If you’ve been offered a settlement for a motorcycle accident, think twice before accepting it, especially if you don’t yet have an attorney in your corner. An experienced Kansas City motorcycle accident lawyer might well be able to double or triple the very first settlement figure you’re offered.

They’ll give you full support, take over negotiations, and reduce your stress during the entire litigation process. Let’s take a look at exactly how a good attorney can help you.

Were You Offered a Settlement for a Motorcycle Accident? Talk to an Attorney ASAP

Motorcycle accidents are no laughing matter. The victim often faces physical injuries and medical bills, pain, suffering, and mental anguish, including panic attacks, PTSD, nightmares, and more.

They experience a loss of income while recovering, reduced enjoyment of life, and a broken motorcycle. In your personal injury claim, you can seek damages from all of these factors, but you have to know how to fight for them.

An Attorney Can Fight Your Corner

Unfortunately, insurance companies want you to settle as quickly and cheaply as possible and are happy if you don’t have an attorney battling by your side. A motorcycle injury attorney, on the other hand, takes a percentage of the settlement figure as their fee and accepts payment only if they succeed. This means an attorney’s motivations are perfectly aligned with yours: to maximize the settlement amount.

Triple Your Settlement Figure A study by the Insurance Research Council found that individuals who hire an attorney receive three and a half times more in the final settlement than those who go it alone. An attorney also increases your chance of winning the settlement in the first place, which is why 85% of settlements involve a lawyer.

Insurance Companies Are Not on Your Side

As the victim of an accident, it’s unlikely you have much experience navigating the complex financial and legal landscape of compensation claims. But insurance companies and adjusters, who determine the settlement value, have a great deal of experience. And these parties are working against you. It’s a sad fact that it’s not in the best interests of insurance companies to be fair to victims.

They want to minimize payouts, and the adjusters they hire owe allegiance to them. They’ll work to reduce the value of your claim or deny it altogether. With this in mind, how likely is it that the settlement you’ve already been offered is the best you can get?

How an Attorney Levels the Playing Field

A good motorcycle injury attorney has years of experience helping clients just like you to push back against insurance companies. They have the legal know-how to understand how much your case is truly worth, and they can negotiate effectively to obtain the highest figure possible. They have the specialist skills and confidence to pressurize insurance companies into respecting your rights.

An Attorney Costs You Nothing

As previously mentioned, personal injury attorneys don’t cost you a dime. This is worth repeating, as many people don’t fully realize it. When you request a free consultation, the attorney will sit down and carefully interview you.

They’ll then either decline or accept your case based on how certain they are of winning a higher settlement for you. If you hire them, the only payment they receive comes out of the insurance company’s pocket as a percentage of the final settlement they gain. So you’ve got nothing to lose in hiring a good attorney.

Beware of Hidden Expenses

One caveat here is to watch out for litigation expenses. During the litigation process, every attorney incurs various expenses, such as fees for document filing, physician reports, and medical records.

Some less reputable personal injury attorneys try to have their clients pay for these expenses rather than paying them out of their final fee. But as the client, you shouldn’t be paying them a thing.

Gain Peace of Mind

A motorcycle accident, the subsequent medical treatment, and the hassle of dealing with the police and insurance companies can all be extremely distressing. After all that you’ve been through in reaching your current settlement offer, you might find the prospect of further negotiating and legal issues stressful and intimidating, to say the least.

Your life has been dramatically disrupted and, quite understandably, you just want to put it all behind you. Having an experienced attorney beside you, handling everything for you, can do wonders for your mental state.

Everybody no longer needs to worry that they’re making costly mistakes or settling for less than they deserve. You have someone to answer your questions and guide you through the relevant laws and the entire filing process. You can learn more here about Kansas City laws and filing procedures related to motorcycle accident claims.

How To Choose a Kansas City Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

When looking at your attorney options, book a free consultation with a reputed lawyer in your area. It’s best to find an attorney who specializes in motorcycle accidents with a great track record. Ask plenty of questions.

Make sure they communicate clearly and are transparent about how they intend to help you. Ask for references from previous clients and also ask how much business they get through referrals from other attorneys. All of this should help you hire the right attorney for your case.