Motor vehicle accidents and crashes involving motorcycles can tragically cause catastrophic personal injuries and disabilities. These accidents can leave victims with substantial or even lifelong medical care expenses. At The Cochran Firm, DC, our team of experienced attorneys will help you protect your rights after a motorcycle crash. The motorcycle injury lawyers will guide you through the legal process and help you understand your options after a crash.
We understand how to navigate the legal system in order to seek the largest possible compensation package for our clients. The motorcycle accident lawyers at The Cochran Firm DC exclusively represent individuals and their families who have been hurt by the wrongful actions of others.
The steps you take in the first moments and days after a motorcycle accident can make a major difference in both your recovery and your legal case. Acting quickly helps protect your health, preserve evidence, and strengthen your claim for compensation.
Move to a safe location if you can and immediately dial 911. Request both police and emergency medical services. A police report will document key details, and a medical evaluation can detect serious injuries, even those that may not show symptoms right away.
Motorcycle crashes often cause hidden injuries like concussions, internal bleeding, or spinal damage. Getting prompt treatment creates a medical record that links your injuries directly to the accident, which is critical for an insurance claim or lawsuit.
If you are physically able, take wide and close-up photos of:
Exchange contact and insurance details with the other driver, but avoid discussing fault. Get the names, phone numbers, and statements of any witnesses who saw the accident. Their testimony can support your version of events.
Report the crash to your insurer, but keep your statement factual and brief. Avoid recorded interviews until you have spoken with a Washington, DC motorcycle accident lawyer.
DC’s contributory negligence law means that if you are found even 1% at fault, you could lose your right to compensation. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney in Washington, DC, can protect your rights, deal with insurers, and fight to recover damages for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
After a motorcycle accident or injury, the legal system allows you to file a claim in order to seek compensation for the following expenses:
Because strict deadlines apply to when you must file your legal claim, we recommend contacting a motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible. Our motorcycle accident attorneys understand the unique problems that can arise in motorcycle accident cases and are aware of the dangers of the local road and highway systems. To provide the highest level of service to our clients, our motorcycle injury attorneys understand the engineering and technological differences between an average car crash and a motorcycle accident. How a motorcycle is manufactured, the handling abilities of certain models, and their safety features can be important to a motorcycle accident case.
With our experienced attorneys on your side, you will be represented by a legal team that has secured millions of dollars in settlements and jury verdicts for injury and accident victims. Our motorcycle accident lawyers can maximize your chances of securing a compensation award for your injuries.
Motorcycle accidents often cause severe, life-altering injuries because riders have little physical protection compared to drivers in enclosed vehicles. While injuries vary depending on the crash, one of the most common and widely reported is road rash. Road rash is a serious skin abrasion caused by sliding across pavement. Other frequent injuries in Washington, DC motorcycle accidents include:
Because many of these injuries require long-term medical care, rehabilitation, or surgery, seek immediate medical attention and legal guidance. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney in Washington, DC, can help you pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and the physical and emotional toll of your injuries.
The Cochran Firm, DC represents victims of serious motorcycle accidents in Washingon, DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
If you or a loved one here was severely injured in a serious motorcycle accident due to someone else’s negligence, the law gives you remedies to recover for your damages. While there is no easy answer as to exactly how much you will recover for your damages, there are a few guidelines to take into consideration when trying to understand how motorcycle accident settlements are valued.
After establishing liability on the part of the person who caused the accident, plaintiffs must demonstrate they incurred damages as a result of the accident. There are two main types of damages available to plaintiffs: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages, sometimes known as “special damages,” are those capable of exact calculation. Economic damages include property damage to the motorcycle, any loss of past, present, or future income from physical injuries sustained, hospital bills, and medical expenses. Most of these economic damages are easy to calculate since property can be appraised, medical and hospital bills are invoiced, and time off from work can be documented. Future lost wages may need to be calculated by an economics expert since there are many variables that must be taken into consideration.
Non-economic damages are a little more complicated to value since they vary from case to case. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, mental anguish, and the loss of activities once enjoyed before suffering an accident. Courts will use their best judgment to determine the value of these damages.
Generally, verdicts from trials may be higher than settlements reached prior to trial. The value of a settlement may be lower than the value of a verdict since neither the plaintiff nor the defendant wish to lose at trial and risk an even more unfavorable outcome. While your motorcycle accident may be worth more if you win a verdict at trial, if both sides agree to a settlement then the compensation agreed upon will be guaranteed.
The main concepts in understanding the value of a motorcycle accident settlement are liability (who is at fault through negligence) and the damages incurred. Establishing liability in a motorcycle accident is critical to securing a favorable settlement. Motorcycle accident lawsuits intend to prove negligence on the part of the other driver who caused the accident. When proving negligence in a motorcycle accident lawsuit, plaintiffs usually must demonstrate the following:
Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC all have contributory negligence laws. Statutes on contributory negligence state if victims contribute to their own accident, the defendant who caused the accident may not be completely liable for the accident. Contributory negligence laws can severely affect the amount of your motorcycle accident settlement if it is determined you were even partially at fault in your accident.
In Washington, DC, you generally have three years from the date of a motorcycle accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline, known as the statute of limitations, applies to claims for injuries, medical expenses, and property damage.If the accident results in a wrongful death, the time limit is reduced to two years from the date of death. Missing these deadlines can permanently bar you from recovering compensation, no matter how strong your case may be
The dedicated and experienced motorcycle accident attorneys at The Cochran Firm, DC, have an established track record of recovering substantial settlements and verdicts on behalf of their clients. Our team of seasoned attorneys is well-versed in personal injury laws and will fight hard to recover the maximum amount of compensation for you.
Our attorneys can help you recover compensation for your lost wages, hospital bills, pain and suffering, and other damages. We offer free, prompt, and confidential case reviews. Since we represent our clients on a contingency basis, there are no legal fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Call The Cochran Firm DC locally during business hours at 202-682-5800 or at 1-800-THE-FIRM (843-3476) to reach us 24 hours a day. You may also fill out a contact form here on our website. There are strict time deadlines when filing a motorcycle accident lawsuit, so please contact us at your earliest convenience.
