Riding your motorcycle through Bonita Springs means taking advantage of smooth roads, gorgeous scenery, and fantastic weather year-round. Unfortunately, even with all those advantages, motorcycle riders in Bonita Springs may face many potential dangers. Everything from distracted drivers to sudden summer storms can pose an unexpected hazard for motorcycle riders out on the road.
If you suffer injuries in a motorcycle accident in Bonita Springs due to the negligence of another party, you may have the right to compensation for those injuries. Contact a Bonita Springs motorcycle accident lawyer at Dolman Law Group to discuss your motorcycle accident claim and your right to compensation.
Table of Contents
- Why Choose Dolman Law Group to Help You After a Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accident
- What Compensation Can a Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accident Attorney Recover For You?
- Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accidents: Details You Need to Know
- Let Us Deal With the Insurance Company After Your Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accident
- After Your Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accident: What Comes Next?
- Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accident FAQs
- Contact a Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accident Attorney at Dolman Law Group Today
Why Choose Dolman Law Group to Help You After a Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accident
At Dolman Law Group, our Bonita Springs injury lawyers understand the devastation following a serious accident involving any injury. We help our clients maximize the compensation they can recover for their motorcycle accident injuries. We strongly focus on top-quality customer service and we have a history of outstanding results in our injury claim cases.
While our past claim results cannot guarantee the results of any future claim, they show our high level of commitment to our clients. Some recent motorcycle crash cases include:
- $1.4 million was awarded after a motorcycle accident resulted in multiple serious injuries
- $1 million awarded after a motorcycle accident caused a traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- $750 thousand recovered after a motorcycle accident caused a rotator cuff injury and subdural hematoma
- $415 thousand received after a motorcycle accident led to a cervical fusion
Our Bonita Springs motorcycle accident attorneys focus on your needs.
After a motorcycle accident, it may surprise you to learn that the focus of your claim can be on anything but you. The at-fault driver does not want to accept liability. The insurance company does not want to pay more than is absolutely necessary for your injuries. Meanwhile, you may find yourself dealing with a stack of medical bills and a host of ongoing problems related to the accident.
At Dolman Law Group, we focus on your needs, from breaking down the financial and non-financial losses you sustained due to the accident to helping you fight for the compensation you deserve.
We make it easy to get in touch with us.
Dolman Law Group has offices in Bonita Springs, on both Florida coasts, and scattered across the nation. We make it easy for our clients to get in touch with us to receive the legal services and support they need to resolve their claims. If you cannot come into the office in person for any reason, we can come to you or arrange for a virtual consultation that will help answer your questions and get you started on the road to compensation.
If you suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident in Bonita Springs, it’s time to contact Dolman Law Group to start your injury claim.
What Compensation Can a Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accident Attorney Recover For You?
Each motorcycle accident claim looks a little different. Many factors can influence the compensation you might recover for your injuries.
At Dolman Law Group, we take a comprehensive look at all those factors to determine the full value of your motorcycle crash claim.
For example, we’ll determine:
- Who caused your accident, and what insurance policy covers the liable party? By taking a comprehensive look at the insurance policy, we can help identify all areas of compensation you may need to pursue.
- What injuries did you sustain in the accident? Ultimately, your injuries, and the cost of medical treatment for those injuries, will heavily influence the compensation you can recover after the accident.
- What other financial and non-financial losses did you sustain because of the collision?
Most motorcycle accident claims will break down into similar general categories as explained below.
We’ll Seek Compensation for the Cost of Medical Care
Often, after a serious motorcycle accident, you will find yourself in need of substantial medical care. You may need emergency care immediately after the accident to help identify the injuries you sustained and provide treatment to help decrease your pain and start you down the road to recovery. Motorcycle accident victims often end up in the hospital for a long time, and frequently undergoing surgeries, rehabilitation, and other procedures.
You may receive care at Lee Health Coconut Point or visit NCH Bonita Springs Emergency for immediate care. Chances are you’ll have a long road to recovery ahead of you, including a long rehabilitation period with extensive physical and occupational therapy. All those treatments may help your eventual recovery, but they can also carry a high cost.
Talk to the motorcycle crash lawyers at Dolman Law Group’s Bonita Springs office about the expenses you have already faced as a direct result of your injuries and any medical treatments you may anticipate in the future so that you can include all medical costs as part of your claim.
We Pursue Compensation for Wage Losses
Not only can your injuries require significant medical treatment, but you may also find that they keep you out of work for a long period—particularly if you work in an industry that requires a high activity level. Many motorcycle accident victims find that their injuries make it painful, if not impossible, to perform their usual job duties while recovering.
You may have to miss weeks or even months of work after the accident, when your injuries may prevent you from doing your job. You may have to go back on a limited schedule since you may not have the physical capability to work your usual schedule as you recover. You may even end up missing more work for follow-up procedures. This loss income can cause financial devastation during a period when you may already have plenty of struggles ahead of you.
Talk to your personal injury lawyer about time missed at work and any vacation or sick time you may have used to deal with your injuries as well as your future lost earning potential.
We Won’t Forget to Recoup Compensation for Your Pain and Suffering
While a motorcycle accident can mean immense financial losses, it may also mean considerable ongoing suffering in many other areas. You may find, for example, that your accident causes substantial physical pain. Sometimes, you may have pain that lingers even after progressing through the healing process. You may also experience emotional anguish due to your losses: challenges related to losing your independence or your inability to engage in your favorite hobbies and activities, for example.
Talk to the legal team at Dolman Law Group about every impact your accident has had on you. You should keep a journal that helps describe exactly what pain and suffering you have faced and how your accident continues to impact your life. Not only can that journal help provide a clear timeline that will lay out what you have suffered, but it can also provide better insights into all the challenges you faced throughout your recovery.
Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accidents: Details You Need to Know
How Long Do You Have to File a Motorcycle Collision Lawsuit?
The Florida statute of limitations allows up to two years after a motorcycle accident to file a civil lawsuit. However, that does not mean you should wait for the statute of limitations to get close before you contact a lawyer. A lawyer can help you shape your claim from the early days after your accident, including helping you deal with the insurance company or putting together the evidence needed for your claim.
What are the Common Causes of Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accidents?
Motorcycle accidents across Bonita Springs can be caused by many situations, including:
- Distracted driving. Distracted drivers may fail to look for the presence of motorcycles around them before they change lanes or make a turn. That lack of attention can prove devastating or even deadly for many motorcycle riders.
- Dangerous intersections and streets. Highway 41, which runs through Bonita Springs, sees many devastating accidents yearly.
- Other drivers disobeying traffic rules: Many motorcycle crashes are caused by car and truck drivers who run red lights or turn left in front of a motorcycle without looking or failing to see the rider.
- Lack of helmet use. While Florida law does not require motorcycle riders over 21 to wear a helmet as long as they carry adequate insurance, failure to wear a helmet can substantially increase the severity of head, neck, and face injuries during a motorcycle accident.
- Slick roads. Bonita Springs, like much of Florida, may see flash floods and heavy rainfall, especially during the summer and fall. Motorcycle riders may have particular difficulty controlling their vehicles in heavy rain. Dangerous weather conditions may also impact overall visibility, making it harder for drivers to see motorcycle riders around them.
- Blind spot collisions. A driver failing to look in his blind spot before changing lanes can lead to devastating motorcycle accidents.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries Our Bonita Springs Motorcycle Crash Attorneys Help Resolve
Motorcycle accidents can lead to a variety of medical issues. We have extensive experience helping clients suffering from:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Amputations
- Broken bones
- Facial injuries
- Road rash
- Soft tissue injuries
Let Us Deal With the Insurance Company After Your Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accident
Many people find dealing with the insurance company after a motorcycle collision difficult. Insurance companies frequently have an intrinsic bias against motorcycle riders and portray them as reckless drivers who put themselves and others in danger through their actions, even when most motorcyclists behave safely and legally.
Unfortunately, that portrayal and the intrinsic bias that goes along with it can make it very difficult to deal with the insurance company after a motorcycle accident. Frequently, motorcycle accident victims find themselves struggling with the insurance company, fighting to get the company to accept liability for the accident and pay the compensation they deserve.
At Dolman Law Group, we have extensive experience dealing with the big names in auto insurance. We help our clients deal successfully with those insurance companies and recover the compensation they deserve.
After Your Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accident: What Comes Next?
Many people ask, “What should I do after my Bonita Springs motorcycle accident?”
You may have many questions about managing your claim and protecting your right to compensation so that you do not miss out. Here are some steps you can take to protect your legal rights:
- Contact Dolman Law Group soon after your accident. We can help fight to get you the compensation you need and deserve.
- Keep track of all your medical bills as they come in. You may want to start a separate file where you document all medical costs, including the cost of co-pays and deductibles you pay throughout your treatment.
- Journal about your recovery, your limitations, and any feelings you may have about the process.
- Follow any instructions issued by your medical care provider. Your care provider will help you maximize your odds of making a full recovery after the accident. Failure to follow those instructions could make it more difficult to request the compensation you deserve.
At Dolman Law Group, we can provide critical guidance about managing each stage of the claim process.
Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accident FAQs
Dealing with the aftermath of a Bonita Springs motorcycle crash can leave you with many questions about your claim and your right to compensation. Contact Dolman Law Group to ask those essential questions and get help with your claim. In the meantime, here are some of the most common questions we answer for our motorcycle injury clients.
More than 20 percent of Florida drivers do not carry auto insurance, making your odds of getting into an accident with an uninsured driver about 1 out of 5. If you have an accident with an uninsured driver, you still deserve compensation for your injuries. You may have several options to pursue. including:
Finding Another Liable Party
Sometimes, motorcycle accidents can involve factors that have nothing to do with another vehicle’s driver. For example, you may get into an accident due to the mechanical failure of the other vehicle or your motorcycle.
If your accident involves a driver who is working at the time of the incident, your lawyer could help you identify other parties, like the employer, who may bear liability for the accident. Additional at-fault parties could help increase your ability to recover compensation when the driver does not have insurance.
Pursuing the Driver Directly
If the driver who caused your motorcycle accident does not carry auto insurance, you may have the right to pursue compensation from the driver directly. However, remember that many drivers do not carry insurance due to financial difficulties, which may make it more difficult for you to recover reasonable compensation from the individual after a Bonita Springs motorcycle accident.
Use Your Own Insurance
As a motorcycle rider, you need to carry your own auto insurance to protect you in the event of an accident. Many policies will include uninsured motorist protection, which will offer compensation when you suffer injuries in an accident with a driver who does not carry insurance. That protection can prove essential when you suffer injuries in an accident caused by an uninsured party’s negligence.
Dealing with medical bills after a devastating motorcycle accident can be complicated. Depending on the extent of your injuries and the types of treatment you need, you may face a stack of medical bills that grows higher every day.
Unfortunately, you are ultimately responsible to pay for your care so you need to pursue compensation from the responsible party through a motorcycle accident claim. When you receive the funds from your claim, you can use them to cover the cost of medical treatment related to your motorcycle accident.
You may also use your own medical insurance to help cover the cost of treatment for your injuries. Medical insurance can prove essential when you sustain severe injuries in a motorcycle accident since it can help cover the long-term cost of recovering from your injuries.
Florida requires the drivers of passenger vehicles to carry PIP insurance, also known as personal injury protection insurance, to cover the initial cost of treatment for car accident injuries. Florida does not, however, have the same provision for motorcycle riders, and insurance companies do not offer PIP coverage on their motorcycle policies. As a result, even if you carry PIP coverage for a car, you cannot use that coverage for your motorcycle accident.
Although wearing a motorcycle helmet can go a long way toward preventing many of the most common head, neck, and facial injuries that occur during motorcycle accidents, you can still pursue compensation for your injuries if you did not use a helmet during your crash.
Florida law does not require riders over 21 who carry adequate medical insurance to wear helmets when they ride. You can file a claim for compensation any time you suffer injuries in an accident caused by another party’s negligence, even if you did not have your motorcycle helmet on at the time of the accident.
Most of the time, motorcycle accidents are caused by other driver’s negligence, road conditions, or defective vehicles. In many cases, you will know immediately what factors likely caused or contributed to the accident.
For example, if the other driver changed lanes on top of you or ignored your presence when making a turn, you may know that the other driver caused the accident. However, other factors may also contribute to a motorcycle accident, including:
A Damaged Vehicle or Manufacturing Issue
Your motorcycle might have been negligently manufactured or contained defective parts that contributed to the crash. Or the other driver’s vehicle may have been defective in some that caused the accident that resulted in your severe injuries.
Several parties may bear liability in these cases, for example:
- The owner of the damaged vehicle, who may have failed to maintain the vehicle properly
- A mechanic who recently worked on the vehicle and failed to take adequate care of needed repairs
- The manufacturer of the vehicle or of the component of the vehicle that failed
Talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer if you believe vehicle damage or manufacturer error may have caused or contributed to your accident so they can fully investigate those parties who may be responsible.
A Driver’s Employer
Sometimes, your motorcycle accident may involve someone driving for work. For example, a big truck driver who may already have spent too many hours on the road for that day; or a delivery driver in a hurry to meet a tight deadline. In many instances, the vehicle driver’s employer may share liability when an employee causes an accident during work.
You can hold employers liable for failing to properly track their drivers’ actions on the clock or for instituting policies that can increase danger on the road and the odds of an accident.
Your injury lawyer will investigate the driver’s employer and the employer’s policies as part of your accident claim.
A settlement offer can be a great way to get the compensation you need in your hands quickly. Your lawyer may have warned you that you could expect a long, drawn-out process when dealing with your motorcycle accident claim. Receiving a settlement offer may make you feel more confident that you will recoup the compensation you need. However, in many cases, that settlement offer will not reflect the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Have a dedicated motorcycle crash lawyer look over the compensation offered by the insurance company and compare it to the damages you sustained in your motorcycle accident, including the cost of medical treatment, the wages you may have lost, and even your pain and suffering.
If the offer does not reasonably reflect the losses you suffered, you do not have to accept that offer. Instead, let us negotiate with the insurance company. Our tenacious personal injury lawyers can spearhead those negotiations to ensure the insurer understands the full extent of your losses.
You should expect it to take time to settle your motorcycle accident claim in Bonita Springs. The actual time can vary based on the compensation you ask for, the damages you sustained in the accident, and even the insurance company that covers the liable party. In general, however, insurance claims typically take several months to resolve. These factors will play a role in the time it will take to resolve your claim:
What injuries did you sustain? Do you need time to recover?
Sometimes, it may take you considerable time to recover enough from your motorcycle accident injuries to give you a full understanding of what your eventual recovery will look like and how long it will take. Your doctors may not know how much mobility and function you will regain or how long it will take you to get there for some time.
Furthermore, you may not know, in the beginning, what medical procedures you will need to help you recover from the accident. Our experienced legal team may recommend waiting until you have time to recover from your injuries before you file your claim.
How long does the investigation take?
Some motorcycle accidents can prove relatively simple to investigate. If you have clear evidence of liability, and the accident did not involve multiple parties, your lawyer will have little trouble putting the claim together. On the other hand, your claim may involve a more complex investigation, including a look at multiple elements that may have contributed to the accident. Those claims may require more time as more evidence is necessary.
How long do you have to negotiate to get a reasonable settlement offer?
Some claims progress relatively smoothly toward a fair offer. The insurance company accepts liability and acknowledges the damages you sustained because of the accident. They might send a settlement offer that fairly reflects those damages within a relatively short time.
More often, however, the insurance company may make a very low settlement offer that does not fairly reflect the damages you sustained. In those cases, you may need to continue negotiating over a longer period to reach a reasonable settlement agreement.
Will you have to go to court to resolve your Bonita Springs motorcycle accident claim?
Most of the time, motorcycle accident claims are settled out of court. The insurance company knows that going to court will increase its legal costs. Eventually, most claims result in a settlement. However, you may have greater odds of going to court when you and the insurance company cannot reach a reasonable agreement, including cases of disputed liability or cases in which the insurance company denies the extent of your injuries.
In general, you should work with a lawyer on your motorcycle accident claim any time your collision involves any injury, however minor. Injury claims generally prove much more complicated than simple property damage claims, and you may have to fight much harder to get the insurance company to issue fair compensation.
You should partner with a tenacious lawyer if:
- The insurance company denies or disputes liability for your claim in any way.
- The insurance company denies the extent of your injuries or the treatment you need for those injuries.
- You have difficulty getting the insurance company to answer or respond to you.
- You receive a settlement offer from the insurance company that does not include all the losses you sustained in your motorcycle accident.
You can contact an attorney any time you have questions about your motorcycle accident claim and the compensation you should reasonably expect for your injuries. Contact the Dolman Law Group for your free consultation and let an experienced attorney help you get the relief you need for your motorcycle accident injuries.
Contact a Bonita Springs Motorcycle Accident Attorney at Dolman Law Group Today
The aftermath of a devastating motorcycle accident can leave you reeling, unsure of what to do next or how to protect your right to compensation. Do not attempt to handle your claim alone. Instead, contact Dolman Law Group at (239) 307-2634 to discuss the injuries you sustained in the accident and your right to compensation.