Gloucester County, NJ Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Roads in Gloucester County should be as safe for drivers in cars, trucks, and SUVs as they are for riders on motorcycles. However, many of these other drivers fail to watch out for motorcyclists, potentially causing serious crashes. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident while driving in Gloucester County, NJ, our attorney might be able to help.
Jerry Friedman is a Gloucester County motorcycle accident lawyer who has been representing motorcycle accident victims for over 40 years. His experience can help you in your case if you need payments to cover medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages from a motorcycle accident. For a free legal consultation and help figuring out how to move forward after a serious crash, call us today at 1-800-LAW-4-HOGS.
Suing a Driver for Causing a Motorcycle Crash in Gloucester County
When someone is responsible for an accident that causes serious injuries, the responsible party can usually be made to pay damages. The damages in each case will depend on the specifics of what happened to the victim. For instance, an accident victim who is not injured might only face the costs of vehicle repairs while a seriously injured driver could face medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. One method of getting the compensation you need is filing a lawsuit against the at-fault parties.
In auto accident cases, drivers and motorcyclists often default to using their car insurance for coverage. NJ law does sometimes require you to file a claim with your auto insurance, but claims for certain serious or permanent injuries can usually be filed in court instead.
When you file a motorcycle accident injury claim in court, it will usually be based on a claim of negligence. Negligence claims avoid accusations that the at-fault driver was out to get you or that they intentionally caused the crash. Instead, a negligence claim says that they failed to use the proper care or skill required of them by law, and that mistake caused your injuries.
Proving Fault in a Motorcycle Accident in Gloucester County
How do victims prove fault in a Gloucester County motorcycle accident? To prove that another driver was at fault, your lawyer must prove that they committed some serious mistake or error behind the wheel that caused them to hit you. This can include violations of local traffic laws – such as running a stop sign or driving while intoxicated. It can also involve some driving maneuver that was unsafe given the circumstances – such as parking around a blind corner or backing out of a driveway too fast.
In some crashes, determining who is at fault means looking at all drivers involved. That means that maybe if you were speeding or following too closely, the court could hold you partly responsible for the crash. In New Jersey, this does not block your case; you can still claim damages for a crash even if you were 50% at fault.
The actual way you will prove your case in court is by presenting evidence. This will primarily include your testimony about what happened leading up to the crash and what the other driver did wrong. If you have photos of the accident scene, traffic camera footage, or eyewitness statements, these will also help. Your medical records and photos of the injury will also show how severe the harm was. Make sure you provide as much evidence and records as possible to support your claim and increase your chances of success.
Damages in a Motorcycle Accident + Injury Case in Gloucester County
The main purpose of filing a lawsuit after a motorcycle accident is to get you and your family damages for the injuries and other harms you suffered. But what damages are available to motorcyclists after an accident? Injuries can be compensated directly by damages for pain and suffering. In addition, the financial harm you faced from the injury can be compensated. This usually comes in the form of damages for medical expenses and lost wages.
To help prove the value of these damages, your lawyer will present documents showing how much the injuries cost you. This can come in the form of medical bills to show the court what the injuries cost to treat. This can also come from pay stubs, financial records, bank statements, and other evidence that will show how much income you lost while the injury kept you out of work. If these damages will continue into the future, you can also claim damages for future medical care and lost wages in some cases.
Many injured riders might think that their insurance policy will cover them, but they might be overestimating their insurance policy. Most insurance policies do not cover damages for lost wages. Plus, if you have to pay a deductible and your insurance company covers only a percentage of your expenses, then you will not get your damages paid in full.
Talk to a lawyer about the best way to get your damages covered. In some cases, ignoring the insurance companies and going straight to court is better because it opens more damages to you. This can help you get the full compensation you need – or at least work for a higher settlement than what the insurance company might offer. Always have a lawyer review your case before settling or accepting an insurance payout because doing so usually ends your case. If you do not like the settlement you accepted, you might not be able to go back to court. Talk to a New Jersey motorcycle accident lawyer first before accepting any money.
Call Our Gloucester County Motorcycle Injury Attorney for a Free Case Consultation
If you or a loved one was driving in Gloucester County when your motorcycle was hit by another driver, call Jerry Friedman today. How Can Our Gloucester County motorcycle accident lawyer help you? Jerry Friedman has represented motorcycle accident victims and their families for over 40 years, fighting to get them the damages they need. In Gloucester County and throughout New Jersey, our motorcycle accident lawyer might be able to help you get the damages you need for your injuries. Call us today at 1-800-LAW-4-HOGS to set up a free case consultation.
