If you were hurt in a motorcycle accident, you already know that the consequences of a crash can be severe: whether you broke a bone or suffered road rash, you could be facing massive medical debt and an expensive, drawn-out recovery. While you might expect the other driver’s insurance to cover your costs, getting a fair settlement is not always easy. Since insurance companies are for-profit businesses, they will do everything they can to minimize your payout. They could even tell a judge and jury that you are a reckless driver whose bad decisions contributed to your injuries. Unfortunately, these bad-faith arguments are often successful.
However, you should never let bias against motorcycle riders discourage you from pursuing justice. An experienced Missouri motorcycle accident attorney can help you show that you do not deserve to pay for another person’s bad decision.
Understanding Bias After a Missouri Motorcycle Accident
A lot of people think motorcycle riders are risk-takers—daredevils who party hard, drive fast, and live outside the law.
Of course, this is only a stereotype. Most motorcyclists are responsible riders who go to great lengths to ensure their safety. Sadly, popular misconceptions about motorcyclists can have a real impact on insurance negotiations and jury trials. The defense could try to diminish your claim by playing into other people’s mistaken beliefs about bikers. They might try to convince a judge or jury that:
- Motorcycles are small and hard to see, so their client should not be liable for the accident.
- You were speeding or driving recklessly before the accident and are wholly or partially at fault for the crash.
- You were breaking the law and do not deserve compensation.
Even if you were riding responsibly before being blind-sided by a negligent driver, the insurance company or other motorist’s attorney might still try to malign you, casting you in a poor light when you did nothing wrong.
Getting the Compensation You Deserve
You do not need to fall victim to unfair bias. An experienced Missouri motorcycle accident attorney could help you collect the evidence you need to show that your injuries were caused by another person’s negligence. We might:
- Investigate the crash scene
- Order police reports
- Obtain the other driver’s cell phone records, text messages, and phone usage history
- Subpoena surveillance camera footage of the accident
- Interview eyewitnesses and ask them to testify in court
Since Missouri does not cap potential damages in motorcycle crash cases, you can get the money you need to move past your accident. Your recovery might include the money you need to pay for hospital bills and physical rehabilitation, reimbursement for lost income, and emotional pain and suffering.
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