High River Personal Injury Lawyers Car & Motorcycle Accident Claims

Injured in a high river automobile or motorcycle accident? If you weren’t at-fault for the accident then you should be able to recover funds for your  injuries and damages. Yet if you have catastrophic injuries you may find it very difficult to recover funds without a lawyer’s help. The at-fault driver’s insurance company will fight harder to avoid paying when your injuries are more expensive.

Get the help you need by reaching out to the lawyers at Merchant Law. We have the experience and expertise to help you win. We help families throughout Alberta successfully resolve their personal injury claims. 

Who should pursue a lawsuit after a car or motorcycle accident?

An accident victim should consider pursuing a lawsuit if the other driver was the negligent party. The less at-fault you are for the accident the stronger your case. If you were obeying all traffic laws and were not driving distracted while the other driver acted recklessly then you will generally have a strong case.

You also need to consider pursuing a lawsuit if your injuries are especially severe. Minor injury claims often settle without a lawyer’s intervention, and for a sufficient amount to help the accident victim. Major, catastrophic, disfiguring or life-altering injuries do not. Insurance companies fight harder to avoid paying these claims.

It’s impossible to tell whether your specific case is strong enough without allowing a lawyer to go over the facts of your case. If you’re not sure, there’s no harm in calling a lawyer to go over your options. 

What is a good settlement in an Alberta car or motorcycle accident?

You will have the chance to evaluate settlement offers as your case progresses. It can be hard to know when it’s time to take an offer and when it’s time to send it back for additional negotiation. Your lawyer can advise you on this somewhat, but it doesn’t hurt to have some general guidelines to use as you make your decisions.

The first thing you should ask yourself is whether the claim will pay for all of your medical expenses. If Medicare doesn’t cover it you’ll be relying on your settlement to cover it. Will it cover your projected long-term care needs as well? Will it cover reconstructive procedures that Medicare might deem to be “elective?”

The next thing you need to look at is whether it’s going to cover your lost wages. How many weeks did you spend out of work while you recovered? Did you lose your job as a result of the accident? You should receive compensation for the time you were unable to work. 

If you can’t work ever again, you also will need money to live on. Has that been taken into account?

Finally there’s the award for your pain and suffering. This is a highly subjective, highly negotiable award. The more extensive your injuries, the higher it should be. Long-term impact should also be taken into account. In Alberta, this award is capped at $370,000. If you want to get close to that cap you’ll need to retain a lawyer with outstanding negotiation skills, as there are no hard and fast rules for setting pain and suffering awards.

How long does it take to settle a car or motorcycle accident claim?

It will typically take 18 to 24 months from the day you file your claim. It will take longer if the matter goes to trial, and less time if your case is settled. 92% of cases do settle without ever going to court.

Keep in mind you only have two years from the date of your accident to file a claim, and the longer you wait the longer it will take to get you paid. Insurance companies will try to gain an advantage by attempting to stall your claim. The best way you can avoid this is to involve a lawyer as early as possible.

You do not have to wait until you are fully recovered to hire a lawyer. You can retain a lawyer on the day of your accident if you want to. The earlier you file, the stronger your case. 

Is it worth it to get a lawyer for a car or motorcycle accident claim?

Statistically you’re likely to receive three to ten times more money if you get a lawyer’s help than you will if you attempt to file your claim on your own. You’re over 40% more likely to get paid at all if you get a lawyer’s help.

If you have a motorcycle claim these disparities are even larger. Motorcycle accidents require expert help. They tend to be more expensive than car accident cases. There’s also a stigma against riders, which means that you’re at a disadvantage when you’re attempting to prove the other driver is at-fault. Riders also often start their cases at a disadvantage, as they’re usually too injured to gather a lot of evidence at the scene of the accident.

If you have disfiguring injuries, cuts or lacerations, multiple broken bones, traumatic spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, injuries that require amputations or other serious, severe issues then you need a lawyer’s help. Recovery may prove impossible without one.

Get Help Today

We have offices conveniently located in Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary, Airdrie, and Cochrane. We also serve clients all across Alberta including Lethbridge, Fort McMurray, Medicine Hat, Grande Prairie, Spruce Grove, Lloydminster, Leduc, Okotoks, Fort Saskatchewan, Chestermere, Camrose, Beaumont, Stony Plain, Sylvan Lake, Brooks, Strathmore, High River, Canmore, Morinville, Whitecourt, Hinton, Olds, and Blackfalds.

Our personal injury lawyers have decades of experience with car and motorcycle cases. We work hard to maximize your compensation and are responsive to your needs. We’re also known for being some of Alberta’s toughest litigators and negotiators. We serve people throughout the province and have brought thousands of cases to a successful conclusion. 

Don’t try to navigate your personal injury claim on your own. Call (403) 225-7777 to schedule your consultation today. We’ll review the facts of your case and help you determine your next steps.