If you were badly hurt while riding a motorcycle and the crash was someone else’s fault, you may have the right to bring a legal claim against the other driver.
Proving negligence in Mankato motorcycle accident cases can be challenging, so you should consider working with Maschka Personal Injury. Based in Mankato but serving the surrounding areas, our experienced motorcycle crash attorneys understand how disorienting serious injuries can be and will work diligently to help you move forward after a motorcycle crash.
Under the state’s no-fault system for car wrecks, each person involved in an accident must turn to their own no-fault, also known as personal injury protection (PIP), coverage to pay their initial lost wages and medical costs. People who do not own vehicles would make a PIP claim against the insurance policy for the driver of the vehicle they were riding in at the time of the crash.
However, Minnesota Statutes § 65B.48 excludes motorcycles from mandatory no-fault coverage. Motorcycle owners must show proof of liability insurance when they register their bikes, but they are not required to purchase the PIP coverage required for motor vehicles. If you do not elect to purchase PIP coverage for your motorcycle, you will not be able to make a claim for PIP coverage on your motor vehicle’s PIP policy if you sustain injuries while riding a motorcycle.
Even if you do not have PIP coverage for your motorcycle, you may still be able to bring a claim against the other driver if their negligence caused your injuries. You may benefit from working with a Mankato attorney to bring a negligence claim against the at-fault driver after a motorcycle accident.
Whenever you pursue damages after a vehicle crash, you must generally prove that another party was negligent. Other drivers, vehicle manufacturers, and government agencies might be liable in a motorcycle crash.
Negligent drivers frequently cause motorcycle collisions. Drivers typically focus on the road ahead and the other passenger vehicles around them, meaning they may not notice a motorcycle even when it is in their sight lines.
When investigating your motorcycle accident case, our Mankato attorneys will look for evidence of driver negligence. Any indications that the driver did not use reasonable care to avoid a collision is evidence that their negligence caused the crash. Even if your actions also contributed to the incident, you can claim damages if you were not primarily at fault.
If you are able to prove your claim that another party’s negligence caused the Mankato motorcycle accident that led to your injuries, you can hold them responsible for all the damages you suffered due to those injuries.
The negligent party is responsible for your economic damages. These are damages with a fixed value, such as:
If you have permanent injuries that require ongoing medical treatment or prevent you from working, economic damages can include future medical costs and loss of earning capacity.
You are also entitled to certain non-economic damages, which represent the pain and suffering and changes in your quality of life since the wreck. You can claim financial compensation for your physical pain, disability, scarring, and emotional trauma. Our attorneys will show you how to document the changes in your lifestyle after the motorcycle accident to help you prove your non-economic damages.
If you were seriously injured in a motorcycle crash, you do not have to worry about going through the no-fault system. You can make a legal claim against the at-fault driver if you can prove they were negligent.
Our attorneys know how to prove negligence in Mankato motorcycle accident cases. Reach out to us at Maschka Personal Injury today to set up a free consultation.
