Few things in life are more fun and exciting than riding a motorcycle, especially along the Bay or Gulf in St. Petersburg. Unfortunately, when crashes occur, it can leave victims with life-threatening injuries. If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, the first step toward financial relief is filing a personal injury claim. In Florida, motorcycle injury claims are known to be extremely complicated. If you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident, read on to learn more about the process of filing an injury claim and how recovery and even settlements are determined after a motorcycle accident in Florida.

How are Settlements Determined for Motorcycle Accidents in Florida?

In Florida, insurance coverage amounts for motorcycle riders are different from the insurance coverage amounts for vehicles. Florida requires vehicle drivers to carry at least $10,000.00 of coverage for them, their passengers, and resident relatives in the event of a car accident. This is called PIP coverage and is required but the Florida No-Fault State Laws. PIP coverage applies only to cars, not motorcycles. As a result, car drivers have a statutorily required higher amount of insurance coverage available to them than motorcycle riders, leaving riders even more vulnerable to an accident.

When motorcyclists don’t have enough insurance to cover damages after an accident, the best option is often to file a claim against the other driver. After filing a personal injury claim, both parties will work to determine a fair amount of compensation for injuries and property damage, called the settlement amount.

If you were in a motorcycle accident, determining the settlement amount would depend on several factors:

Who was at fault for causing the motorcycle accident;
The severity of your injuries and damaged property;
The limitations of insurance coverage and/or assets of the negligent defendant.

Each motorcycle accident varies with unique circumstances that are reflected in the average settlement amount. All settlements are different, and determining an exact average isn’t possible. Serious motorcycle accident settlements in Florida typically range from $50,000 to $200,000. Catastrophic injury or wrongful death cases often exceed $1 million. Here’s Marsalisi can help with your settlements after an accident.If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident, speak with a skilled motorcycle accident lawyer to understand the best options for financial relief.

What Damages are Included in a Motorcycle Accident Claim?

In a motorcycle accident claim, you can file both for economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include compensation for past, present, and future expenses that are causally related to the accident.

Examples of economic damages include:

Medical costs for past and current treatment of injuries from the accident;
Future medical expenses to treat injuries;
Lost wages from missing work;
Diminished or lost future earnings because of injuries from the accident.

Economic damages usually have receipts and medical bills that are considered when determining the amount in a settlement. Defining the amount for non-economic damages is much more subjective. Non-economic damages refer to pain and suffering, and the emotional trauma that the accident caused. These amounts are difficult to calculate but have a monetary value nonetheless.

To learn what you can expect in economic and non-economic damages after an accident, speak with a personal injury attorney with experience in motorcycle accident cases.

How Does Florida’s No-Fault Law Affect Settlement Amounts in Motorcycle Accidents?

Because motorcyclists are not included under Florida’s no-fault law, they’re more threatened after an accident because of the lack of sufficient coverage for medical costs, lost wages, and more. When the state-required minimum amount of coverage isn’t enough to pay for injury costs and property damage, it’s time to seek legal counsel from an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer. In this event, you can pursue damages through the legal system.

Because the no-fault rule doesn’t apply to motorcyclists, riders don’t need to demonstrate permanent injury from the accident to recover damages for pain and suffering. This means motorcyclists may seek compensation for less severe and permanent injuries relating to the accident.

How to Increase Your Chances of a Favorable Settlement

Getting details immediately after the accident is essential. Taking pictures of any damages related to the crash and writing down the details of the events surrounding the accident will strengthen your claim. Be sure to document the contact and insurance information of the other driver, along with:

The costs to repair your motorcycle;
The cost of a rental car;
Medical bills and expenses;
Lost wages from your injuries.

Be sure to gather as much detailed information as possible to strengthen your claim. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney can handle the majority of these items for you and also guide you on further details you might need to support your claim.

Call St. Pete’s Motorcycle Accident Attorney to Get the Relief You Need

The best way to understand the average settlement for your motorcycle accident or how to recover compensation is to speak with an attorney. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney can review the details of your case, explain what damages can be claimed, and present the case in the best way possible to have a favorable recovery.

Marsalisi Law is a personal injury firm run by Attorney Frank P. Marsalisi serving accident victims in St. Petersburg, Florida. If you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident, call Frank for personalized attention to your injury case. Frank will listen to your story, get the facts, and give you his best advice on how to proceed — all without charging you a fee unless he recovers money for a negligent defendant. He also speaks Spanish fluently.

As a member of the Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association, Frank has gone up against countless insurance companies and won millions of dollars in settlements for motorcycle accident victims. To schedule your free consultation with Frank, complete an online contact form or call today at 727-800-5052.

Marsalisi Law is Where Law Gets Personal.