Short answer, yes, you can pursue compensation after a motorcycle crash if someone else’s negligence caused your injuries or losses. The longer answer takes a bit of explaining. It depends on fault, documentation, insurance limits, and how well you connect the dots between the crash and your damages. Let’s walk through it in plain language so you know what to expect and what to do next.
What kinds of compensation are possible?
Think in categories. It keeps things tidy and honest.
- Medical expenses: ER visits, imaging, surgery, physical therapy, meds, follow-ups. Future care counts if doctors expect it.
- Lost income: Missed days, reduced hours, or a job you cannot return to yet. Sometimes future earning capacity.
- Property damage: Your bike, riding gear, helmet, phone, even a cracked watch if it broke in the crash.
- Pain and suffering: The human side of recovery, from sleep disruption to daily pain.
- Out-of-pocket costs: Travel to appointments, home modifications, crutches, braces.
- Wrongful death damages: For families, when a crash takes a life, there are separate categories of recovery.
You may not have all of these. That is normal. Starting a simple list helps you see what belongs in your claim.
How does fault affect the money you can get?
Fault is a slider, not always a switch. In many places, compensation is reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you. If a driver turned left across your lane and you were within the speed limit, the fault picture looks one way. If visibility was poor and speed becomes a question, the analysis shifts. This is why photos, dash or helmet cam video, and witness info matter. They steady the story.
Which insurance policies matter most?
At minimum, you are looking at three buckets.
- At-fault driver’s liability coverage: The primary source when another driver caused the crash.
- Your uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage: Critical if the at-fault driver has little or no insurance. Many riders overlook this.
- Medical payments or personal injury protection: Limited, but useful for early bills and copays.
Policy limits set ceilings. Documentation helps you reach them. If losses exceed coverage, strategy becomes important.
What should you do in the first 7 to 10 days?
Not everything at once. Just the essentials.
- Get medical care and follow through. Even if pain shows up late, record it.
- Take and save photos: bike, gear, road, bruising, casts, stitches.
- Collect information: police report number, tow records, witness names if available.
- Preserve your gear: do not toss damaged gloves or a cracked helmet. Evidence lives there.
- Keep a simple journal: symptoms by day, missed work, small expenses. Two minutes nightly is enough.
These steps protect both your health and your claim.
How are motorcycle claims different from car claims?
Bias creeps in. Some adjusters assume riders take more risks. Counter that with clean facts. Clear lane position. Reasonable speed. Good gear. Training helps too. The injuries are often more severe, which raises medical costs and extends recovery. Documentation becomes the spine of the claim. Neat files, consistent treatment, and careful explanations about pain and activity limits go a long way.
How long does it take to get paid?
It varies. Many claims resolve after treatment finishes, when your providers can estimate future care. That could be a few months or longer if surgery is involved. If there is a dispute over fault or injuries, the timeline stretches. A realistic mindset helps. Quick is nice. Correct is better.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Giving a recorded statement without preparation
- Posting crash details on social media
- Skipping follow-up care because you feel a little better
- Repairing or scrapping the bike before thorough photos
- Guessing about your injuries on forms instead of using medical terms from your records
How do settlements get valued?
Insurers stack numbers. Medical bills. Lost wages. Property damage. Then they weigh pain, limitations, and future care. Strong records support higher evaluations. A well told story, grounded in documents and credible provider notes, usually performs better than a loud one.
Final thought
You can get money after a motorcycle accident when you show fault clearly and prove your losses with steady, simple documentation. Start with health, protect the evidence, and keep a small paper trail. It does not have to be perfect. It just needs to be real and consistent. That is often what moves a claim from uncertain to resolved.
This post was written by a professional at Jeanette Secor, PA Attorney At Law.
For over 20 years, the law office of Jeanette Secor, PA in St. Petersburg, FL, has been the go-to choice for those seeking justice after an injury. Renowned as best slip and fall attorneys St petersburg Fl, Jeanette Secor has a proven track record of successfully representing clients in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, and slip-and-fall incidents.
