Philadelphia Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Motorcycles are a popular mode of transportation in Philadelphia. Unfortunately, anytime motorcyclists share the road with larger vehicles, accidents are bound to happen. Motorcycle accidents frequently lead to life-altering injuries. If you or a loved one have been injured in a motorcycle accident in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia motorcycle accident attorneys at Wapner Newman may be able to help you fight to recover injury compensation.
Why Choose Us
Hundreds of Millions Recovered, Decades of Experience
Wapner Newman is known as a leading personal injury law firm in the greater Philadelphia area. We work with clients throughout the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Our skilled Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyers have fought for injured clients in Philadelphia for over four decades. During that time, we’ve collected countless positive client testimonials and recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for the individuals we represent.
When you choose Wapner Newman, you choose a team of skilled negotiators and accomplished trial attorneys. We offer personalized attention, compassionate care, and unparalleled legal representation to every client we work with.
Proving Fault in a Philadelphia Motorcycle Accident
How Pennsylvania Determines Fault in a Motorcycle Crash
Successfully recovering motorcycle accident compensation in Philadelphia begins with proving fault. Before you file a personal injury claim, our Philadelphia motorcycle accident attorneys must investigate the accident and prove why the accident occurred.
In most motorcycle accident cases, a successful claim depends on proving that someone other than the injured motorcyclist caused the crash. Most of the time, that someone is another driver. The drivers of cars, trucks, and SUVs frequently fail to notice motorcyclists on the road. Other times, they misjudge the motorcyclist’s speed or distance and end up causing a crash. When you call a motorcycle accident attorney in Philadelphia, their first goal is to see if they can establish that some other party is liable for the crash.
Once your Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyer can prove the motorcyclist’s injuries were the result of someone’s negligence, they can begin the process of identifying case value and filing an insurance claim.
Pennsylvania follows a 51 percent modified comparative negligence rule. This essentially means that even if a motorcyclist was partially at fault for the crash, they can still recover compensation. However, to achieve this, their Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyer must prove that the motorcyclist was less than 51% responsible for the accident. If the motorcyclist was partially at fault, the fault of each party is identified as a percentage. Then, the motorcyclist’s potential compensation is reduced by the percentage of fault they’ve been assigned.
Have you or a loved one been injured in a motorcycle accident in Philadelphia? Wapner Newman may be able to help you recover motorcycle injury compensation. Call our firm today at (215) 569-0900 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer in Philadelphia.
Identifying Philadelphia Motorcycle Accident Compensation
Motorcycle accident compensation is unique in every case. The overall compensation an injured motorcyclist might expect to recover depends on a variety of factors. Some of the most impactful are the extent of injuries, long-term medical outcomes, insurance policy limits, and the skill of your Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyer.
Philadelphia motorcycle injury compensation is divided into two broad categories — economic damages and non-economic damages. The first category provides the injured motorcyclist with compensation for financial costs and losses caused by the accident. These cover past and current expenses, but they can also be extended to cover future expenses. For example, if an injured motorcyclist will be permanently unable to return to work or require long-term attendant care, the anticipated wages or future care expenses can be sought under economic damages.
Examples of items commonly claimed under economic damages include:
- Medical bills
- Ambulance bills
- Therapist or specialist costs
- Prescription medication costs
- Medical device costs
- Attendant care costs
- Lost wages and benefits.
This form of compensation often makes up the majority of a motorcycle accident settlement, especially in cases that don’t result in permanent injuries. However, an injured motorcyclist could potentially also recover non-economic damages for things like pain and suffering, emotional anguish, or scarring or disfigurement. This form of compensation is more common in cases involving severe or catastrophic injuries when the accident has a lasting negative impact on the injured individual’s quality of life.
How a Philadelphia Motorcycle Accident Attorney Can Help
How Wapner Newman Builds Winning Cases
It’s a mistake to think you’ll recover the motorcycle injury compensation you qualify for with the help of an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer in Philadelphia. Most people don’t have in-depth knowledge of personal injury law or insurance policy terms, and insurance companies take advantage of this. Your Philadelphia personal injury lawyer communicates with the insurance company on your behalf. They handle all aspects of your claim while you focus on recovering from your injuries.
Some of the many jobs a Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyer may undertake as they work on your case include:
- Investigating the accident
- Collecting evidence
- Building a case to prove fault
- Identifying your case value
- Completing insurance paperwork
- Filing your claim
- Negotiating your injury settlement
- Filing a lawsuit
- Representing you in court.
Injured individuals who don’t work with an experienced lawyer have no way of knowing how much compensation they missed out on. When you choose a skilled lawyer with a track record of success in Philadelphia motorcycle injury cases, you can trust that your financial best interests are being protected.
Time Limits for Calling a Motorcycle Accident Attorney in Philadelphia
The best way to protect your finances after a Philadelphia motorcycle accident is to consult a Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible. Engaging a lawyer from the start strengthens your case and helps ensure evidence is protected. Your attorney will go through the many steps required to build a case and seek compensation.
If it ultimately becomes necessary to file a lawsuit, you have two years from the date of the accident. Once this deadline passes, you lose your opportunity to recover injury compensation. There are only two situations in Pennsylvania that allow this deadline to be extended. The first is if a child was injured in a motorcycle accident. In this case, the two-year deadline doesn’t begin until the child’s 18th birthday.
The other case is if the responsible party leaves the state for more than four months or conceals their identity. This situation can result in the time limit being extended, but it depends on the case. Extending the statute of limitations is called “tolling,” and the rules for when it’s possible can be complicated. Contacting a lawyer from the start helps ensure they’ll have enough time in case a lawsuit becomes necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common initial questions new clients ask the experienced Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyers at Wapner Newman.
You can receive answers to additional questions by scheduling a free consultation with a Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyer at Wapner Newman.
Call Our Philadelphia Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Today
A motorcycle accident can change your health and finances in the blink of an eye. Having an experienced Philadelphia motorcycle accident attorney working on your injury claim can make a substantial difference to your long-term finances and quality of life.
Wapner Newman has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our injured clients. We’re ready to review your case and identify how we can help.
Don’t let motorcycle accident injuries derail your finances. Learn how Wapner Newman can help you fight for injury compensation by calling (215) 569-0900 and scheduling your free consultation with one of our experienced Philadelphia motorcycle accident attorneys.