In a Tulsa motorcycle accident caused by careless drivers, victims should expect help with the costs of repairing their motorcycle damage and paying any medical bills from an injury.
In Oklahoma, a driver and a motorcyclist can also share blame in an accident. If the rider was assigned 50% or less of the responsibility in an accident, the rider could still seek at least partial compensation for damage and injury costs.
Earning Compensation After a Tulsa Motorcycle Accident
A motorcycle accident on a busy road like I-44 or the Tisdale Parkway can leave riders in desperate need of help to rebuild their health and their bikes. If a motorcyclist is lucky enough to avoid a major injury, the victim can still require a lot of money to repair the motorcycle.
Victims will want to return to the road again as soon as possible, but disputes over who should pay for motorcycle repairs can delay this important step towards a full recovery.
If a reckless driver’s mistake is to blame for a motorcycle collision, then where to send the repair bill should be a simple question to answer. Unfortunately, car insurance companies can muddy the water by denying their policyholders’ fault or by disputing how much it’ll take to replace key parts.
These are just a few of the repairs and replacements needed to get a wrecked motorcycle back on the road:
- Body and frame repairs or replacement
- Fender replacement
- Replacement of damaged lights and blinkers
- Replacement of clutch and brake levers
- Replacement of foot pegs, handlebars
- Suspension repairs
- Wheel and tire replacement
A negligent driver who rammed a motorcyclist from behind or turned in front of the rider they didn’t see should be fully liable for all repair and labor costs.
These costs can run into the thousands of dollars, and that’s if the motorcycle can be repaired. In other cases, a motorcycle may have irreparable damage and could be totaled. But car insurance adjusters can fight victims on this as well. They may not want to shell out $20,000 or more to buy a victim a new motorcycle. Insurers can claim that an unsafe bike can be repaired, putting the rider at risk.
Can I Ask for Help Fixing My Motorcycle If I Was Partly to Blame for My Accident?
Yes, in some cases. Oklahoma follows the legal concept of “comparative negligence.” It means that the blame in a traffic accident can be divided between the riders and drivers involved.
For example, a motorcyclist may have to accept 25% of the fault in a collision for going faster than the speed limit. A driver involved may face 75% of the liability for pulling out in front of a motorcyclist without looking. In this case, the rider could seek a settlement amount for motorcycle repairs and hospital bills. However, under comparative negligence, the settlement check would be reduced by 25%, equal to the rider’s share of the blame.
Under Oklahoma’s form of comparative negligence, as long as a rider is found 50% or less to blame for the crash, the victim can ask a driver for compensation. A motorcyclist can often earn substantial compensation, even for an accident they are partly blamed for. A skilled attorney would also be working to reduce any percentage of blame. And if the rider, in fact, wasn’t to blame for the accident in any way, a lawyer would be fighting to get the blame reduced to zero for the motorcyclist.
Contact a Tulsa Motorcycle Accident Attorney If You’ve Been Hurt in a Motorcycle Accident
If your motorcycle accident only involves motorcycle damage and/or only very minor scrapes and bruises, you may not need a lawyer for your case.
If your accident involves more serious injuries, like a broken bone or a head injury, you may need a lawyer to help you hold a car insurance company fully accountable. A Tulsa motorcycle accident lawyer can help you avoid insurance tactics meant to rob you of compensation. You may also need a lawyer’s help if you are being blamed for a collision that you didn’t cause.
Reach out to Ylla|Gosney Attorneys at Law for a free case consultation to find out what your case is worth.
