Being involved in a motorcycle accident can not only leave you with serious physical injuries but may also lead to emotional injuries and significant financial losses. If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident that was due to the negligence, whether it be a negligent person or negligent products, you may be a candidate for filing a claim for compensation. The compensation for lost earning capacity depends on the losses you have experienced. With the help of an experienced personal injury attorney, you could be compensated for several types of damages. Here are some of the most common types of damages that you may be compensated for from your motorcycle accident.
Medical Costs
Motorcycles don’t provide the same protection as an automobile, so accidents involving motorcycles can often result in extremely serious injuries. For this reason, the medical expenses are usually one of the greatest expenses you may be faced with following the accident. Even worse, your accident may cause permanently debilitating injuries, which can leave you and your family dealing with medical bills for the rest of your life. The compensation for your injuries should not only cover the current medical bills but any possible future medical bills as well. Some of the medical costs you will incur may include:
- Emergency room visit and treatment
- Subsequent doctor and hospital bills
- Travel to and from doctor and therapy appointments
- Prescription medications
- Physical therapy
- Psychological therapy
The medical bills can add up quickly, but since you wouldn’t have experienced these expenses if the accident hadn’t happened, you have the right to seek help from a personal injury attorney and to seek compensation for your injuries.
Lost Wages
Unfortunately, it is common for those involved in a motorcycle accident to suffer from broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, lacerations, road rash, and back and/or neck injuries. These and other types of injuries can prevent you from working in the same capacity as you were previously working. This loss of income is also damage that you deserve to be compensated for. Even if you are able to work, but in a limited capacity, you still deserve to be compensated for the income you lost due to the accident. A serious motorcycle accident can cause you to miss work for months or even years; your attorney can help determine if you are a candidate for filing a claim for lost wages due to a motorcycle accident that was caused by the negligence of someone else.
Pain and Suffering
The two primary types of damages that are typically included in motorcycle accident claims include special damages that can have a set dollar amount such as lost wages and medical costs and non-economic damages which are the damages that cannot be demonstrated with a dollar amount. Noneconomic damages may include chronic pain, emotional distress, mental anguish, depression, anxiety, loss of consortium, and psychological trauma. Noneconomic damages, also known as pain and suffering damages is referring to how the motorcycle accident has impacted your daily life.
In some situations, a motorcycle lawsuit may result in additional damages, known as punitive damages, which punish the negligent party. When the case goes before a judge, the judge may award punitive damages as they see fit for personal injury cases that involve maliciousness, gross negligence, intentional wrongdoing or fraud. Filing a motorcycle accident lawsuit against someone that caused your accident may provide you with the financial compensation you need to move forward. The compensation for lost earning capacity or other damages will depend on a variety of factors, such as the seriousness of your injuries and how long the injuries will interfere with your daily life. In order to fully understand the process of a personal injury lawsuit and to learn if your case qualifies you as a candidate for compensation, it is essential that you speak with an experienced personal injury attorney.
