Myrtle Beach Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Riding your motorcycle can be exhilarating, and many riders enjoy spending free time on the open road. Unfortunately, other drivers often ignore motorcycle riders, or they see them and completely disregard their safety. In an accident, motorcycle riders are often badly hurt, while drivers in other cars are often largely unharmed. A lawyer can help you get justice.

Damages in a motorcycle accident case can be significant, especially when the rider’s injuries are severe, which is not an uncommon scenario. Proving fault can be challenging, but an experienced attorney can help you find evidence to support your claims, including witnesses, photos from the scene, and possibly security camera footage if it exists. People sometimes try to handle accident cases on their own, often out of fear of hefty legal fees. The truth is, a lawyer may be your best resource, and choosing not to hire one might do more harm than good. Your attorney can help you file your case as soon as possible so you do not run afoul of the statute of limitations.

Get a free, confidential case evaluation by calling Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (803) 219-4906 and talking to our motorcycle accident attorneys.

Recoverable Damages in a Myrtle Beach Motorcycle Accident

Damages represent all that you have lost and endured as a direct result of the motorcycle accident. For many, damages include financial costs of the collision in addition to subjective damages for things like pain and suffering. Be sure to thoroughly review everything you have gone through with your lawyer, so no damages are left unaccounted for.

We can begin by evaluating your economic damages. Often, the bulk of these damages are made up of the plaintiff’s medical expenses, which can be extremely expensive. Even people who only needed to go to the emergency room once might be left with a huge bill for their treatment. Those who need more extensive care might be looking at thousands upon thousands of dollars in hospital bills.

In addition to medical expenses, we should think about your damaged motorcycle. Replacing or repairing your bike might be cost-prohibitive, and the person or people who caused the accident should foot the bill. On top of that, if you cannot continue working because of your injuries, our motorcycle accident lawyers can help you claim the income you lose.

Non-economic damages are arguably harder to assess because of their inherently subjective nature. Non-economic damages often include physical pain, emotional distress, psychological injuries, humiliation, and even the loss of enjoyment of your life if your injuries come with long-term complications. Since these damages vary from case to case, the jury may have the final say on their worth.

Proving Fault in a Motorcycle Accident Case in Myrtle Beach

One of the biggest hurdles many plaintiffs in motorcycle accidents face is unfair biases against motorcycle riders. People tend to unfairly assume that motorcycle riders are responsible for their accidents because they mistakenly believe stereotypes about riders being dangerous people or risky drivers. The truth is that other drivers in cars cause many motorcycle crashes.

Proving the other driver is responsible for your accident can be challenging but not impossible as long as we have the right evidence. If other drivers near the crash saw what happened, we should track them down and get them to testify. Their names might be in the police report from the accident if they spoke to the police. Alternatively, you might already have their names if you spoke to them while waiting for help to arrive.

If you or the other driver had a dashcam, the footage from the camera might shed light on what happened. Video footage of the crash might show exactly what happened and how the defendant is responsible. Video evidence can be very persuasive, and many defendants might find it hard to defend themselves in the face of such powerful evidence.

Reasons You Need an Experienced Lawyer for Your Motorcycle Accident Case in Myrtle Beach

Navigating a lawsuit for a motorcycle accident on your own is not only extremely difficult but more likely to end badly. The average person with no legal background might not know how to assess their damages and comply with complex legal procedures even if they have all the evidence they need to prove the defendant is liable.

Assessing damages is not as easy as one might think. Many plaintiffs are unaware of how much an accident costs them until they review it with a lawyer. You might know the big damages off the top of your head (e.g., medical bills, motorcycle repairs, lost income), but you might have numerous other damages to claim. For example, if you had to travel for medical care, you may claim your travel costs, including airfare, gas, hotels, and food. Your attorney can make sure all possible damages are accounted for so you get the most compensation possible.

Finding evidence is another difficult aspect of injury cases where a lawyer may be of enormous assistance. After a motorcycle crash, injured riders are often so badly hurt that they cannot even begin to think about collecting evidence. As such, certain evidence from the crash scene might be lost or hard to track down later. A lawyer should have enough experience to know where and how to gather the evidence you need.

When to Begin Your Motorcycle Accident Case in Myrtle Beach

While it is reasonable to take time to recover from injuries before initiating legal action, it is best to speak to an attorney sooner rather than later. If you wait too long, your legal claims might expire, and you might be time-barred from filing your case. According to S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(5), plaintiffs in personal injury cases, including for motorcycle accidents, have only 3 years to get their claims into court.

If your time is running short, ask your lawyer about having the statute of limitations tolled. Tolling may pause the clock counting down on your case, but only for very specific reasons. For example, under § 15-3-40, minors and people with disabilities may pause the clock until they turn 18 or their disability is removed. To clarify, a disability here means a condition that prevents you from filing your case on your own or prevents you from understanding your rights. If these conditions apply to you, talk to your attorney about them right away.

Call Our Motorcycle Accident Attorneys in Myrtle Beach for Support

Get a free, confidential case evaluation by calling Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (803) 219-4906 and talking to our motorcycle accident attorneys.