Riding a motorcycle is inevitably a dangerous business. According to a recent report commissioned by the government, motorcyclists account for only 1% of all road traffic accidents in the UK, but yet 19% of the total number of fatalities comes from motorbike riders. As a result they are estimated to be around 40% more likely to be involved in a road traffic accident or a pedestrian accident than car owners.
Often when an accident does occur a motorcyclist is far more likely to suffer serious injury such as spinal problems, paralysis, broken bones and even brain damage. This is with protective gear and a regulation crash helmet. The main issue is that in many cases, the motorcyclist may not even be to blame. In fact statistics have shown that in the UK today when a motorcycle has been involved in an accident they are held liable in as many as 8 out of 10 cases.
If you’re faced with this situation and you truly believe that you are not at fault then you may want to contact an experienced UK motorbike accident lawyer. A skilled lawyer should have a good understanding of motorcycle accident law and as a result, will know exactly what to do in order to deliver the right verdict for their client. The trouble is that there are so many law firms out there, so how do you know which one is going to best serve you?
Seek out Specialists
Firstly it’s advisable to seek out specialists rather than generalists. The reason for this is that a specialist who deals only in motorcycle accident cases will have a far better understanding of the complexities of your case.
Motorcycle Riders Themselves
Whilst this isn’t true of all motorcycle accident attorneys, many of them do ride themselves. They can often sympathise with you as they may have been involved in similar situations. In addition, chances are that they’ll have a good understanding of the divide between motorists and motorcyclists and as a result, will feel better positioned to represent a client.
It’s important to find a lawyer who operates on a no win no fee policy. This means that the representing lawyer will only take on your case if they have a strong notion that you will win. If the case doesn’t look promising, then they won’t take it on. On top of this, from the client’s perspective, there are no up-front costs to pay and the lawyer only gets paid if the case is successful. This normally comes in the form of a percentage of the award. Therefore the client is never at any time financially out of pocket.
Check Out Credentials
Any decent motorcycle accident attorney worth their salt should be able to show credentials as well as testimonials from previous similar cases that they’ve won. Any lawyer that can’t show testimonials of previous cases represented probably isn’t the lawyer to be representing you. Check websites and if in doubt don’t be afraid to ask questions. The lawyer should be open and transparent enough to answer any questions that you may have. Again if they’re not forthcoming with a reasonable answer, then you may want to seek other representation. The right motorcycle lawyer can help you to achieve speedy closure to an otherwise stressful and costly situation, so it really pays to choose wisely. Click here to make a motorcycle accident claim today.