Harrison, NJ Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Properly approaching your motorcycle accident lawsuit can make all the difference regarding your recovery. This will require you to reflect on the accident to identify all possible evidence or information that might help your case.

Before you bring your claim for a motorcycle crash in Harrison, you should go over the accident and its aftermath to better understand your chances of recovery. For example, what exactly happened during the accident? Did another driver breach their duty of care and injure you? How many parties were involved? Did you report the crash to law enforcement? After answering these questions, you should then focus on your damages. Were you injured, and, if so, what are the extent of your injuries? What about your economic losses? How much income have you missed out on? After learning the answers to these questions, we can determine whether or not you have a claim and, if you do, its value.

Call Harrison, NJ motorcycle accident lawyer Jerry Friedman at 1-800-529-4464 to get a free case analysis today.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Filing a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit in Harrison, NJ

When evaluating your case, our motorcycle accident lawyer might ask various questions about the incident to learn everything we need about your claim. These questions can fall into two broad categories: everything that happened during the accident and everything that happened because of the accident.

Did the Other Driver Act Negligently?

Start by asking yourself if negligence was present during the crash. Was the other involved driver speeding at the time? Did they try to merge into the lane you were riding in, striking you? Did they mention that they were using their phone at the time of the accident? We can review the accident in detail with you so that it becomes clear if they acted negligently, causing the crash. Often, negligent drivers cause motorcycle accidents because they fail to see or consider bikers sharing the road.

Were Multiple Parties Involved?

If the accident involved multiple parties, we can carefully assess their levels of involvement to properly attribute liability. Though uncomfortable for some victims, reflecting on their own involvement in a crash may be important. Under N.J.S.A. § 2A:15-5.1, comparative fault laws can lower awards for victims who share liability for an accident, which we can work to avoid in your case.

Did You Report the Accident?

Whether or not you called the police to document the accident will also matter. According to N.J.S.A. § 39:4-130, victims of motor vehicle crashes that cause injury, death, or an excess of $500 in property damage must report such accidents to the police in Harrison. We can obtain your report from the Harrison Police Department and assess it for additional information that might help your case.

Did You Preserve Evidence?

Because debris and other fallout from motorcycle accidents can pose dangers to other drivers on the road, first responders typically clear away scenes quickly. Thinking back on the accident, did you take any pictures of your injuries or property damage? Did you see eyewitnesses or police officers taking pictures? If you answer yes to any of these questions, we can work to locate and obtain photos that might support your claim. In addition to photographs, we might be able to get security footage of the accident from nearby surveillance systems.

Did Anyone Witness the Accident?

Eyewitness statements are often crucial in motorcycle accident cases. When reviewing your case, our lawyers will ask you to reflect on whether or not you spoke to eyewitnesses or obtained their contact information. If you did, we can interview them to get their statements. If you could not talk to eyewitnesses because of your injuries, we can use other means of identifying them.

Did You Go to the Hospital?

A victim’s next steps following a motorcycle accident are important. For example, did you go to the hospital immediately or wait several days or weeks for medical treatment? Making the intentional effort to build medical records detailing your injuries will be important for your claim, as your physical injuries will be of considerable interest to the jury. We must prove that the defendant’s negligence caused you to suffer injuries and, by extension, real damages.

Have You Missed the Statute of Limitations?

You should also tell us when the accident happened. Under N.J.S.A. § 2A:14-2(a), injured motorcyclists have two years to sue negligent drivers. Depending on when your accident took place, we might need to prepare your case more quickly so that you can file within the allotted timeframe. The court typically dismisses civil claims when victims file them late.

What Are Your Financial Damages?

You will need to provide us with detailed information about your financial losses so that we can calculate your case’s value. Medical expenses often make up the bulk of victims’ economic damages. Tell our lawyers if you cannot work because of an accident, and we will factor your missed income into your total economic damages.

Have You Experienced Pain and Suffering?

Damages also include a victim’s emotional losses. Be reflective about your experience and honest regarding your pain and suffering. Juries can award substantial non-economic damages to victims with serious injuries, which are common in motorcycle accidents. We can explain the best ways to document and prove your non-economic damages, such as by keeping a journal, confiding in mental health professionals, and testifying in court, so you ultimately recover compensation for your pain and suffering.

Will You Incur Future Damages?

We will also document any additional damages you incur while building your case. For example, suppose you will need future medical care or cannot work for some time because of the accident. In that case, we may be able to present evidence that allows you to recover compensation for future damages not yet incurred. Testimony from medical experts and the doctors who have treated you can aid on this front.

Call Our Motorcycle Injury Attorney in Harrison, NJ Today

By calling motorcycle accident lawyer Jerry Friedman today at 1-800-529-4464, you can schedule a free assessment of your case.