Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, the at-fault party’s insurance company might reach out with a settlement offer. However, this offer could be far lower than what you truly deserve, considering the extent of your injuries and the details of the accident. The problem is, you likely have no way to determine whether the offer is fair.

Why? Because determining fairness requires knowledge of past settlement amounts and jury verdicts in cases similar to yours. Insurance companies rely on this data during negotiations, but without access to the same information, you’re left in the dark about whether the offer is reasonable.

The good news is, you don’t have to accept the insurance company’s offer without knowing whether it’s a full and fair offer.

Our team tracks settlements and jury verdicts in motorcycle accident cases, allowing us to estimate the reasonable value of your claim based on comparable cases. This helps us determine if the insurance company’s offer is fair or if it doesn’t appear to be a good-faith offer.

Don’t wait—call us today before agreeing to any settlement. Once you accept an offer, it’s final, and you can’t pursue additional compensation later, even if you realize the settlement was far less than your claim’s actual worth. 

If you’re a Florida resident and own an insured motor vehicle, you’re likely covered by Personal Injury Protection (PIP). In most cases, PIP extends to cover you even when you’re outside your vehicle and injured by another motor vehicle.

For those who don’t own a motor vehicle, the PIP coverage of the vehicle responsible for your injuries will usually apply. However, if you’re not a Florida resident, you won’t qualify for PIP benefits. If you fall into this category—whether you don’t own a vehicle or aren’t a resident—you may still have options to have your medical bills covered through PIP or other means, though the situation can become more complex.

Don’t wait to explore your options. Call us today to discuss your case and ensure you take the necessary steps before it’s too late. 

If you’re involved in a motorcycle accident in Florida, it’s essential to contact your insurance company right away, no matter who was at fault. Florida operates under a “no-fault” system, which means that after a crash, you’ll need to file a claim with your own insurance provider, regardless of which party caused the accident.

Navigating the no-fault claims process can be incredibly challenging. The system is filled with intricate rules, strict deadlines, and complicated procedures that can be overwhelming for accident victims to handle alone. That’s why it’s crucial to reach out to a board-certified trial attorney with experience in motorcycle accident cases as soon as possible. A skilled lawyer can guide you through the process, relieve the stress of dealing with insurance companies, and ensure you receive the maximum compensation you’re entitled to under the law.

In Florida’s no-fault system, motorcycle accident victims typically turn to their own insurance coverage first to pay for medical bills, lost wages, and replacement services, such as housekeeping or other tasks you can no longer perform due to your injuries. This applies even if another party was responsible for the accident.

Don’t try to navigate the complexities of the no-fault system on your own. Contact an experienced attorney today to protect your rights and obtain the compensation you deserve.

Florida’s no-fault insurance laws mandate that all drivers carry a minimum of $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. This insurance not only protects you as a driver but also extends to situations where you’re a passenger in someone else’s vehicle, a pedestrian, or a bicyclist injured in a crash involving a motor vehicle.

Acting quickly after an accident is critical. To file a successful PIP claim, you must seek initial medical treatment from an authorized healthcare provider within 14 days of the accident. Missing this deadline or failing to follow the many technical rules governing PIP claims can lead to a significant reduction or even a complete denial of benefits.

Authorized healthcare providers for PIP claims include medical doctors, osteopathic physicians, chiropractors, hospitals, and emergency medical personnel. These professionals are qualified to provide the initial care and services needed to support your claim.

Even in accidents with relatively minor injuries, the costs of medical expenses and lost wages can quickly surpass the $10,000 minimum PIP coverage limit. Once PIP benefits are exhausted, you may need to explore other forms of insurance coverage, such as Medical Payments (MedPay) or Uninsured Motorist (UM) policies, or pursue compensation from the at-fault party and their insurance company.

The interplay between PIP claims, other insurance policies, and the at-fault party’s liability creates a highly complex process that can easily overwhelm accident victims. This is why having an experienced attorney by your side is essential. A skilled lawyer can guide you through the intricacies of the PIP claims process, help you navigate other insurance options, and ensure you receive the full compensation you’re entitled to under the law.

Don’t face this challenging process alone. Contact an experienced attorney today to protect your rights and receive the benefits you deserve.

Common Causes of Traffic Crashes

In general, traffic crashes can occur at anytime and anywhere.  They are caused by a wide variety of factors, including distracted driving, drunk or impaired driving, speeding, reckless driving, failure to yield right-of-way, improper lane changes, following too closely, road rage, tire blowouts, weather conditions, and motor vehicle design defects.  

Common causes of motorcycle accidents, in particular, include:

Road Hazards / Bad Roads – debris, poor street lighting, construction barriers, guardrails, and other unsafe road conditions.

• Getting “Doored” – motorist opening vehicle door without looking. 

• Left-Hand Turn – motorist attempts to make left-hand turn in front of oncoming traffic.

• Lane Splitting – riding motorcycle between two lanes of stopped or slowed traffic headed in the same direction (the practice is illegal in Florida).  

Insurance companies often act fast, offering settlements before you fully understand the value of your claim. Without context from similar settlements or jury verdicts, it’s impossible to know if an offer is fair. That’s where we step in.

We closely track verdicts and settlements in motorcycle accident cases across Florida, enabling us to determine what your case may truly be worth. Whether your injuries resulted from a motorcycle collision, or your motorcycle claims involve multiple liable parties, we’re here to help you fight for the compensation you deserve.

Don’t accept a settlement without first speaking to us—once you sign, your right to pursue additional compensation is gone. Motorcycle accidents occur every day across South Florida, and each case deserves a thorough and informed review.

Most motorcycle crashes occur due to negligence by at least one party. To recover compensation, the injured party must prove that another party is legally at fault for their injuries. Proving liability is rarely straightforward and typically requires showing:

1. The other party owed the victim a duty of care;

2. That duty was violated; and

3. The violation directly resulted in the victim’s injuries.

Insurance companies often work aggressively to avoid paying claims. They may outright deny liability, attempt to place as much blame as possible on the victim (see the Comparative Negligence discussion), or argue that the injuries are less severe than claimed. To support these tactics, they employ adjusters, lawyers, doctors, and technical experts to ensure they pay as little as possible.

Navigating this process alone is a nearly impossible task for accident victims. However, partnering with a board-certified trial lawyer who specializes in motorcycle accidents can help balance the scales and greatly improve your odds of obtaining the full and fair compensation you deserve.

The damages and settlement amounts awarded in motorcycle accident cases vary widely based on the unique facts and circumstances of each situation. Several factors can affect the value of an injury claim, meaning the compensation someone else received or the figures advertised by law firms won’t necessarily reflect the value of your specific case. That’s why it’s essential to work with a skilled attorney who has experience handling motorcycle accident cases. They can offer a fact-based, expert assessment of your claim’s potential value while protecting your legal rights.

Failing to obtain an objective and reasonable valuation from an experienced lawyer could lead to two unfavorable outcomes: (1) accepting a settlement that’s significantly lower than your claim’s worth or (2) waiting for an offer that exceeds the realistic value of your case. In both scenarios, you may not receive the full and fair compensation you deserve for your injuries, property damage, expenses, and lost wages.

Florida operates under the legal principle of modified comparative negligence, which incorporates a 51% bar rule, as outlined in F.S. § 768.81. This system is designed to allocate fault and determine damages in personal injury cases. Interestingly, Florida law refers to this concept as “comparative fault” rather than the more widely recognized term “comparative negligence.”

In this framework, fault is assessed and distributed among all parties involved, including the plaintiff and defendants. The amount of compensation a plaintiff can recover is directly influenced by their degree of fault in causing the accident that led to their injuries. 

Specifically, the plaintiff’s recovery is reduced by their assigned percentage of fault. The 51% bar rule plays a critical role here: if the plaintiff is found to be 51% or more at fault, they are entirely barred from recovering any damages. To be eligible for compensation, a plaintiff must be 50% or less at fault for the accident.

For instance, consider a scenario where a plaintiff is deemed 50% at fault, and the total damages awarded are $100,000. In this case, the plaintiff would receive $50,000, as their 50% share of fault ($50,000) is deducted from the total award. 

However, if the plaintiff is found to be 51% at fault, they would be ineligible to recover any damages due to Florida’s 51% bar rule. In summary, a plaintiff can recover damages if they are 50% or less at fault, but recovery is completely barred if they are 51% or more at fault.