Motorbike Crash Compensation
The value of a motorbike crash compensation settlement is on average much higher than awards made to other road users due to the fact that injuries sustained in motorbike crashes are proportionately more severe than those sustained by people using other modes of transport. Consequently it is essential that you receive professional legal advice should you have been injured in a motorbike crash for which you were not totally to blame.
The Components of Motorbike Crash Compensation
Awards of motorbike crash compensation are usually divided into five categories – physical pain, psychological injury, loss of function, financial cost and property damage – and the value of each can be influenced by your personal circumstances both before and after the event. Therefore, although two people may experience the same level of physical injury as the result of a motorbike crash, the amount of motorbike crash compensation each is entitled to could be very different.
Awards of motorbike crash compensation can also be influenced by the age of the victim, their gender and their physical condition prior to the accident. Those failing to wear a crash helmet at the time the time the injuries were sustained will receive less motorbike crash compensation than somebody who wore suitable protection – even if it was not their head that was injured.
Contributory Negligence and Motorbike Crash Compensation
One further factor which could affect the how much motorbike crash compensation two similarly injured motorcyclists receive is contributory negligence. Contributory negligence is judged to have occurred when you have contributed to the crash which caused your injury – possibly by exceeding the speed limit – or by failing to seek medical attention in a reasonable time after the crash had occurred.
Counterclaims of contributory negligence in motorbike crash compensation claims can significantly delay the receipt of motorbike crash compensation and may reduce the amount you are entitled to receive. If you feel that there is any chance of a claim for contributory negligence to be made against you, it is in your best interests to advise your solicitor straight away.
Do Not Delay in Seeking Motorbike Crash Compensation Advice
Inasmuch as it is important that you seek medical attention immediately after sustaining an injury in a motorbike crash, it is also in your best interests to contact a personal injury solicitor at the earliest possible opportunity thereafter. As it is normal practise to exchange contact information and insurance details after a road traffic collision, once the person responsible for causing your motorbike crash informs their insurance company of their potential liability, the insurance company may make a direct approach to you with an offer of early settlement in lieu of a motorbike crash compensation claim.
These offers are frequently less than you might expect to receive if your motorbike crash compensation claim was negotiated on your behalf by a solicitor or resolved through litigation in court and, although commencing legal proceedings may be a lot of trouble at a time when you are recovering from your injuries, it is far better to take the trouble to speak with a solicitor than receive an inadequate amount of motorbike crash compensation which leaves you unable to pay medical bills and fails to replace the income you would have received if you had been able to work.
By discussing your motorbike crash compensation claim with a solicitor as soon as possible after you have begun to receive treatment for your injuries, you will be aware of how much motorbike crash compensation you are entitled to and be prepared for any inappropriate offers which are made to you, which you might otherwise have been tempted to accept.