Morinville Personal Injury Lawyers Car & Motorcycle Accident Claims

Accidents and injuries are common in Morinville. There’s a good chance you’ll be in a collision at some point in your life. According to the insurance industry, most of us get into a car or motorcycle accident once every 17 years. 

If you’ve recently been in an accident and your injuries are severe, you’ll need help. Catastrophic accidents come with bills Medicare will not pay, lost wages, and other financial consequences. If the other driver was at-fault and you were the innocent victim of negligence then we can help you make a strong case for receiving compensation.

Can you sue for emotional distress after a car or motorcycle accident?

You wouldn’t launch any kind of an “emotional distress” suit. Instead, any anxiety, PTSD, or other mental impacts from your accident would be covered in your pain and suffering award.

The pain and suffering award is a major part of most car and motorcycle accident settlements. These are usually based primarily on your physical injuries. Intense injuries like crushed bones, disfigurements, lacerations, spinal injuries, and traumatic brain injuries will be worth more than sprains, strains, whiplash, or emotional distress. Of course, it’s entirely possible to have extensive physical injuries and a high degree of emotional distress that you’ll need to be covered for.

In Alberta the pain and suffering award is capped at $370,000. 

If you are seeing a psychiatrist for your emotional distress these bills can also be included in the economic loss portion of your settlement. 

What is the average payout for a motorcycle accident?

There is no average payout, because every motorcycle case is different. Most come with severe, expensive injuries. For example, recent research found that riders typically spend a great deal of time in the ICU, which can cost $2856 per day. Most riders also need intensive operations.

All of these damages get taken into account in your motorcycle accident settlement. We want to negotiate a settlement that pays for all of your economic losses, takes your pain and suffering into account, and addresses both your lost wages and any loss of earning capacity you may be suffering as a result of the accident.

Much will depend on the facts of the case. For example, Alberta is a comparative negligence province. This means that each driver gets assigned a percentage of fault after an accident. Your eventual award can be reduced by the exact percentage of fault you get assigned, so you need a lawyer who can help negotiate that percentage down. You also need a lawyer who is a sharp enough negotiator to maximize your pain and suffering award.

Should I get a lawyer for a car or motorcycle accident?

Unless your injuries are very minor it is highly unlikely you will get a solid settlement out of the other driver’s insurance company if you don’t get a lawyer involved. If you want to maximize your settlement you’ll get a lawyer involved early. You may not realize it, but you can call a lawyer the day of your accident, and give yourself a head start on preparing a strong case.

Statistically, you are 40% more likely to get paid at all if you get a lawyer. You are also likely to get at least three times more money, even after the lawyer’s contingency fees are taken into account. 

Keep in mind you only have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim, and the defendant’s insurance company will already be moving to try to avoid paying the claim. There are many defences an at-fault driver can raise to shift responsibility for the accident back onto your shoulders. 

There’s no need to guess whether your case is strong enough. Any good personal injury lawyer will go over the facts of your case with you and will tell you whether you have a claim worth pursuing. You have nothing to lose by putting in the call. 

In fact, you have a great deal to gain. We can deal with the other driver’s insurance company on your behalf. This can keep you from making major mistakes. For example, the insurance adjuster may try to ask leading questions which get you to make statements that imply fault. Or they may try to convince you that you have to sign certain paperwork in order to proceed. Either mistake could mean the death of your case. When you let us handle the insurance company from Day 1, you ensure that your case remains undamaged.

How are motorcycle accidents different?

You may have seen ads or read things which indicate that motorcycle accidents require specialist lawyers, or lawyers with a great deal of experience in motorcycle accident cases. This is absolutely true.

As mentioned, motorcycle cases tend to come with the most extensive, expensive injuries. It’s a sad fact but a true one: the more you need the insurance companies to pay your claim, the less willing they are to do it. This means they’re going to fight much harder to avoid responsibility. 

They are aided in this by the stigma that many riders face. Often, insurance adjusters, defence lawyers, judges, and jury feel like riders are being negligent by choosing to get on a motorcycle at all. This stigma can color the case unless you are working with a lawyer who can tell a powerful story on your behalf.

Get Expert Help Today with your Morinville Car or Motorcycle Accident Injury Claim

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.

The lawyers at Merchant Law have decades of experience with car and motorcycle accident cases. Some of our lawyers have been practicing personal injury law for over 30 years. We’re responsive, attentive, and are ready to fight for your rights.

We serve the entire province of Alberta and are known as some of the area’s toughest litigators and negotiators. When you call a Merchant Law lawyer you let the defendant’s insurance company know you’re serious about getting your claim paid. 

Get help today. Call (780) 474-4878 to get started today.