How Much Compensation Can I Receive From a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit?

Motorcycle accidents can be devastating. The same two-wheeled, open-air design that makes a motorcycle ride so thrilling also leaves riders vulnerable to serious or even catastrophic injuries in a crash. Over 50 motorcyclists are killed on average each year in Connecticut and many more are seriously injured. If you or a loved one recently suffered an injury from a motorcycle accident, you may be wondering what compensation is available to you in a motorcycle accident claim for damages.

The word “damages” in an injury claim refers to all of the consequences of an accident, both economic and non-economic. If someone else’s actions caused the accident—like a reckless driver or negligent road work crew—you shouldn’t be left responsible for the damages you’ve experienced from the accident.

What Damages Are Available in a Motorcycle Accident Claim?

Motorcycle accidents cause far more damage than just property damage to a vehicle. The costs quickly add up when a crash is significantly more than a fender-bender. In Connecticut, payouts for motorcycle claims depend on the cost of medical expenses. The average settlement amount for damages in Connecticut is $10,000 to $20,000 for accidents with minor injuries. More serious injuries such as brain injuries and multiple fractures result in average settlements of around $80,000. The amount of compensation you recover depends on your damages. Common damages claimed in motorcycle accident cases in New Haven include the following:

• Property damage to your motorcycle
• Medical expenses
• Future medical costs for further injury care
• Lost income
• Future wage loss
• Diminished future earning capacity due to disabling injuries
• Pain and suffering compensation
• Any other non-economic damages that apply in your unique case, such as disfigurement compensation for road rash scarring, traumatic limb loss, or loss of pleasure in life due to disability

A motorcycle accident attorney in Connecticut can help you recover the maximum amount available to you by carefully calculating all damages that apply to your case and presenting a compelling demand letter to the insurance company of the at-fault party.

What if I Was Partly at Fault in the Motorcycle Accident?

Connecticut is a modified comparative negligence insurance state where fault matters when it comes to making a compensation claim. If you were partly at fault for the accident you can still recover a portion of the total value of your claim. The amount you recover is minus your percentage of fault. For example, if your damages add up to $100,000 but the insurance company determines that you were 20% at fault in the accident, you can still recover $80,000. Sometimes insurers take advantage of the state’s comparative negligence laws and attempt to assign a greater percentage of fault to injury victims than is due to minimize the amount they have to pay out on the claim. Having documented evidence of the accident such as photos you snapped at the scene or eyewitness statements can help. A motorcycle accident attorney in Connecticut is often the best ally to defend injury victims against common insurance company tactics to undervalue a claim.