Insurance Companies and Motorcycle Accidents
Put an experienced New Jersey attorney on your side
You’ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident caused by a negligent driver. The insurance company is supposed to help, right? It’s more complicated than that. The fact is that insurance companies aren’t on your side after a collision. That’s why you need an experienced New Jersey motorcycle accident lawyer who is ready to fight for the financial compensation you deserve.
If you were injured in Millburn or anywhere in Essex or Union counties, attorney David Leigh of The Leigh Law Firm, P.C. can help. He understands how the impact that motorcycle accident injuries can have on victims and their families. And he is dedicated to making a difference by working hard to get results. Schedule your free consultation today.
Medical expenses can add up quickly after a motorcycle crash. These include the cost of ambulance services, diagnostic tests, X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, surgery, medication, hospitalization, physical therapy, home medical equipment, home health care, and all those follow-up visits with doctors.
You may have missed time from work because of your injuries, leading to a period of financial stress. All you want is to be treated fairly. Instead, it feels like the insurance company is just looking for excuses to pay you as little as possible. Here are some of the tactics they’ll use:
“Your injuries aren’t that bad.”
Insurance companies may try to minimize your injuries because that means they won’t have to pay as much. They may ask you to get an independent medical exam (IME) with a third-party doctor – one that they choose.
“You were already injured.”
The insurance company may seek access to your medical history. They’re looking for evidence that an injury was pre-existing. For example, if you hurt your knee in a motorcycle crash, they’re hoping to find evidence that you had problems with that knee in the past. They’ll try to argue the crash didn’t cause your injury, meaning they don’t have to pay.
“We just want you to answer some questions.”
You may be contacted by an adjuster for the other driver’s insurance company soon after the accident. They’ll sound friendly and non-confrontational. They just want to ask you some questions about what happened. Or they’ll ask you to make a recorded statement. Sounds harmless, right? But what they are really doing is trying to get you to say something that they can use against you.
“The accident was your fault.”
Under New Jersey’s modified comparative negligence system, if you were found to be partially responsible for an accident, the amount of compensation you receive can be reduced. Insurance companies know this and may argue you were partly to blame for the crash.
“Here’s our best offer.”
You may get a call from the adjuster with a settlement offer soon after the accident. They may say that it’s the best that they can do, but they’ll promise quick payment. Your medical bills and financial worries are starting to weigh on your mind, so it can be tempting to accept their offer and just be done with the whole thing. But their offer will fall far short of covering the damages you suffered. It’s just another tactic they use to try to save money – remember, once you accept a settlement, your case is closed.
Attorney Leigh is familiar with these and other tactics used by insurance companies and knows how they approach motorcycle accident claims. He used to represent the insurance companies. Now he fights for the injured.
An attorney who puts in the hard work and hustle that gets results
If you’re contacted by the other driver’s insurance company after an accident, you don’t have to talk to them. The best thing you can do is to politely decline to answer questions or give any statement. Simply explain you would like to get legal advice first. Then contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer.
Our firm can investigate your motorcycle crash to get the facts. We know where to look for evidence that the other driver caused the accident. Attorney Leigh carefully reviews accident reports, interviews witnesses, and if needed, consult accident reconstruction experts.
Attorney Leigh will handle all communication with the insurance company on your behalf so you can focus on getting better. He will keep you updated on the progress of your case and discuss any settlement offers with you.
If you ever have any questions or concerns, he’s just a phone call away. Our clients get attorney Leigh’s cell phone number.
Schedule your free consultation with a motorcycle accident lawyer
If you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident in Northern New Jersey, learn more about how we can help. We can discuss your legal options for recovering financial compensation and answer any questions you have. There’s no cost and no obligation. Contact us to schedule a free consultation.