What is the Average Motorcycle Settlement in Oklahoma?
Generally speaking, motorcycle accident settlements are usually higher than your typical car accident settlement amount. This is because motorcycle accidents can easily result in very severe injuries and even death. While wearing safety gear is important, no amount of safety gear can protect a motorcyclist the way the structure of a car can. Injuries generally require a longer recovery time and medical expenses are generally significantly higher.
Most motorcycle accident claims fall between 5000 and $100,000. However, this entirely depends on the severity of your injuries. For very severe injury cases settlement figures can well exceed $100,000.
If you have been the victim of a motorcycle accident, you should contact a personal injury attorney right away. You will be filing a claim on the at-fault driver’s insurance policy. Insurance companies will do everything they can to keep your settlement figure as low as possible. Having a good personal injury attorney ensures that you are fairly compensated for your injuries.
What does a fair settlement look like in a motorcycle accident case?
Motorcycle accident claims are calculated in the same manner as a car accident claim. First, you add the amount of compensation that is directly reimbursable. These are known as economic damages and they include the following:
- medical bills both past and future
- lost wages
- loss of earning capacity
- property damage including the damage to your actual motorcycle
In addition to economic damages, you also have noneconomic damages. These are more difficult to assign a dollar figure to. Economic damages include:
- pain and suffering
- mental anguish
- Disfigurement
- loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life
- loss of consortium
Noneconomic damages are usually calculated by using a multiplier method. The multiplier method involves multiplying the economic damages by a number between 2 and 5, depending on the severity of your injuries and long term complications that you suffered as a result of those injuries.
A victim might suffer a traumatic brain injury, the loss of a limb, burns, and scarring, or even their life. In that case, the multiplier is likely to be either a 4 or a 5. The insurance settlement claim, in that case, is likely to reach the policy maximum.
Insurance policy limits
A limiting factor on your claim would be the maximum policy limits of the at-fault driver’s insurance policy. In Oklahoma, the minimum insurance coverage that all drivers are required to carry might not cover the cost of your damages. Drivers are only required to have insurance that covers:
- $25,000 per injury per person
- $50,000 for injuries sustained by those in a single car accident
- $25,000 in property damage
In many cases, your total damages will exceed this amount. This is especially true for victims of motorcycle accidents. In that case, you’d be able to use your own uninsured motorist policy and underinsured motorist coverage to offset the cost of your medical treatment. Our attorneys will help maximize your award and ensure you are thoroughly compensated for your injuries.
Talk to a Tulsa OK motorcycle accident injury lawyer
Levinson Law, PC represents the interests of those who are injured in motorcycle accidents in Tulsa OK. Call our Tulsa personal injury lawyers today to schedule a consultation and we can begin preparing your lawsuit immediately.
