The Seattle motorcycle accident attorneys at Fang Law Firm have over a decade of experience in motorcycle accident lawsuits. Don’t fight insurance companies and negligent or careless drivers on your own. We’ll handle negotiations while you recover. Call us today at (206) 489-5140 and one of our motorcycle accident lawyers will walk you through a free case consultation.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a motorcycle accident, the future may seem unknown, especially if injuries were sustained and medical bills are piling up. Motorcycle accidents are frighteningly common. A knowledgeable motorcycle accident attorney can help you recover the financial settlement you deserve.
“I want everyone to know that I had the best attorney, Remington Fang!! I felt that he cared, that he would fight for me, and was honest and up front — and those were things I needed after my accident!! Ask for Remington if you can – you will be happy.”
-Kathy
Our Seattle accident lawyers have secured tens of millions of dollars on behalf of our clients. Below are a few of our many successful case results:
Financial recovery is almost as important as physical recovery in a motorcycle accident. There are two ways to recover after a serious injury or the death of a loved one.
The state of Washington requires all drivers to carry the following insurance coverage:
Depending on the injuries that you or your loved one sustains, you may not be able to entirely recover from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Let’s face it, the insurance company wants to pay out the smallest amount of money possible; they know that you are in a vulnerable position and will take advantage of that to bully you into a smaller settlement offer. A skilled motorcycle accident attorney in Seattle can help you recover from an insurance company.
If the insurance company refuses to give you the settlement amount you deserve, your motorcycle accident attorney can pursue an action against the at-fault driver in court.
To prove a claim for negligence, you and your Seattle motorcycle crash lawyer will have to prove that:
Washington’s statute of limitations, or time limit, for bringing a negligence claim is three years from the date of injury.
To prove a personal injury claim, you and your attorney must prove that:
The statute of limitations under Washington law for a personal injury claim is three years from the date of injury.
When you file a court action against the driver, the court process begins. Your Seattle motorcycle accident attorney can help you prepare for trial and present the best case possible in order to receive a damage award from the jury.
The jury can award you economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include quantitative costs spent recovering from your injuries, such as medical bills, rehabilitative costs, and lost wages. Non-economic damages include qualitative damages such as pain and suffering.
It is important to be aware that Washington is a comparative fault state. That means that if a jury finds that you contributed to the accident in any way, your damage award will be reduced by the amount in which you contributed. It is important to make sure that you drive safely and your motorcycle complies with all Washington road laws.
The claims process gets a little trickier if you are hit by a Washington driver without insurance coverage. This is a likely occurrence because Washington ranks fifth for the number of uninsured drivers in the nation! Roughly 21.7 percent of Washington drivers are uninsured.
The best way to prevent this from happening is by purchasing Uninsured Motorist Insurance (UMI). UMI preserves an avenue of recovery for you if you are hit by an uninsured driver. If you have UMI you can make a claim against it to pay for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and much more.
Even though you’re recovering from your insurance company, it is still an insurance company. An insurance company will do their best to ensure that they don’t have to pay you the entire amount you’re entitled to. A motorcycle accident lawyer can oversee the claims process with your UMI insurance company and make sure that you receive the settlement amount you deserve.
A skilled motorcycle accident attorney can also help you recover from the at-fault driver through a civil lawsuit.
Any number of things could go wrong on the road to cause a motorcycle accident. It is important to remain aware of your surroundings to avoid serious injury or even death.
These injuries can result in significant medical bills, lost wages, and even permanent disability.
The seconds, minutes and hours after a car accident can be overwhelming. After a car crash in Seattle, follow these tips:
After a motorcycle accident, seeking safety is the first thing you should do to prevent further injury.
If there are serious injuries, it is imperative to seek the help of medical professionals as soon as possible.
This step is essential to seeking financial compensation later on.
Don’t remove your protective gear until instructed to do so by a medical professional. Your protective gear may be compressing a potentially fatal injury or embedded into road rash wounds.
A police report is important evidence to have to explain the story of the accident to the insurance company.
Pictures are a great evidence tool to have when seeking compensation from the insurance company.
An insurance agency or judge won’t pay out personal injury claims without medical records to prove the injury exists.
An insurance company knows that you are going through a very difficult and financially taxing time. They will do everything they can to reduce your settlement amount or deny your claim. A Seattle auto accident attorney can negotiate with an insurance company on your behalf and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
Filing a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company starts the process of financial recovery.
In addition to general laws about owning and operating a motorcycle, Washington has codified motorcycle equipment requirements.
Your motorcycle must have the following equipment per Washington law:
It is imperative to follow these laws to a T to ensure your damage award is not reduced due to comparative fault.
RCW 46.61.184 provides that if a cyclist is at a pressure-activated redlight that does not turn green because the motorcycle is not heavy enough to trigger the light, the motorcyclist can legally drive through the red light after one complete light cycle, but the motorcyclist must heed to pedestrians.
You can reduce injuries while riding a motorcycle by:
Motorcycles comprise only three percent of road users in Washington but account for 15 percent of all fatalities and 19 percent of serious injuries. According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, about 1 in 5 motorcycle collisions result in serious injury or death. On average, 75 riders are killed every year in collisions on Washington roads.
There are a lot of factors that go into financial recovery following a motorcycle accident. Don’t navigate this difficult time on your own. Hire a motorcycle accident attorney to handle all the claim logistics with insurance company representatives. Fang Law Firm will handle insurance adjusters while you recover.
We have over ten years of experience in the accident litigation area. We have seen it all and we know all the tricks that insurance companies and opposing parties use to force you into a lower settlement amount than you deserve. Our motorcycle collision lawyers are standing by to answer any and all questions you have following a motorcycle accident injury.
Call us at (206) 489-5140 for a free case consultation. Let’s get you the settlement you deserve. Our Seattle motorcycle crash lawyers proudly serve all of King County, Washington. Our personal injury law office is located in Seattle, near Pike Place Market, off of 2nd Street and Yesler Wy.