Do I Need an Attorney
The Short Answer is: it depends
If it’s only a minor accident, and you’re just looking to get your bike fixed or cover a small amount of out-of-pocket expenses, you may be able to handle the insurance claims on your own without getting an attorney involved. We’ve had many potential clients call us for an initial consultation, and we’ve advised them they’re better off handling the claim themselves without getting a lawyer involved (and without paying a portion of their recovery to legal fees!) When in doubt, however, it’s best to at least consult with a lawyer. At RiderzLaw, our initial consultation is always free. There is no obligation, and we never charge a fee unless we recover money for you.
You Need to Be Careful!
Be careful before deciding to handle a claim on your own. In many cases, a rider may suffer injuries to their neck/spine and not realize it until days or sometimes weeks after an accident. Likewise, what you think is only minor surface damage to your bike can turn out to be a major mechanical issue or even a total loss! If you agree to a settlement offered by the insurance companies and cash that check, there's no second chance to recover more money. Insurance companies will often pressure you to accept a quick settlement because they know that if you get a good lawyer involved, they will often have to pay much, much more.
Also, there is more to settling a case than simply negotiating a dollar figure with an insurance company. There are statutes that could bar you from any recovery if you don’t file the proper documents on time. Further, an injured person must often deal with medical liens from their healthcare providers.
Similarly, a person’s health insurance company may try to take a piece of the settlement through a process known as subrogation. Without an attorney, people often pay far more money to hospitals and insurance companies than is necessary. Part of the service that our motorcycle lawyers provide is to negotiate and settle any insurance claims or medical liens. Be careful when you decide who you hire as your lawyer: many lawyers look at insurance claims or medical liens as “your problem” and consider their job complete the moment they get a settlement or a judgment and take their fee. At RiderzLaw, we stay with our clients every step of the way–even after settlement or judgment–and ensure that our clients not only get the largest recovery possible for their motorcycle accident, but also KEEP as much of it as possible!
The Bottom Line
So… Do you need an attorney or not? Since every case is different, it’s tough to answer that question without talking to you about it. When in doubt, it’s never a bad idea to at least consult with a lawyer to discuss your options. At RiderzLaw, we NEVER charge any fee for a case evaluation.
Our philosophy is pretty simple: we never take on a case unless we believe it will end up putting MORE money in our client’s pocket.
If we think you can save money by handling a claim yourself, we’ll tell you straight-up. We might be lawyers, but first and foremost, we’re riders ourselves. We’re proud to be part of the motorcycle community and even more proud to be the trusted lawyers for so many motorcyclists.