posting content on social media about your case for its duration. 

Treat Your Injuries

Give your spinal cord injury or other injuries you suffered during your motorcycle accident the attention they deserve. Attend doctors’ appointments, do your part to recover from your injuries, and track your medical expenses. This helps you improve your health and well-being and bolsters your body of evidence. 

Remain Open to a Settlement

Evaluate any settlement offers that come your way with your lawyer. Personal injury attorneys notify their clients about settlement proposals. If you get a settlement that provides you with fair compensation, you could resolve your case without a trial. 

In addition to these things, maintain open and honest communications with your lawyer. A personal injury lawsuit can be overwhelming, and your attorney offers legal assistance any time you need it. If you have legal concerns or questions, share them with your attorney, and they can address them promptly.

When to File a Motorcycle Accident Wrongful Death Claim

A family member rides their motorcycle and is killed in a fatal accident. This is devastating for you and your loved ones. As you cope with this emotionally taxing situation, a Jacksonville wrongful death lawyer is available to assist you and your family members in any way they can. 

In North Carolina, a personal representative of a deceased person (decedent) can request compensation as part of a wrongful death claim. You could file this type of claim against the party liable for your loved one’s fatal motorcycle crash. An attorney can determine if you are eligible to do so. 

A wrongful death claim allows you to request compensation for burial and funeral expenses associated with your family member’s fatal motorcycle collision and other losses. Your lawyer is compassionate and empathetic. They can take care of your legal matters as you and your loved ones mourn your loss and support one another during this difficult time in your lives. 

Count on Our Jacksonville Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

A motorcycle accident has long-lasting ramifications. What you do in the days and weeks after your motorcycle crash is paramount. Work with motorcycle accident lawyers serving Jacksonville, NC, who are committed to pursuing the monetary compensation you need and deserve. 

The Whitley Law Firm team treats you like family. We work tirelessly to get the compensation you need to rebuild your life after your motorcycle collision. Request a motorcycle crash case consultation with us.