Riding a motorcycle in Waterloo can be a fun and thrilling experience. Unfortunately, there are also inherent risks, considering many drivers and other motorcyclists don’t follow the norms and traffic rules. A significant number of motorcycle accidents in the city can be attributed to negligence. Unlike those who wear seatbelts in a car, motorcyclists are far more exposed to the on-road dangers. As a result, even minor blips could mean dealing with severe injuries. If you were hurt in such a mishap, make it your priority to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer. Here are some more aspects of Iowa laws and more.
Understand the basics
There is often a false assumption that motorcyclists drive recklessly. As a result, recovering compensation after an injury or accident becomes increasingly hard. Iowa is a fault, which essentially makes the at-fault party accountable for the losses of others. If you know that the other driver was reckless, like they rammed into your motorcycle or were drunk when the accident happened, you can sue them and ask for a settlement.
Know the deadlines
When it comes to injury lawsuits following an auto accident, Iowa has a statute of limitations like other states. If you want to sue for your injuries following a motorcycle accident, you need to file the lawsuit within two years, counting from the date of the crash. When your case is just about vehicle damage, your deadline is five years. Note: You don’t have these deadlines for insurance claims, and the first step is to file a claim with the other party’s carrier. You should notify the insurance companies immediately and start the process.
Comparative Fault in Iowa
What happens when two motorcyclists or drivers share the blame for an accident? In such situations, Iowa follows the modified comparative fault norm. If you are primarily accountable for the situation, you cannot sue the other party. In other situations, you may have a case, but the final compensation will be lower based on adjustments for your fault percentage. These calculations are complex, primarily because no one wants to be held responsible for such mishaps. Let’s take an example – You are 40% responsible for a motorcycle accident in Waterloo and have received $50,000 as your settlement. In this case, you can only recover $30,000. You lost the rest because of your fault.
Get an attorney
There is no denying that recovering compensation for a motorcycle accident claim is a complex affair. Insurance companies will obviously try to underpay you, while the other party will never want to accept their fault. In fact, you could end up in a situation where you are being blamed because you are a motorcyclist. You need an attorney who will do the following –
- Investigate the motorcycle accident and find evidence
- Help you with the claim and determine the damages you can recover
- Hire expert witnesses as necessary
- Complete the claims process and negotiate with the insurance agent
- File a lawsuit if insurance is unlikely to cover the damages
Experienced motorcycle accident attorneys in Waterloo know how insurance adjusters trick claimants, and your lawyer is your best resource to avoid common mistakes. More importantly, they know how such cases work in the city and are capable of using their contacts and resources to find more information and critical details. If there is no way to determine how the accident happened, your lawyer could call specialists who can evaluate the situation and reconstruct the incident.
Find an attorney you can trust and get a claim review immediately. Most lawyers will not demand a fee or ask for anything unless you have recovered money for the case.
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