While riding your motorcycle in Bellevue, another driver struck and injured you. Now, you’re left wondering how to cover substantial medical bills and lost income. Thankfully, Washington law allows you to pursue a lawsuit against the at-fault party to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and other damages.
Ye Law Firm Injury Lawyers is here to help. Our experienced Bellevue motorcycle crash lawyers are ready to assist if you’ve suffered a serious injury or lost a loved one in a crash. With a strong track record of securing settlements and jury verdicts, our Bellevue motorcycle accident attorneys are well-equipped to handle significant motorcycle crash cases.
Why Choose Us?
At Ye Law Firm Injury Lawyers, our Bellevue motorcycle accident attorneys are committed to delivering respect, excellence, service, and transparency to every injury client. With a proven track record of securing substantial settlements and jury awards, we represent individuals injured in car crashes, truck accidents, motorcycle collisions, and pedestrian incidents.
Our auto accident attorneys have earned recognition among the National Trial Lawyers Top 100. Recent successes include a $1 million truck accident settlement, a $300,000 auto accident settlement, and a $200,000 settlement for a box truck collision.
Our Bellevue office is conveniently located at the intersection of NE 40th St. and 148th Ave., near the North Bellevue Community Center and just one block from the Microsoft Building. Contact our office today at (425) 322-0577 for immediate legal assistance. We provide a free consultation to all motor vehicle accident clients and will thoroughly evaluate your legal options for recovery.
Compensation In Bellevue Motorcycle Accident Claims
In Washington, the potential compensation you get in a motorcycle crash case depends on the severity of your injuries, how the crash occurred, who is at fault, and other factors. Your motorcycle accident lawyer in Bellevue may obtain the following compensation for you:
Economic Damages
These damages cover your tangible financial losses and may include:
- Medical expenses: Includes hospital bills, doctor visits, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, and future medical care related to your injuries.
- Lost income: Compensation for income lost due to time off work, including potential future earnings if your injuries affect your ability to work long-term.
- Property damage: Covers repair or replacement of your motorcycle and any other damaged personal property.
Non-Economic Damages
These address harder-to-quantify losses from the motorcycle accident, such as:
- Pain and suffering: Compensation for physical pain and emotional distress caused by the crash and your injuries.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: If your injuries prevent you from engaging in hobbies, activities, or daily life as you did before.
- Emotional distress: For mental anguish, like anxiety or PTSD, stemming from the accident.
Factors Affecting Your Motorcycle Accident Compensation
How much you get for your motorcycle accident injuries depends on several factors:
Severity of Injuries
The extent and seriousness of your injuries are major drivers. More severe injuries, like traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, or broken bones, often lead to higher medical costs, longer recovery times, and greater pain and suffering, all of which increase the claim size. Minor injuries like bruises or sprains usually result in smaller payouts.
Medical Expenses
This includes all costs tied to treatment, emergency care, hospital stays, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, and even future medical needs if the injury has long-term effects. The higher these costs, the larger the claim tends to be.
Lost Income and Earning Capacity
You can claim lost income if the accident keeps you out of work. Beyond that, if your injuries reduce your ability to earn in the future (e.g., permanent disability), this loss of earning potential can significantly boost the claim’s value.
Property Damage
The cost to repair or replace your motorcycle factors in. High-end bikes or extensive damage can increase this portion of the claim.
Liability and Fault
Who’s at fault matters. If the other party is responsible, such as for running a red light, your claim might be worth more since their insurance is more likely to pay out fully.
Pain and Suffering
This damage is less tangible but still critical. It covers physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Courts or insurers often calculate this as a multiple of your economic damages (like medical bills), with more severe cases justifying higher multipliers.
Insurance Policy Limits
The at-fault party’s insurance coverage sets a practical ceiling. Suppose they have minimal coverage (e.g., $25,000). Your claim might be capped there unless you tap into your own underinsured/uninsured motorist policy, or the at-fault party has significant personal assets.
Evidence Strength
Solid proof, like witness statements, traffic cam footage, or a clear police report—can strengthen your case and push the claim higher. Weak or disputed evidence might shrink it due to uncertainty or settlement pressure.
Legal Representation
Having a skilled motorcycle accident lawyer can make a difference. They might negotiate better settlements or push for a trial if the offer’s too low, often increasing the final amount compared to handling it solo.
What Causes Motorcycle Crashes In Bellevue?
Motorcycle accidents in Bellevue are increasingly common and happen for these reasons:
- Driver negligence: Car drivers may fail to notice motorcycles, especially when making left turns, misjudging speed or distance, or not yielding the right-of-way.
- Distracted driving: Texting, phone use, or other distractions can lead drivers to overlook smaller vehicles like motorcycles.
- Speeding: Excessive speed by either motorcyclists or other drivers reduces reaction time and increases crash severity.
- Road conditions: Wet or uneven roads, common in Bellevue due to frequent rain, can cause loss of traction, particularly for two-wheeled vehicles.
- Visibility issues: Motorcycles’ smaller size makes them harder to spot, especially in heavy traffic on highways like I-405 or SR-520.
- Alcohol or drug impairment: Impaired driving by other drivers contributes to a significant portion of accidents.
- Failure to yield: Intersections see frequent accidents when drivers don’t give motorcyclists the right-of-way.
Common places where motorcycle and car accidents happen in the Bellevue region are:
- Interstate 405 (I-405): As a major north-south highway running through Bellevue, I-405 frequently experiences accidents, especially during peak traffic hours or adverse weather conditions.
- Interstate 90 (I-90): This east-west freeway, connecting Bellevue to Seattle and beyond, is another hotspot.
- Busy Intersections: Due to frequent collisions, intersections like NE 8th Street at 112th Avenue NE, 116th Avenue NE, or 148th Avenue NE are monitored by red-light cameras.
- Downtown Bellevue: With its dense traffic and pedestrian activity, downtown sees accidents, especially involving vehicles and pedestrians.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Bellevue sees its share of motorcycle accidents with the following injuries:
Head and Neck Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), concussions, and skull fractures are common, especially without a helmet. Even with a helmet, neck injuries like whiplash or cervical spine damage can occur due to the force of impact.
Road Rash
This is skin abrasion caused by sliding across pavement. Depending on speed and protective gear, it can range from mild scrapes to severe cases requiring skin grafts.
Fractures and Broken Bones
Legs, arms, wrists, and collarbones are particularly vulnerable. The femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) are among the most commonly fractured due to direct impact or being pinned under the bike.
Lower Extremity Injuries
Feet, ankles, and knees often bear the brunt of a crash, especially in low-side falls or collisions. Sprains, dislocations, and ligament tears (like ACL injuries) are frequent.
Spinal Injuries
Damage to the spinal cord or vertebrae can occur, potentially leading to paralysis (paraplegia or quadriplegia) in severe cases. These are more common in high-speed or head-on crashes.
Upper Body Injuries
Shoulders, ribs, and hands can suffer fractures or dislocations. Rib fractures may lead to internal injuries like punctured lungs after a motorcycle crash.
Fighting The Insurance Company After A Bellevue Motorcycle Crash
You are probably seriously injured after a motorcycle wreck. The last thing you need is an insurance headache. An experienced Bellevue motorcycle accident attorney can help with the following insurance issues:
Determining Fault and Liability
One of the biggest challenges is establishing who was at fault in the accident. If another vehicle hit you, their insurance should ideally cover your damages and medical expenses, but they may dispute liability. Your own motorcycle insurance might come into play if the other party is uninsured or underinsured, assuming you have uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. Without it, you can be left paying out of pocket unless you pursue legal action.
Health Insurance Limitations
If you rely on health insurance to cover medical bills, it might help with immediate costs like hospital visits or surgeries. However, many policies have exclusions, high deductibles, or co-pays that leave you with significant expenses. Some plans might not fully cover motorcycle-related injuries until the at-fault driver pays, primarily if they classify riding as a high-risk activity. Additionally, if your health insurer pays out, they may later seek reimbursement from any settlement you receive, reducing your net compensation.
Motorcycle Insurance Gaps
Standard motorcycle insurance often includes liability coverage but may not cover your own injuries or bike repairs unless you’ve added optional coverages like collision or medical payments (MedPay). If you only have basic coverage, you might face difficulties getting compensation for your motorcycle damage or medical bills, especially if the at-fault driver’s insurance denies the claim or offers a low settlement.
Delays and Disputes
Insurance companies, yours or the other party’s, may delay payments while investigating the accident. They might argue over fault, the extent of your injuries, or the value of your motorcycle, leaving you in a financial bind as bills pile up. This is incredibly stressful if you’re unable to work due to your injuries.
Lowball Offers
The insurance company probably knows you suffered an injury and need money. That is why the adjuster may call you a day after the accident and offer a low settlement to close the case. You should not take them up on the offer. Your motorcycle accident attorney can almost always obtain more money for you by negotiating aggressively with the insurance adjuster. Let your attorney deal with the insurance company.
Out-of-Pocket Costs
Even with insurance, you might face uncovered expenses like lost income, physical therapy, or motorcycle replacement. Health insurance won’t cover these, and the at-fault party’s insurer might not offer enough to make you whole, especially if their policy limits are low.
Always retain a motorcycle accident lawyer to represent you after a serious motorcycle accident injury. At Ye Law Firm Injury Lawyers we are standing by to help you every step of the way.
What To Do After A Bellevue Motorcycle Accident
Take the following steps after a motorcycle crash in Bellevue:
- Exchange information: Get the other party’s name, contact details, insurance information, and vehicle details, and share yours as well.
- Document the scene: Take photos of the accident site, damage to your motorcycle, and any injuries. Note the time, location, and conditions (e.g., weather, road state).
- Gather witnesses: If there are bystanders, ask for their contact info and a brief statement of what they saw.
- Police report: File a police report, even for minor accidents, as it can help with insurance claims. Your motorcycle accident attorney will rely on the police report during the insurance negotiation process to show the other driver caused the accident.
- Seek medical attention: Even if you feel fine, get checked by a professional; some injuries aren’t immediately obvious. Also, always follow up with your doctor and keep to the treatment plan. If you don’t, the insurance company may deny coverage.
- Notify your insurance: Report the accident to your insurer immediately.
- Keep records: Save all documents, receipts, and correspondence related to the accident for future reference.
Contact A Bellevue Motorcycle Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a motorcycle accident, it’s critical to seek legal counsel right away. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses following the bike crash. Contact the Bellevue personal injury attorneys at Ye Law Firm Injury Lawyers today at (425) 322-0577. With our no-win, no-fee policy, you won’t pay legal fees for motorcycle accident claims unless we secure compensation. You do not pay out-of-pocket expenses at any time.