Montana Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

To protect your rights, refrain from making detailed statements to insurers before consulting an attorney, as anything you say could potentially be used against your claim. Keep detailed records of all accident-related expenses, including medical treatments, repair costs, and lost wages. Follow through with all medical advice and maintain documentation of your recovery. An attorney can provide guidance on interacting with insurers, ensuring your claim is presented accurately and fairly to seek rightful compensation.

Legal representation is crucial in motorcycle accidents due to the complex nature of liability and insurance claims. Attorneys have the knowledge to navigate these complex legal landscapes. They assist in collecting and preserving evidence, negotiating with insurance firms, and advocating on your behalf to secure compensation.

A statute of limitations determines how long you have to file a lawsuit. The statute of limitations in Montana and Oregon generally allows a personal injury claim to be filed within 3 years of the date of the injury. Meeting your deadline to file a claim is critical. Missing this deadline may result in losing your ability to pursue a lawsuit. We diligently assist clients in tracking these timeframes and ensure timely and precise filing to protect your rights.

Whether or not someone is wearing safety gear will impact the claim. At the very least, it will impact the severity of injuries suffered. Not wearing a helmet or other safety gear can result in more serious injuries due to minimal protection during a crash. However, under Montana and Oregon law, a person over the age of 18 is not required to wear protective headgear (Mont. Code. Ann. § 61-9-417 (2017)). We provide guidance on how these factors can influence your claim and strategize effectively to mitigate any negative consequences.

If a police agency conducted a thorough investigation, took photos, and cited the other driver (and not the injured motorcycle driver), further investigation may not be necessary. However, we recognize that not all cases have comprehensive initial investigations, which is why our firm invests in our own extensive case analyses when needed. The critical problem is that once the investigation is not thoroughly completed, once photos are not taken, once witnesses are gone, once vehicles are gone, those things cannot be done later. Contacting an attorney to ensure any investigation that needs completing is done on time can significantly affect the outcome of the case.

If a person has a minor incident where the motorcycle rider isn’t seriously injured, requires no medical treatment, and misses no work, it might be reasonable to work with the insurance company directly. However, the insurance company poses a disadvantage for any serious injury, missed work, or significant medical expenses (such as emergency room visits). Insurance claims adjusters are trained to minimize claim values and payments even while appearing friendly. They aim to save their company money and represent their insured, the person who caused the crash. Even your own company may not necessarily look after your interests, especially in uninsured motorist claims. We recommend obtaining legal counsel first to maximize fair compensation.

Even if the bike did not go down, it is not unusual for people in a motorcycle accident to suffer significant injury, even if they do not realize it at the time, particularly involving the spine or a concussion/brain injury. People may experience herniated discs or fractures, or concussions, that they do not know about until later. Also, in any motorcycle wreck, even when the rider is wearing a helmet, there is a significant risk of concussion/traumatic brain injury, even without hitting one’s head on the roadway. We advise early and thorough medical examinations to capture any latent injuries that could manifest later, securing crucial evidence for potential claims.

A motorcycle rider is not surrounded by metal and mass and does not have airbags to protect them from the impact. This makes motorcycle wrecks unique and often more serious. Another major factor is that automobile drivers do not always see motorcycle riders. Even when doing exactly what they should, cars and trucks may pull out in front of them, turn abruptly, or stop suddenly, making it impossible for the rider to avoid a collision.What Types of Injuries Do Motorcycle Riders Generally Sustain from Accidents?