You might be entitled to compensation if you were hurt while operating a motorcycle. Your particular case’s facts will decide how much compensation you might be eligible to receive. You must analyse the damages and liability to begin estimating how much your claim might be worth.
The best way to ensure you receive reasonable compensation is to seek legal counsel. Consult with knowledgeable Philadelphia, PA motorcycle accident attorneys who can help you determine the worth of your claim and who is at fault. They can also advocate on your behalf to ensure you receive the full compensation you are due.
Damages
Both monetary and emotional harm might be sought as compensation.
Economic Losses
The financial losses brought on by accident are known as economic damages.
Some instances are:
- Expenses of medicine and projected costs of medicine
- wages lost
- harm to motorcycles
Costs Other Than Economic
What you endure emotionally or mentally due to the accident is referred to as non-economic damages. Some instances are:
- suffering and pain
- loss of cooperation (affected family relations as a result of the accident)
- reduction in enjoyment of life
Since non-economic damages don’t have a set monetary cost attached to them, determining their value might be more challenging.
You should never feel as though you cannot seek compensation for non-economic damages because both economic and non-economic damages are crucial components of your claim.
Liability
The claim value is influenced by culpability in addition to damages. The level of each party’s responsibility for the accident is referred to as their level of liability.
For instance, the driver would bear complete responsibility if you were a motorcycle passenger and an accident resulted from their irresponsible speeding.
It’s possible that they won’t be held accountable for your losses if the driver of the motorcycle was not operating it carelessly, yet an accident nevertheless happened.
When possible, it is essential to provide evidence of culpability. This will decrease the value of your claim if there is any question as to who caused the accident.
Small Claims Court Personal Injury Case Filing
You must first choose whether to bring your complaint to civil court or small claims court before proceeding. Basically, low-damages personal injury cases—the amount of compensation you seek for your losses—are heard in small claims court. Only cases with a damage award of up to $12,000 in Philadelphia—exclusive of court fees and interest—are heard by the Municipal Court.