Minor settlements often come with more questions than major wrecks for motorcyclists because they’re seen as less than the alternative. What happens is whenever a motorcycle wreck doesn’t result in the totaling of the bike or a series of severe and life-changing injuries, people feel as though the crash wasn’t bad at all.
Now, if you were in a minor wreck, you might still have medical bills, and you will surely have property damage. Don’t feel as though you need to provide more insight into the crash or accept a low settlement. Instead, get your Houston motorcycle wreck lawyer on board to get the full financial recovery that you need, and it doesn’t matter if that’s a few thousand or tens of thousands or even more.
What is a Minor Settlement?
People refer to a minor settlement as a compensation check for somewhere between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars. When people look at dollar values, they typically try to equate it to the extent of the damage in the crash. For example, a check for $400 might seem like the wreck wasn’t that bad, and therefore, minor. But, a check for $40,000 might seem like there were some life-changing injuries.
A minor settlement is a very relative term and will mean different things to different people. The result is that you need to decide if your crash was minor, and then determine what you should get in compensation. Drivers should look past labels such as minor, mild, or “bad” because there are many degrees between those labels. You may have had a crash that didn’t involve any property damage but resulted in injuries, or vice versa.
How Can You Build a Demand Letter?
A demand letter is you saying to the insurance provider that you need X amount to cover your expenses and that you want X amount for those expenses and your other losses. It’s a way to establish that you know the value of your claim and that you’re not about to take a measly compensation check that doesn’t foot the bill.
In a comparative negligence state with modifications, you may be able to access full coverage, or you may have that compensation reduce by the degree of your fault. Your fault could impact the demand and the payout and make your wreck seem more minor than it actually is. You need a professional to help you calculate the real value of your wreck.
Will You Have the Chance to File a Claim?
If you have insurance coverage, then you should have a chance to file a claim. If you were the victim of a hit and run, or of an uninsured motorist them, you need to have the proper coverage but should still be able to file a claim.
When you’re calculating this type of claim, you’ll need to thoroughly assess the medical debt, money lost from missing work, and all of your property damage. For riders, that often means your helmet, and any other protective gear as it usually should only serve for one crash or one dismounting from your motorcycle.
Why are Motorcycle Accidents Dismissed When They’re Minor?
All too often, insurance companies and even Houston PD will understand a motorcycle accident with minor injuries as nothing to worry about and then move on to something else. The trouble with that thinking is that there are still often major issues for the riders to handle. Riders can sustain injuries that keep them out of work but only cost them a few thousand in medical bills.
Whenever there is any injury, the crash is not “minor,” and whenever there is the need for a claim, a crash is not “minor.”
Will A Rider Need a Motorcycle Attorney from Houston?
Any rider should lookout for an attorney because of how often other drivers and insurance companies handle motorcycle accidents. Not only was this not your fault, but it being a minor wreck doesn’t mean that you’re completely okay. It’s possible that your motorcycle crash did result in some injury, but the crash overall wasn’t terrible.
Your Houston attorney at the law offices of (713) L‑A‑W‑S‑U‑I‑T can help you understand the crash and how you can resolve it. Ideally, you’ll have someone on your side to argue for financial recovery, especially for your injuries and property damage. Fortunately, in a minor wreck, you can probably include the cost of repairs rather than the demand for the full value of your bike. Our attorneys would go through all of those possible elements with you and even offer free consultations
