Long Branch, NJ Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Motorcycle accidents are known for being among the most dangerous types to be involved in. If you were riding when another person hit you, our attorney can help cover your damages by filing a lawsuit against the negligent driver.
Jerry has decades of experience fighting these cases, in addition to being a rider himself. He understands the challenges you will likely face as an injured motorcyclist seeking compensation. He will gather evidence showing how the other driver’s negligence caused the accident, not because you were riding a motorcycle. You have as much right to be on the road, and the fact you were riding a motorcycle cannot be held against you as evidence of your negligence. Jerry can also assess the damages you sustained accurately and include them in settlement negotiations. If insurance will not cover you, he will not hesitate to fight your claim in court.
To schedule a free case consultation with a skilled motorcycle accident lawyer, contact Jerry Friedman today at 1-800-529-4464.
How Our Attorney Can Help You After a Motorcycle Accident in Long Branch, NJ
After a motorcycle accident, you might think handling a claim on your own will be cheaper and simpler. The opposite is typically true. Several issues are important to recover compensation for injuries a negligent driver caused, and insurance companies will exploit any advantage or victim’s lack of legal knowledge to save money. Our motorcycle accident lawyer, Jerry Friedman, can help by determining the limitations period to file, gathering evidence to prove liability, and negotiating a settlement that covers the full spectrum of damages you suffered. You can focus on recovering from your injuries while Jerry handles the rest.
Identify Your Claim’s Filing Deadline
N.J.S.A. § 2A:14-2(a) generally allows two years from when the motorcycle accident occurred to file a lawsuit. However, this does not imply you should wait this time to get your case started. You have nothing to lose by contacting Jerry and starting your case immediately after the crash, and everything to lose if you file after the limitations period closes. Victims who file claims after the “statute of limitations” will have them dismissed, leaving them on the hook for their losses. By initiating your case quickly, our lawyer can use the time to gather evidence and devise legal strategies before serving your lawsuit on the defendant.
If the deadline has already passed, an exception might save your claim. For example, the time might not be held against you if the defendant fled to a nearby state to avoid litigation, as per § 2A:14-22(a).
Obtain Evidence to Prove Liability and Damages
Filing your case sooner rather than later is also important to gather the highest quality evidence available. Remember, people’s memories are limited, even for remarkable incidents like a motorcycle accident. By contacting eyewitnesses soon after the accident, you will be more likely to get crucial details supporting your claim, like if the driver ran a red light or was speeding when they hit you. Jerry can obtain the police report from your crash to identify any witnesses you did not speak with on the scene.
Pictures of the scene and your injuries can also be incredibly useful. If your injuries allow, you can take pictures with your phone. Were you wearing a helmet cam when the accident occurred that was recording? Depending on what it captured, Jerry can use it to argue how the other driver caused the collision.
Fight Contributory Negligence Arguments
One significant challenge injured riders face in a lawsuit is fighting the defendant’s claims that they were partially responsible for their damages. Insurance companies and their attorneys are eager to rely on lazy stereotypes and unfair biases that hound even the safest riders. Under § 2A:15-5.1, you are barred from recovering compensation if your contributory negligence is greater than the other driver’s. If you are not more at fault but still partially accountable for causing the accident or your injuries to be more severe, you will lose out on compensation equal to your share of liability.
Our attorney will use the evidence already gathered to fight these claims but can also employ expert witnesses to help ensure the best chance of recovering your full damages. Accident reconstruction experts clear up questions about liability by explaining how the evidence shows the defendant initiated the crash. They can help determine facts like the directions in which each vehicle was traveling and their speed. If the defendant cannot counteract these claims, it can save you a great deal of money.
Negotiate Your Settlement
Many times, the trial is not the heart of a legal claim. Instead, the real work and achievements are made during negotiations with the insurance company. The goal of gathering the evidence above is to show them that we have everything we need to prove your case if it does end up in court. To avoid the additional costs of defending a case in court, many insurance companies settle. If you have experienced legal counsel on your side like Jerry, they are far less likely to play games over providing the compensation you need.
We just need to ensure we have the evidence to justify the damages demanded in your claim. This typically comes in the form of medical records, bills, and expert reports concerning future losses your injuries are likely to produce. Your out-of-pocket expenses and repair costs to your motorcycle should also be accounted for in your settlement. If your bike was wrecked, your settlement should include fair value for a replacement.
Non-economic damages are where insurance companies tend to balk about paying during negotiations. These damages compensate you for your pain and suffering, both during the accident and contending with the fallout after. If we have evidence that you have been treating conditions like PTSD, anxiety, depression, or other forms of mental anguish, it might help resolve the case without the need for a trial.
Contact Jerry in Long Branch, NJ Today for Help Getting Compensation for Your Motorcycle Accident
For a free case evaluation, call motorcycle accident lawyer Jerry Friedman at 1-800-529-4464.
