There are many causes of motorcycle accidents, and sometimes it is difficult to determine the exact cause, especially here in North Idaho, where climate can be a factor during certain times of the year.
That is why, once I am retained as an attorney in your case, I will conduct a close examination of the evidence collected at the crash site that may show roadway defects, intoxicated motorists, aggressive or careless drivers or simply negligent motorists that caused your motorcycle crash and injuries.
When you call our law office in Post Falls, Idaho, I will listen carefully as you describe the day of your motorcycle accident, beginning with your activities in the morning and later throughout the day. Sometimes it will be necessary to hire an expert witness who can perform such tasks as examining tire tracks, the details of the police report, the weather conditions, and the driving history of the motorist who struck you.
As a personal injury lawyer, sometimes my work can result in a fast settlement if liability is clear and the damages you, as the motorcycle accident victim, have sustained approach the policy limits of the other driver.
In other circumstances, it may be necessary to take your motorcycle injury case to trial if the opposing insurance company is being stubborn and unreasonable. After working as a prosecutor, I spent 16 years representing insurance companies in negligence cases. I know how insurance companies think and how their attorneys think. I enjoy putting my insurance experience to work for motorcycle riders who have been injured due to the negligence of others.
You deserve compensation for the time you’ve missed from work, the past and future pain and suffering you’ve endured, as well as the more obvious items such as medical bills and past and future lost wages. Although punitive damages cannot be awarded in Washington, they can in Idaho. Punitive damages are extra money that a jury can award if the motorist’s actions were extremely reckless, almost to the point of intentionally causing an injury. Even if it appears that you were partially at fault for the crash, I will work to get every penny of what it takes to get you back on your feet.
I have experience holding drunk drivers accountable for the suffering they have inflicted due to their horrible driving. When I was a prosecutor I tried cases against drunk drivers and had the judge send them to jail. But sending the offender to jail does not fully compensate the injured motorcyclist for his or her damages such as lost wages, medical bills, spinal cord injury and other injuries, and past and future pain and suffering.
That’s where my lengthy history of trying personal injury cases is an asset in every personal injury case I accept. If you or a family member has been injured or killed in a motorcycle accident due to a drunk driver, I will fight aggressively to pursue maximum monetary compensation for your injuries.
Sometimes these collisions with bikers result in the death of the biker (and his passenger). In such situations, the spouse, children, and in some cases other relatives are entitled to monetary compensation for the loss of their loved one.
Following a crash, it is imperative that you seek legal advice from an attorney who is experienced and licensed to practice law in the state where you are injured. I am licensed to practice law in both Idaho and Washington, and I handle car and motorcycle accident cases in both states.
In addition to obtaining all police or trooper reports, I will visit the accident scene to observe and document any additional factors that could have led to the motorcycle accident and any severe injury you may have sustained. In some cases, I hire an accident reconstruction expert who, having been trained in engineering, uses data such as the length of the tire skid marks, to determine how and why the crash occurred, sometimes even calculating the speed of both drivers.
My aggressive approach to represent injured persons differs from many other firms. Although most cases settle without a trial, I handle a case from the beginning as if it WILL go to trial. This approach usually results in a higher settlement because it lets the opposing insurance company know that your attorney is ready and willing to take the case to trial if necessary.
My goal is to maximize each and every client’s monetary recovery. In order to do this, I give each case individual attention. Although it is often to the advantage of the injured biker to settle the case, if the settlement offer by the insurance company is inadequate, I am prepared to take your case to trial before a jury.
When you trust the Bendell Law Firm, PLLC, with your motorcycle accident claim, I will take action immediately which will set in motion the steps to obtain maximum compensation for your injuries.
You can count on me to act aggressively, decisively and intelligently in pursuit of the payment you deserve. Unlike many larger firms that pass files on to younger, inexperienced junior attorneys, I will personally handle your case from the outset.
Specifically, here is what you can expect:
REMEMBER: Insurance adjusters, even adjusters from your own insurance company, are loyal to their employers. Although the adjuster from your insurance company has a fiduciary duty to act in your best interest, this tends to be true more in theory than in practice.
Reckless motorists are often quick to point the finger at the motorcyclist after a crash. Unfortunately, this plays up to the fact that many jurors have a prejudice against motorcycle riders. At the Bendell Law Firm, PLLC, I fight to use facts, psychology, and logic to overcome jury bias.
Even if a motorcyclist is partially at fault for the crash, I may still be able to obtain monetary damages for you under the doctrine of ‘comparative negligence.' The comparative negligence doctrine states that the driver bearing the greatest amount of fault still has to pay the injured biker a portion of the damages he has sustained.
As your attorney, I will make it my job to gather and present all evidence favoring your side of the case and fight false allegations made against you and protect you from being falsely blamed for the crash.
