
An Experienced St. Louis Motorcycle Lawyer is Essential to a Successful Claim
Drivers do not give motorcyclists the attention they deserve and the majority of motorcycle accidents are caused by the negligence of other drivers and usually not the fault of the motorcyclist, as most riders know they are more susceptible to injury and ride carefully. Even the most careful motorcycle riders still get hurt.
Our injury lawyers are motorcycle riders too! We understand the safety concerns of motorcyclists and that the safety rules of the road must be enforced to protect everyone who legally uses the road, including motorcyclists. Additionally, we understand the misperceptions many drivers (and therefore jurors and witnesses) have against motorcycles. Many witnesses perceive that a motorcycle is speeding even when it is not or that the motorcycle caused the collision even when that was not the legal cause. These misperceptions often translate to the police report. Most important: most motorcycle injury cases involve head and brain injuries, such as concussions or traumatic brain injury. We routinely handle head and brain injury cases, a specialization of personal injury law.
The inattention drivers have for motorcycle riders is obvious from the statistics. According to the CDC, in the past decade more than 35,000 people were killed in motorcycle accidents and over 1 million were treated at hospital emergency rooms. The rate of motorcycle injuries and deaths has been steadily increasing.
Many drivers in St. Louis do not look out for motorcycles on the road or give motorcyclists the attention that they deserve. The result is often preventable motorcycle accidents and injuries to riders caused by the negligence of other drivers. Serious motorcycle accidents typically involve expensive medical treatment and long recoveries. It is important to understand your legal options for recovering compensation for your injuries caused by others.
Our St. Louis injury attorneys understand the challenges of recovering from a motorcycle accident because he has had the personal experience of being an injured motorcyclist. Mr. Sansone applies that experience and perspective each time he represents a motorcyclist who has been seriously injured and is struggling to recover.
How Can a St. Louis Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Help After a Motorcycle Crash?
If you have been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident that was someone’s fault, you are facing a lengthy recovery. You may be discharged from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility for ongoing treatment or require months of outpatient physical therapy.
You may be unable to work for an extended period of time and lose significant income. You will need access to all of the financial resources available to you to cover your medical bills and support your family. That is where an experienced St. Louis motorcycle crash attorney can serve you. When Sansone & Lauber represents a motorcycle crash victim, what we do is:
- Investigate the motorcycle accident and interview police and witnesses;
- Identify all potentially at-fault parties and their insurance providers;
- Consult with traffic accident reconstruction experts if needed;
- Determine the present medical costs of the injury;
- Work with financial planners to estimate your lifetime medical costs and ongoing expenses from the injury;
- Submit an insurance claim reflecting the full extent of your losses;
- Negotiate aggressively with the insurance company for maximum compensation;
- Keep you informed of any settlement offers;
- File a personal injury lawsuit if a satisfactory settlement cannot be reached;
- Represent you in court proceedings.
A motorcycle injury attorney at Sansone & Lauber will conduct a thorough investigation of the accident to identify all the potentially responsible parties. If the accident is complex, we may hire a traffic reconstruction expert to identify precisely how the motorcycle accident occurred.
In many multi-vehicle accidents, more than one driver or other parties may have contributed to the crash. An unsafe roadway design or uneven pavement also may have contributed to the accident as well as another driver’s carelessness. Identifying all the responsible parties broadens the number of insurance companies that may be liable for paying compensation for your injuries.
We will conduct a thorough investigation as if the case is going to court, though most injury cases that we handle are resolved out of court. A detailed investigation allows us to negotiate more effectively with injury adjusters. We will submit a claim for compensation representing the full extent of your losses and pain and suffering and negotiate aggressively. We will proceed to court if the insurance adjusters are unwilling to make a fair settlement
As riders ourselves, we understand the misperceptions that many motorists (and therefore jurors and witnesses) have about motorcycles and motorcyclists. Many motorists mistakenly perceive that a motorcycle was speeding even when it was not or that the motorcyclist caused the collision when that was not the legal cause. As motorcycle riders, we understand that bikers often face cultural bias from other motorists, police, and some jurors.
When we take motorcycle accident cases to trial, we carefully question prospective jurors about their perception of motorcyclists to try to screen those who may be biased against motorcycle riders. Being sensitive to the biases that motorcyclists face is an important part of being an effective advocate for an injured motorcyclist.
When your future depends on the outcome of your injury case, choose a St. Louis personal injury attorney who has the skill and experience to make a difference.