The Villages Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
After a motorcycle accident in The Villages, you are likely facing severe injuries, considerable pain, and no way to pay your medical bills and other losses. This stress can make it even harder to recover from your injuries. You have options. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in The Villages can help you explore them.
Call Meldon Law today for a free consultation :(352) 373-8000.
What Can a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Do for My Case?
Taking on the complexities of a motorcycle crash case is the last thing you should be doing while attempting to recover from catastrophic injuries. Our personal injury lawyers in The Villages handle your entire case from start to finish. We:
- Identify all liable parties
- Gather evidence to prove liability
- Determine a fair value for your case
- Negotiate to get what you deserve
- Prepare your case for trial
- Represent you in court if necessary
Our motorcycle accident attorneys won’t back down from a fight. If another party’s negligence caused your injuries, you deserve compensation and we want to be the ones who help you get it.
What Makes Meldon Law Different from Other Firms?
Meldon Law isn’t your average firm. Here are a few things that set us apart:
- We are family-owned and family-run. When you enlist our help, you become a part of the family.
- Our representation precedes us. Insurance companies and civil defense lawyers know we’re a force to be reckoned with, whether that’s in court or during negotiations.
- We don’t treat this as just a job; representing injured people and fighting for what they deserve is our calling.
- Meldon Law really CARES about you and your family. We value:
- Compassion
- Accountability
- Reliability
- Excellence
- Success
We Will Fight for Every Dollar You Need for Your Injuries and Losses
Our team can help you recover financial compensation for:
- Medical bills, such as emergency transportation and medical care, wound debriding, surgery, skin grafting, assistive devices, copays, future medical care, and prescription medications
- Lost wages for any time you needed to take off to recover
- Lost earning capacity if you were unable to go back to your current job or needed to retire
- Miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses, such as hiring someone to help around the house
- Pain and suffering, mental anguish, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, loss of enjoyment of life (especially if you are unable to ride again)
- Property damage
Some motorcycle accidents are fatal. If you lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident in The Villages, our team would be honored to seek justice for you through a wrongful death claim. We know legal action likely isn’t on your mind right now, but a claim would allow you to recover the compensation you need to make ends meet. A wrongful death action could cover the following:
- Your loved one’s final medical bills
- Lost support and services
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of companionship
- Pain and suffering
Our team is prepared to fight for you and your family today. Give Meldon Law a call to get started: (352) 373-8000.
Motorcycle Accident FAQs
Here are the answers to some of the most common questions our attorneys receive.
How Long Do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit?
You only have two years to file a motorcycle accident injury lawsuit, per Florida Statute 95.11. This deadline applies if you were injured or lost a loved one. If you don’t file a lawsuit in that time, the court will likely deny your case and you’ll lose all leverage in a negotiation. This means you could recover much less than you deserve—or nothing at all.
What Should I Do After an Accident?
To protect yourself after a motorcycle crash, you should:
- Check yourself for injuries. Note any discomfort, however minor it may seem. Your adrenaline could be masking more severe symptoms.
- Call 911. The dispatcher will send the police and paramedics to the scene.
- Allow the EMTs to examine you. Don’t downplay your injuries. Mention any discomfort you noted when you assessed yourself earlier. Something as simple as minor back pain or nausea could be a sign of something serious.
- Don’t speculate on what the other party was doing at the time of the accident. Let the police officer investigate.
- Get a copy of the police report. If there are any inaccuracies, we can help get them corrected.
- Continue your medical care. Even if you believe you have recovered, don’t stop your medical care until you’ve spoken with your doctor. Any deviation from your care plan gives the insurer reason to deny or devalue your claim.
- Call our team to get started on your case. The earlier you call us, the sooner we can investigate and build your case.
Is There Anything I Should Avoid to Protect My Motorcycle Accident Case?
There are a few things you could avoid doing to protect your case.
- Don’t post about your motorcycle accident on social media. We recommend you avoid posting entirely while your case is ongoing. Even an innocuous post of you holding your niece or grandchild could jeopardize your case.
- Don’t accept a settlement offer before running it past us. The insurance company may offer you a quick settlement soon after your accident. The insurance company wants to pay you as little as possible and hopes you’ll accept a settlement before you know the true extent of your injuries. If you accept a settlement, you can’t come back later and ask for more. Our motorcycle accident attorneys can review all settlement offers to determine whether they’ll cover your losses.
Should I Give a Recorded Statement?
No. Soon after your accident, an insurance adjuster will call you to get your side of the story. They will likely ask you to give a recorded statement.
This is not a good idea. The adjuster will be asking you leading questions, hoping that you will admit you caused or contributed to the accident or that you aren’t as injured as you’re claiming. And this is easier said than done. Just a simple “I’m sorry” or “I’m okay” could be used against you.
How Much Does a Lawyer Cost?
We want to help you, not create another financial burden. For this reason, hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer from our firm costs you nothing upfront. You pay no retainer or hourly fees and only pay us if we win your case.
There is no financial risk when you enlist our help.
Can I Handle a Motorcycle Accident Case on My Own?
You shouldn’t try to. Motorcycle riders often face bias from other road users, insurance companies, and juries who think that riding a motorcycle is inherently reckless and that riders should expect injury. In other cases, involved parties may simply assume you are at fault because they deem all riders reckless. This can make it difficult to get the compensation you need, especially if you handle your case alone.
Can I Recover Compensation if I Contributed to the Accident?
In many cases, yes. Per Florida’s modified comparative rule, people who contribute to their accidents and injuries can recover compensation as long as they are no more than 50 percent responsible for the accident. Your percentage of fault will decrease what you are able to recover.
What Is My Case Worth?
We can’t tell you what your case is worth until we have investigated your situation; however, a few different factors can affect the value of your case.
- The severity of your injuries: Catastrophic injuries will typically garner more because they often lead to high medical bills, an inability to work, and considerable pain and suffering. Injuries we often recover compensation for include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Avulsion/road rash
- Crush injuries
- Broken bones
- Facial or dental injuries
- How long you are out of work: Someone out of work for eight months will typically recover more than someone out of work for six weeks.
- The pain you experience and how long it lasts: If you experience high levels of pain for weeks or months, that should be compensable. The longer you experience severe pain, the higher your pain and suffering compensation will likely be.
- Your age: If you are retired or close to retirement age, your claim may be lower.
Who Could Be Liable for My Accident?
Anyone who caused or contributed to your accident can be liable. This could include:
- The negligent driver of a motor vehicle or another motorcycle rider (examples of negligence include distracted driving, intoxicated driving, speeding, failing to check blind spots, failing to yield the right of way, and failing to check intersections before turning)
- Another motorcycle rider
- A manufacturer, if a vehicular defect caused your accident
- A municipality if a road hazard caused your accident (e.g., broken traffic light, potholes, etc.)
Can Someone Be Liable for a No-Contact Accident?
Many clients think they can’t hold another party liable if they weren’t actually hit by another vehicle, but that’s not true. If another driver ran you off the road or caused you to swerve into another lane, fixed object, or another vehicle, you can hold them liable for their negligence.
Get Help from Our Motorcycle Crash Attorneys in The Villages
Motorcycle accident victims often face bias when fighting for compensation, especially when they handle these cases alone. But we won’t let the insurance company blame you for an accident its policyholder caused. We’ll fight tooth and nail to protect you.
Remember that we handle cases with no upfront fees. Call Meldon Law today for a free consultation.
