If you’re injured in a motorcycle accident in Washington, you could face significant medical bills, time off from work, and mounting costs. Understanding your financial options moving forward can feel confusing. Whether or not you can sue for damages depends on your case details and a few other factors, as our team from Max Meyers Law PLLC will discuss below.

Are You Able To File a Lawsuit After a Motorcycle Accident?

Yes, you can file a lawsuit after a motorcycle accident to sue for damages, but you should understand that this typically isn’t the first step. Usually, accident victims file an insurance claim first. They can then attempt to negotiate a settlement with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.

Unfortunately, insurers often work to minimize claim payouts. They may try to make you assume partial liability for the accident, downplay your injuries or damages, or deny your claim altogether. When these instances arise or when parties cannot agree on a settlement, plaintiffs often choose to file a lawsuit as the next step.

Suing for Damages Requires Proving Negligence

You can sue for damages after a motorcycle accident when you have grounds for a negligence case. This means that to pursue compensation for your accident, you must be able to identify a liable party (or parties) whose actions caused the accident and your damages. This may be another driver, a vehicle manufacturer, a government body, etc.

For example, Washington state, as with the rest of the U.S., prohibits drinking and driving. This means all drivers on the road owe a legal duty of care to maintain safe alcohol limits when they’re behind the wheel. If a driver exceeds the blood alcohol limit of 0.08% when behind the wheel, they’re breaching their duty of care.

Beyond proving a lapse in legal duty, you also must establish that the driver’s negligence directly caused your motorcycle accident. In this example, you might need to establish that the drunk driver swerved and hit you, ran a red light, or something similar. Finally, you would need to provide concrete evidence proving your damages, such as medical records.

Whether you can sue for your particular accident depends on several variables, such as the parties involved, the available evidence, and the circumstances of your accident. If you’re unsure about your legal options, consider consulting a motorcycle accident attorney.

What Damages Can You Sue For?

You can sue for various categories of damages in Washington personal injury cases. Cases often focus on compensatory damages, which include:

Economic damages: These cover monetary losses, like medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. They are quantifiable and easier to prove through receipts, medical records, and documentation.
Non-economic damages: Non-economic damages include losses like pain and suffering, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life. These aim to make up for the non-quantifiable ways that the accident impacted the plaintiff’s life. Attorneys employ various calculation methods to place numbers on these losses.

The types of compensation you can sue for ultimately depend on your damages and the details of your case.

Do You Need Help Navigating Your Motorcycle Accident Claim or Lawsuit?

Can you sue for damages after a motorcycle accident? Potentially. If you want to discuss your case with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney in Washington, call Max Meyers Law PLLC at (425) 559-9453 to schedule a consultation.

Can I Sue for Damages After a Washington Motorcycle Accident?