Motorcycle accidents can be terrifying, particularly for those who sustain injuries in the incidents. If a person sustains an injury in a motorcycle accident caused by the careless or negligent actions of another driver, they should be able to recover compensation for their losses. However, properly determining the value of a motorcycle accident claim can be incredibly challenging. There are a variety of factors that go into determining how much a motorcycle accident claim in Arizona is worth.

Types of Compensation Available

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident in Arizona, you may be able to recover various types of compensation from an at-fault party. In most situations, this will include the recovery of both economic and non-economic damages.

• Economic damages. This is also referred to as special damages, and it deals with things that are relatively calculable after an Arizona motorcycle accident occurs. This includes:
  • Medical bills
  • Lost wages
  • Household out-of-pocket expenses
  • Property damage expenses
• Non-economic damages. This is also referred to as general damages and can deal with items that are not as easily calculable in the aftermath of an Arizona motorcycle crash. These are not as calculable because there are no direct bills or receipts that can be added up by the victim for their:
  • Physical pain
  • Emotional and psychological distress
  • Loss of quality of life
  • Loss of consortium for a spouse

What Factors Affect a Motorcycle Claim’s Value in Arizona?

There are a variety of factors that can affect the overall value of a motorcycle accident claim in Arizona. For the economic and non-economic damages mentioned above, all of the following can affect how much a claim is worth:

• The severity of the injuries
• Whether or not a person is able to return to work
• Whether or not there are any short or long term disabilities
• The level of a victim’s pain and suffering
• The total amount of property damage

It is crucial to never accept a settlement until after you have reached maximum medical improvement in the aftermath of a motorcycle accident. Until you know the totality of your medical bills, you should never sign on that dotted line. As soon as you do, you lose the ability to recover any compensation in the future if your injuries are worse than they actually seem.

Shared Fault for an Arizona Motorcycle Accident

Insurance carriers often try to place blame for the incident on the motorcyclist. They do this hoping that they can get out of having to pay a significant amount of compensation. However, Arizona operates under a “pure comparative negligence” system, which means that motorcycle accident victims can recover compensation even if they are up to 99% at fault for the incident. In these situations, the total amount of compensation a motorcyclist receives will be reduced based on their percentage of fault.

Working With an Attorney

If you or somebody you care about has been injured in a motorcycle accident caused by the actions of another driver in Arizona, work with an attorney to help with your case. When motorcycle accident victims work with an attorney, they are much more likely to recover higher compensation amounts than they would if they handled their case on their own. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney can take these cases on a contingency fee basis, which means the injury victim will owe no legal fees until after they secure the compensation they are entitled to.