Metairie Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

The Causeway Bridge over Lake Pontchartrain is among the most joyful rides for bikers living in and around Metairie. However, bikers risk major injuries if an accident occurs, whether on the bridge, cruising around town, or commuting to work.

They do not have the same protection from the road as those in passenger vehicles. Consequently, many motorcycle accident victims suffer life-threatening injuries. If they survive, they have a long recovery, including piles of medical bills. Making matters worse, most motorcycle accidents are preventable.

If you sustained injuries in a Metairie motorcycle accident, Louisiana law entitles you to file a claim against the party responsible for the accident, most often another motorist.

The experienced Metairie motorcycle accident lawyers at Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Attorneys have a history of getting great results for clients who have suffered injuries due to negligence.

We are a national law firm with multiple offices around the country, including here in Louisiana. We also work with affiliate law firms in most states that share our focus and dedication to excellence. No matter where you are located, we may be able to help you, so call or contact us now. We are open, for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-898-4877, or you may contact us now by clicking here to submit your case for review.

Metairie Motorcycle Accident Guide

Why Choose Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Attorneys

The skilled legal team at Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Attorneys includes experienced lawyers, paralegals, and case management specialists who fight for clients to receive the most money possible for injuries suffered due to negligence, including those harmed in Metairie motorcycle accidents.

The firm has over 20 years of experience helping victims of negligence seek justice. The team's commitment to client service and professional excellence has led to the recovery of tens of millions of dollars in damages from settlement agreements and the occasional jury verdict.

We cannot guarantee a specific amount for your Metairie motorcycle accident claim. However, we can guarantee to aggressively pursue the maximum compensation for your case if you have a valid Metairie motorcycle accident claim.

Compensation in Metairie Motorcycle Accident Claims

Louisiana law permits you to bring a lawsuit against those responsible for your Metairie motorcycle accident injuries. Although most times, victims take action against a driver in a car or truck, they sometimes have grounds to bring a lawsuit against a third party, like a business. If you take action and prevail in your claim, you could receive compensation for damages related to your accident and injuries.

Damages that might be part of a settlement or jury award include compensation for:

• Medical treatment costs, including ambulance transport, emergency room services, hospital stay, surgery, doctor visits, lab tests, x-rays, prescriptions, and travel costs to the hospital/doctor
• Estimated future medical expenses when a Metairie motorcycle accident leads to severe or permanent injuries that require continued treatment and care
• Rehabilitation expenses, including specialized treatment with physical therapists, occupational therapists, mental health professionals, and others who help accident victims face after their injuries
• Assistive devices such as walkers, cans, wheelchairs, crutches, and artificial limbs
• Lost income from time away from work due to injuries, hospitalization, and rehabilitation
• Estimated future lost income when a Metairie motorcycle accident and injuries prevent someone from returning to their job or working in the future
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium
• Diminished quality of life

Your motorcycle accident attorney can review your case and advise you which damages might apply. If you have lost a loved one in a Metairie motorcycle accident, you might be eligible to recover damages in a wrongful death lawsuit. When you call us to discuss the accident, we can answer any questions you might have about filing a wrongful death lawsuit after losing a family member. 

What is the Statute of Limitations in Metairie Motorcycle Accident Claims?

It's in your best interest to consult with a Metairie motorcycle accident lawyer soon after you suffer injuries so you don't miss out on the chance to recoup losses related to the accident and your injuries.

In Louisiana, accident victims have one year to bring a personal injury claim against the driver or another party responsible for their motorcycle accident injuries. If you miss the deadline, a court will not accept your case, and you lose any leverage you had for negotiating a fair settlement.

The law allows for some exceptions but only in rare and extreme circumstances. Contact a Metairie motorcycle accident lawyer who can ensure you meet all deadlines, giving you the best opportunity to receive compensation for your injuries.

Motorcycle Accident Injuries that Lead to Injury Claims

A motorcyclist rarely crashes without suffering injuries. The most severe accidents often result in debilitating or fatal injuries, especially at high speeds. Those who survive a severe motorcycle accident are fortunate if they fully recover. Massive medical expenses and lost income make seeking compensation necessary to alleviate some or all of the economic burden.

Here are some motorcycle accident injuries that typically give rise to accident injury claims.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Bikers in Louisiana must wear a helmet, regardless of their age. Even those who comply with the law risk dangerous head trauma that can lead to permanent or fatal brain injuries if their head strikes the road or another vehicle during a motorcycle accident.

Victims who suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) face potential long-term challenges, including:

• Difficulty with concentration, remembering new information, and clear thinking
• Continued fogginess and slow reactions
• Chronic migraines or headaches
• Dizziness, blurred vision, and sensitivity to light
• Struggles with balance
• Anger, aggression, depression, anxiety, and other negative emotions
• Challenges with sleep, including insomnia and sleeping too long

At Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Attorneys, we help bikers learn the full extent of their brain injuries, so insurance companies cannot downplay them.

Neck and Back Injuries

Bikers often get thrown from their motorcycles during an accident. Sometimes they get pinned between their motorcycles and the vehicle that hit them or the ground.

The force and impact of the crash and unnatural body positions from getting thrown can lead to painful and permanent back injuries. Injured bikers face broken vertebrae, bulged discs, and other damage along their neck and back. Even with corrective surgery, bikers who suffer neck and back injuries face lifelong chronic discomfort and pain, making pain management an inevitable part of life after injury.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Back and neck injuries in a motorcycle accident can lead to dangerous, life-changing spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord injuries are known for being costly to treat, and even the slightest injury can lead to permanent paralyzation in part or all of the body.

The location of the injury determines which areas of the body lose function. Injuries closer to the brain interrupt more messages to the central nervous system, resulting in more functional loss.

Some people recover from a spinal cord injury after the swelling goes away. However, spinal cord cells do not regenerate like other body cells. Major wounds to the cord typically result in permanent injury, often placing people in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives.

Amputation

If a biker's arms or legs get crushed under their bike or another vehicle during a Metairie motorcycle accident, they face amputation. Crushed limbs lose blood flow, which leads to infection.

An infection left to spread throughout the body can be fatal. To prevent the spread of infection, doctors must amputate a crushed limb when they cannot restore blood flow. Amputees face massive physical pain and mental anguish after their loss.

In addition to dealing with stump pain and phantom limb pain, amputees also have to learn how to use prosthetic limbs and put significant effort into learning how to do things that used to be easy for them. Additionally, amputees must have ongoing physical therapy, making it among the most expensive motorcycle accidents.

Fighting the Insurance Company After a Metairie Motorcycle Accident

If you suffered injuries in a preventable Metairie motorcycle accident, you may need to deal with another driver's auto insurance provider. Once the driver files a claim against their policy, the representative assigned to the case investigates the claim, which includes speaking to everyone involved in the accident.

If you have yet to hear from the insurance carrier, you can expect contact at some point. It's best to let an experienced lawyer handle communications.

Insurance adjusters want to avoid approving a claim. If they cannot dispute liability, they want to do what they can to reduce the amount they pay out and protect profits.

They typically request victims to give a recorded statement of their account of an accident. They comb through the statement to find ways to shift blame to the victim. Also, insurance carriers often ask motorcycle victims for access to their medical records. Instead of obtaining records that only pertain to the accident, they try to get access to a full medical history to look for ways to downplay someone's motorcycle accident injuries.

A skilled motorcycle accident lawyer can ensure you don't give a recorded statement and only allow the other side access to the medical records they need to process the claim.

Finally, lawyers are trained negotiators who anticipate insurance companies' tactics to avoid financial liability for their policyholders. If an insurance company contacts a motorcycle accident victim with an early settlement offer, a lawyer can usually negotiate a higher offer for their client.

Preserving the Value of Your Claim After a Metairie Motorcycle Accident

Even if a motorcycle accident is obviously someone else's fault, it doesn't automatically mean you receive compensation. With your lawyer's help, you must show that the other driver was negligent, prove your injuries, and prove your losses.

You can have the best chance for a positive financial outcome for your claim by following simple guidelines after your Metairie motorcycle accident.

• Keep all medical appointments and follow your treatment plan to prevent the other side from downplaying your injuries. If you don't comply with doctors' orders, the other side might argue that your injuries would be better if you followed your treatment plan.
• Keep copies of documents that prove economic loss, such as medical bills, receipts, and lost income and benefits.
• Keep a daily journal—written or video—that documents the physical, emotional, and financial struggles caused by your motorcycle accident injuries. A journal more easily conveys to your lawyer the ways your injuries have impacted your life that isn't easily quantifiable.
• Don't speak about your accident and injuries to family or friends, no matter how close they are. Investigators may question them, and they might inadvertently say something that hurts your claim.
• Only post on social media after your Metairie motorcycle accident claim resolves. Investigators from the other side will try to get access to your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media accounts to find posts or pictures that they can use to devalue your claim. A seemingly harmless family vacation picture could be ammunition for the other side to argue that your injuries are not as bad as you claim.

When you call for your initial consultation with a Metairie motorcycle accident lawyer, provide them with the information you have. This helps them better assist you with your claim.

Let an Experienced Metairie Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Help

The legal team at Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Attorneys knows the tactics motorists and their insurance providers use to avoid responsibility for a motorcycle accident, which often includes trying to blame bikers for their injuries. Our team has the knowledge and experience to hold negligent drivers responsible when they cause a motorcycle accident, so you have the best chance to receive compensation for your injuries and related losses.

If you sustained injuries in a Metairie motorcycle accident, contact us immediately for a free case evaluation. We handle many personal injury claims, including those that emerge from motorcycle accidents.

The Metairie personal injury lawyers of Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Attorneys is nationally recognized for protecting the rights of injured victims for more than 20 years. If a Metairie motorcycle accident injured you, call our office right now for a free consultation! Because we take all of our personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, you will not owe us a dime unless we win your case. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so call us today at 800-898-4877 or contact us now by clicking here.