The average injury-related hospital bill is about $100,000. However, before you look for your check, let’s examine the compensation available in a motorcycle accident a bit more closely.
Medical expenses and other economic losses, like property damage, are only one element of a motorcycle accident injury settlement. These victims are also entitled to compensation for noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.
So why is financial compensation available in the first place? After all, a motorcycle crash is usually accidental. Furthermore, it’s almost insulting to imply that anyone can attach a dollar value to things like emotional distress or the loss of enjoyment in life.
Kansas City motorcycle accident attorneys obtain financial compensation for motorcycle accident victims because that’s the only remedy available under the law. The accident might have been accidental, at least in a sense. But we should all accept responsibility for the accidents we cause.
What Causes Motorcycle Accidents?
Motorcycle crashes are only “accidental” in the sense that they were unintentional. But in a larger sense, these incidents aren’t accidents. Instead, negligence causes most motorcycle wrecks. Examples of negligence include:
- Alcohol: This substance, which causes about a third of the fatal vehicle collisions in Missouri, clouds judgement ability and impairs motor skills. In other words, impaired motorists aren’t at their best, mentally or physically.
- Drowsiness: Alcohol and fatigue affect the body and brain in roughly the same way. Driving after twenty consecutive awake hours is like driving with a .08 BAC level. That’s above the legal limit in Missouri.
- Distraction: Distracted drivers cause about a tenth of the serious collisions in Missouri. Device distraction is only one problem. Other behaviors include eating while driving and drinking while driving.
Traffic violations, like speeding and making an illegal U-turn, also cause a number of car accidents in Kansas City.
Why Settlements Are Important
As mentioned, financial settlements give victims the money they need to pay medical bills and put the accident behind them.
Settlements serve another purpose as well. Unless drivers pay damages, they probably will not change the way they behave. Drunk drivers will keep driving drunk, sleepy drivers won’t wake up before they drive, and so on. If these tortfeasors (negligent drivers) pay damages, they and their neighbors will probably drive more safely.
The average compensation in a motorcycle crash claim usually depends on the facts of a case. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Kansas City, contact the Krause & Kinsman Law Firm. Home, virtual, and hospital visits are available.
FAQs
What are the economic damages in a car crash claim?
Property damage, lost wages, and medical bills are the larges components of economic damages in a vehicle collision claim.
How does a lawyer calculate non-economic damages?
Most attorneys multiply the economic losses by two, three, or four. Some lawyers use per diem calculations, like $200 per day.
Why doesn’t my case settle right away?
It’s usually a good idea to reject the first offer. Furthermore, if a case settles too early, the amount might not include all future medical expenses.
