Many people wonder why they need a motorcycle accident attorney, because they assume the insurance company will handle everything if the other party was at fault and they had insurance. That assumption is wrong.
For one thing, they will have to go after the other insurance company. Things have changed over the last 3 to 4 decades; insurance companies don’t just simply pay claims the way they used to; they will rarely make the person a fair offer.
Think about it this way; if insurance companies quickly made fair offers to people without attorneys, people wouldn’t need attorneys. If the insurance companies acted fairly, they would put attorneys out of business in a short time. The reason people call an attorney in the first place is because the insurance company tends to stall; they don’t return phone calls; they ask for releases to get into private medical records without limitation and they keep asking for all kinds of information and documentation; it never stops until eventually the clients get sick of it.
And they don’t pay claims unless they have to.
The early offers made before an attorney is involved will almost always be We have been doing this work for decades and we repeatedly have clients calling because they were angry about the way they were being treated by insurance adjusters.
What is a Contingency Split?
Motorcycle accidents are no different from automobile accidents or product liability cases in this regard. Almost all attorneys handle these types of cases on a contingent fee basis, which means that the attorney advances the costs, and get repaid the costs at the end of the case. They get paid a fee by receiving a percentage of what is recovered. Usually, that’s between one-third and 40 percent of the final settlement.
What to Look For In a Motorcycle Accident Attorney?
The logical approach is to look for an attorney with a lot of experience in motorcycle accidents, for the same reason you wouldn’t hire a plumber to do electrical work, even if they have a contractor’s license. It’s the same with attorneys; a tax attorney isn’t the best choice to handle an accident; find one with a demonstrated ability for handling motorcycle accidents, because you will need that. Just being a licensed attorney is not enough.
Can An Attorney Negotiate Reductions in Hospital And Medical Bills?
Unfortunately, health insurance carriers have gotten very aggressive about trying to get their money back from people who were injured in auto accidents. It seems a little bit unfair, since the person will have paid for the medical coverage, then have an accident. They receive treatment for injuries, but at the end the insurance carrier is asking to be repaid.
Because of the insurance carrier, it’s almost as if there’s a second case that starts after the settlement. The right to be repaid depends on the insurance contract and rules that are complicated and difficult to understand. The attorney will have a lot of work to do, and will have to get on the phone to negotiate reductions. There are state rules, federal rules and clauses in the insurance contracts that apply, sometimes in contradictory ways. It’s not simple, but it’s important, because every cent of every reduction goes into the client’s pocket.
Should I Talk to a Doctor or an Attorney First?
In my experience, most clients are taken from the accident scene via ambulance so the question is moot. Motorcycle accident victims tend to have significant serious injuries and end up in an emergency room. The first priority should be to take care of their injuries before going through a legal process that will be likely take some time.
That said, the sooner an attorney is on the case, the better the opportunity to start gathering evidence and controlling the situation so mistakes won’t be made.
For more information on An Attorney For A Motorcycle Accident, please call (800) 928-1511 today to schedule a free initial consultation. Get the information and legal answers you’re seeking.
