There is no such thing as an average motorcycle accident settlement in Virginia. What you can receive for your losses depends on various factors—including how badly you were injured—specific to your case.
The insurance company might try to get away with offering less than you deserve. To protect your rights, it is a good idea to consult with a Virginia motorcycle accident lawyer about your case as soon as possible.
What Goes Into Calculating a Virginia Motorcycle Accident Settlement?
To ensure you ask for the right amount of compensation, you can hire an attorney to:
- Collect evidence—including bills and receipts, expert testimony, and photos—that establish the cause and financial worth of your losses
- Determine the worth of injuries that are harder to gauge, such as projected future losses and intangible losses (e.g., emotional trauma)
Financial Damages
Traffic accidents can cost you a lot of money. This is why motorcycle accident settlements in Virginia often include compensation for
- Medical expenses, including treatment costs that you have not incurred yet but likely will in the future
- Other expenses, including the cost of hiring people to fix your bike or help you around the house until you recover
- Lost income and benefits from a job you had to take time off from or can never go back to doing
The Effects of Your Injuries
The physical and psychological scars caused by your injury might be with you for a long time to come. Your payout should include money for any non-economic damages, such as:
- Physical and emotional symptoms related to the accident and your injury
- Temporary or permanent disabilities that affect how well you can function
- Disfiguring marks or scars caused by injuries like road rash or lacerations
- Any “pain and suffering” or inconvenience your injuries and accident caused
Insurers May Try to Reduce Motorcycle Accident Settlements for Virginians
It is important to realize that, regardless of your case’s worth, the insurance company wants to pay less than that. It might:
- Use AI to reject a wide swath of valid claims, including yours, unfairly
- Offer you a lowball settlement and then imply that you must either accept it quickly or receive no money at all
- Claim that your injuries were caused by something other than the crash
- Insist that its policyholder did not behave negligently or that you yourself exhibited far more reckless behavior
How to Deal With Motorcycle Accident Insurance Companies
It is in your best interest to hire someone who has years of experience handling motorcycle accident settlements in Virginia. Otherwise, the insurer might try to take advantage of you. The average duties of a motorcycle accident attorney include:
- Communicating with all other parties, including the insurance company, so the client does not have to endure stressful encounters with those who may be hostile to their case
- Working with the client to determine what they want from their legal action and what might be the best way of meeting those goals
- Handling negotiations with the insurance company so that the client can focus on recuperating from their injuries
- Making sure that all paperwork is filed on time, relieving their client of the burden of having to fill out and keep track of all those forms
What to Know About Pursuing a Motorcycle Accident Settlement in Virginia
According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the Commonwealth saw over 2,000 motorcycle crashes in 2022 alone. Over three-quarters of these crashes resulted in at least one injury.
No matter the cause of your motorcycle accident, if someone else’s negligence played a significant role, they may owe you compensation. Your personal injury lawyer can work with you to get the money you deserve. They can also explain everything you need to know about your case, such as:
Virginia’s Statute of Limitations for Motorcycle Accidents
Per Va. Code § 8.01-243, you only have two years from the date of the collision to file a case. If you do not meet this deadline, you might not be able to collect any compensation.
It is understandable if the first thing on your mind after a crash is your health, not your legal rights. As soon as you have completed your first round of treatment, however, you should consider asking a law firm about how you can preserve those rights.
The Insurer May Resist Paying a Motorcycle Accident Claim
As previously stated, the insurance company may not want to pay what you deserve. Also, unlike you, it is a large, powerful company that can afford to “wait out” your case while you are an injured citizen who needs prompt payment.
Do not believe anything the insurer tells you about your rights or your case’s worth. Wait until your own attorney has had a chance to review your case and speak to the insurer on your behalf before you make any legal decisions
Every Motorcycle Accident Settlement Is Different
Your case determines what you will be able to recover. Your friend injured riding down Skyline Drive will have a completely different case than you do. Don’t rely on their case result to determine what you might be able to recover.
A good way to fight for what you deserve is to hire a personal injury attorney to help you come up with a personalized legal strategy. They can quickly get a “feel” for what your case is like, how long it may take to secure compensation, and how much money you are entitled to recover.
Want to Know What Your Motorcycle Accident Settlement Might Be?
The Parrish Law Firm, PLLC, wants to make sure that all motorcycle accident survivors in Virginia get the settlement they deserve from the at-fault driver or their insurance company.
To get a FREE claim review, call our office today. Our team understands that no case is “average” or typical, and we strive to provide each client with the individualized care they need to feel at peace.
Call or Text 571-229-1800 or Complete a Free Case Evaluation form