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A motorcycle accident can turn an ordinary day into a life-altering event. Riders often walk away, if they walk away at all, with broken bones, head trauma, or catastrophic injuries that require months of treatment and time away from work. On top of the physical pain, there’s the financial pressure of medical bills piling up and a paycheck that stops coming.
When another driver or party caused the crash, the injured rider may have grounds to pursue compensation for those losses. But motorcycle accident claims can be more complicated than they first appear, particularly when fault, insurance coverage, or the extent of the injuries is disputed.
At Levin Litigation, we represent injured motorcyclists in Hollywood and throughout South Florida. Our goal is to build a claim around what actually happened and what the accident has cost you, rather than letting the insurance company define either one.
You can reach out to us by filling this form or calling us at (954) 678-5155.
How Can Levin Litigation Help After a Motorcycle Accident in Hollywood, FL?
Recovering compensation after a crash requires more than just showing you were hurt. You have to show someone else was legally responsible, and that’s often easier said than done. An insurance company may argue you were speeding, weaving, or otherwise responsible for what happened, and even when liability isn’t seriously disputed, the insurer may downplay your injuries or offer a number below what your case is worth.
That’s where having an advocate who knows how to build a motorcycle injury case matters. Levin Litigation approaches every case by digging into the facts, documenting the losses, and pushing back when insurers try to minimize a claim.
Here is how our Hollywood personal injury attorneys help motorcycle riders build a strong case:
- Investigate the crash and preserve key evidence: We gather police reports, witness statements, video, vehicle data, and physical evidence from the motorcycle, helmet, and riding gear to establish how the collision happened.
- Challenge attempts to blame the rider: We test claims that a motorcyclist was speeding, weaving, lane splitting, or otherwise riding recklessly against the actual evidence.
- Identify the full scope of compensation available: We review applicable insurance coverage and document medical expenses, lost income, future care needs, reduced earning ability, and other losses caused by the crash.
- Pursue the claim through settlement or trial: We present the evidence to the insurance company, negotiate for fair compensation, and take the case to court when a reasonable settlement cannot be reached.
Our goal is to take the pressure of dealing with the claim off your shoulders while building the strongest case possible for the compensation you need to move forward.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Hollywood Motorcycle Accidents?
Every claim starts with figuring out how the accident happened, and that isn’t always obvious right away. Some of the most common causes we see in motorcycle crash cases include:
- Drivers making left turns or failing to yield
- Unsafe lane changes and blind-spot accidents
- Distracted driving
- Speeding, tailgating, and other reckless driving
- Drunk or drug-impaired driving
- Drivers failing to keep a proper lookout for motorcycles
- Dangerous road conditions
- Defective motorcycle or vehicle components
Identifying the actual cause of a crash is what determines who can be held liable and what evidence will be needed to prove it.
Proving Liability After a Motorcycle Crash
Proving fault isn’t a single step. It’s a process that builds on multiple pieces of evidence. A police report may point toward one driver being at fault, but that report isn’t the final word, and it isn’t always complete or accurate. Other evidence that can support or contradict a fault determination includes:
- Traffic or surveillance video
- Vehicle damage
- Witness accounts
- Cell phone records when distraction is suspected
- Crash reconstruction in disputed cases
Depending on how the crash happened, more than one party may share responsibility, including another driver, an employer whose employee caused the crash while working, or a vehicle or parts manufacturer if a defect contributed to the accident.
What If You Were Partially Responsible for the Accident?
Florida follows a modified comparative negligence rule for personal injury claims. Under this rule, if you were partly at fault for the accident, your compensation gets reduced by your percentage of fault, but you can still recover damages unless you’re found more than 50 percent responsible, in which case you can’t recover anything.
For example, if you’re found 20% at fault for a crash that caused $100,000 in damages, you can still recover $80,000. But if you’re found 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing. That gives insurance companies a strong financial incentive to push as much blame onto the motorcyclist as possible, since even a small shift in fault percentage can save them tens of thousands of dollars or wipe out your claim entirely.
Hiring an attorney who can push back on those assumptions with solid evidence can often make the difference between a fair settlement and a reduced one.
What Are Some Common Injuries After a Motorcycle Accident?
Motorcyclists get hurt more severely than occupants of passenger vehicles in comparable crashes for a simple reason: there’s no enclosed passenger compartment, seat belt, or airbag standing between the rider and the impact. Injuries we commonly see in these cases include:
- Broken and fractured bones
- Road rash and severe skin injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord and back injuries
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Crush injuries
- Amputations
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Fatal injuries
These injuries can reach into every part of a person’s life, from the ability to work and provide for a family to the ability to do the things they used to enjoy without pain or limitation. A claim needs to account for that full impact of the accident, not just the line items on a hospital bill.
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What Compensation May Be Available After a Motorcycle Accident?
The compensation available in a given case depends entirely on the losses the accident actually caused. There’s no flat payout attached to a particular type of crash or injury. Depending on the facts, damages that may be available include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Motorcycle repair or replacement
- Other damaged property or riding gear
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Permanent disability or disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Wrongful death damages when applicable
Because these categories cover both hard costs and harder-to-quantify losses, building a complete claim usually requires documentation from multiple sources, including medical providers, employers, and sometimes financial or vocational experts.
What Florida Motorcycle Laws Could Affect My Accident Claim?
A few Florida statutes come up regularly in motorcycle accident cases, and they’re worth understanding before you deal with an insurance adjuster.
- Helmet and eye protection requirements. Florida law requires most riders to wear protective headgear, though riders 21 and older may ride without a helmet if they carry at least $10,000 in medical benefits coverage for injuries from a motorcycle crash. Eye protection is required for anyone operating a motorcycle, regardless of age or insurance. Helmet use can become a contested issue when an insurer argues the absence of a helmet made head injuries worse than they otherwise would have been.
- Lane splitting. Florida law is direct on this point: motorcycles may not be operated between lanes of traffic or between adjacent rows of vehicles. Insurers sometimes point to alleged lane splitting, even when it wasn’t actually a factor in the crash, to argue the rider contributed to the collision.
What Should I Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Hollywood?
What you do in the hours and days after a crash can affect both your health and your ability to recover compensation later. Useful steps to take after a motorcycle accident include:
- Get emergency medical care when necessary and be evaluated for injuries, even if you feel okay at first
- Report the accident to law enforcement
- Exchange information with the other driver involved
- Photograph the scene, motorcycle, other vehicles, road conditions, and visible injuries if possible
- Get contact information from any witnesses
- Preserve the motorcycle, helmet, and riding gear rather than repairing or disposing of them right away
- Keep medical bills, records, wage-loss documentation, and related receipts
- Be cautious about giving recorded statements or speculating about fault to an insurance adjuster
- Contact a Hollywood motorcycle accident attorney while evidence is still available
That last point about preserving the motorcycle and gear is worth emphasizing. Insurers sometimes move quickly to inspect or total out a damaged bike, and once it’s repaired, sold, or scrapped, key evidence about how the crash happened can be gone for good. The same goes for surveillance footage, which many businesses only retain for a short window before it’s overwritten.
Hollywood Motorcycle Accident FAQs
How Long Do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit in Florida?
Florida generally allows two years to file a negligence lawsuit. Wrongful death claims are also generally subject to a two-year period. It’s important to note that certain circumstances, such as cases that involve government entities, are subject to different procedural requirements or shorter notice deadlines, so it’s important to speak with an attorney promptly to understand the deadline that applies to you.
How Much Is My Hollywood Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?
There’s no average settlement amount or fixed formula that applies to every motorcycle accident case. Value depends on a combination of factors, including:
- The severity and permanence of your injuries
- Medical expenses and anticipated future care
- Lost income and future earning losses
- The non-economic impact of the injuries on your daily life
- The strength of the liability evidence
- Your percentage of fault, if any
- The insurance coverage actually available to pay a claim
Generally speaking, more serious and permanent injuries create greater losses and may support a higher-value claim. But injury severity alone doesn’t determine what a case is worth. A serious injury paired with weak liability evidence or limited insurance coverage can still result in a lower recovery than expected, which is why a full review of the facts matters before anyone puts a number on a case.
What If the Driver Who Hit Me Does Not Have Enough Insurance?
Florida doesn’t require drivers to carry bodily injury liability coverage, which means the at-fault driver in your crash may not have enough insurance, or any insurance at all, to cover your losses. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, if you carry it on your own auto or motorcycle policy, can help fill that gap by paying for losses the at-fault driver’s insurance doesn’t cover.
How Much Does a Hollywood Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Cost?
Levin Litigation handles motorcycle accident cases on a contingency fee basis. That means there’s no upfront attorney fee to hire our firm. We’re paid an agreed percentage of your recovery only if we obtain compensation on your behalf. We also offer a free consultation to discuss your accident and help you understand your options before you decide how to move forward.
Do You Have a Hollywood, FL Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Near Me?
Levin Litigation represents injured riders throughout Hollywood and the surrounding Broward County communities from our office at 6100 Hollywood Blvd, Ste 520, Hollywood, FL 33024. Whether your crash happened on a busy stretch of Hollywood Boulevard, near I-95, or anywhere else in the area, our firm is positioned to investigate your case, communicate with local insurers, and pursue the compensation you’re entitled to. Reach out to our team directly to discuss the details of your accident and how we can help.
Speak With a Hollywood Motorcycle Crash Attorney Today
Your injuries are only one part of what makes a motorcycle accident claim complicated. Disputes over fault, motorcycle-specific insurance rules, the availability of coverage, the risk of lost evidence, and an insurer’s attempts to shift blame onto the rider can all shape the outcome of your case.
Levin Litigation can investigate the crash, deal with the insurance companies on your behalf, document the full scope of your losses, and pursue the compensation the facts support. If you or someone you love was hurt in a motorcycle accident in Hollywood, reach out for a free consultation. There’s no fee unless we recover compensation for you.
