How Bicycle Accident Settlements Are Calculated in Missouri

Apart from the severity of the victim's injuries, bicycle accidents are dangerous due to how expensive it can be to heal from them. Leaving physical health problems unattended will worsen them.

Fortunately, victims of a bicycle accident can recover compensation by filing a personal injury claim against the negligent party. To know if that financial support will be enough, people first need to understand how courts calculate settlements in Missouri.

This page has all the information people need about calculating settlements in the state. The benefit of knowing that is that victims can build a case strategy around that system. Doing that will help them get as much money as possible.

If the victim of a crash wants to get enough compensation to heal from severe injuries, they must hire an experienced bicycle accident attorney. They will guide them and tell them what to do to win the case. This includes handling paperwork, negotiating with the other party, and collecting evidence.

Victims looking for compensation for medical expenses in St. Louis, Missouri, should call the Powell Law Firm as soon as they can. This law firm focuses on helping families get enough money to recover from the serious injuries that come after a personal injury accident.

People interested in scheduling a free consultation with the Powell Law Firm can call it today to set everything up. They can visit its website to learn more about its services such as detailing how motorcycle accident settlements are calculated in Missouri as well.

What Can People Recover in a Personal Injury Accident?

The first thing victims need to understand about Missouri bicycle accident settlements is what they can get compensation for. This is directly related to the method courts use to calculate financial support.

After a personal injury accident, victims can get compensation for economic and non-economic damages. Here is a brief explanation of what the two of them are about:

Economic Damages

Economic damages, in a nutshell, account for all the quantifiable losses the victim went through due to the negligence of the other party. Medical bills and related expenses fall into this description.

People can get money for hospital stays, medication, surgeries, physical rehabilitation, and more. It basically includes all medical expenses victims may have to go through in the future.

Suffering a serious health problem, such as a traumatic brain injury, will keep people away from work for a long time. That means they won't have a way to get money for their treatment and basic needs. Because of that, victims can ask for financial support to cover lost wages in a personal injury claim.

Needless to say, property damage, such as bicycle repairs and replacements, represents economic damage as well. If the victim can give a clear price for what they lost and prove they lost it because of the accident, it's an economic loss.

Many things can serve as evidence when talking about economic damages. Pictures, videos, and witness statements are often good options. For health-related expenses, people usually get medical records. That's the reason lawyers tell victims to seek medical attention immediately after a crash. For more information, a St Louis bicycle accident attorney may be able to help.

Non-economic Damages

Generally, what confuses people when they recover compensation after an accident is how courts calculate non-economic damages. Why is this confusing? Because non-economic losses are unquantifiable.

Pain, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional distress are three of the most common non-economic losses in a bicycle accident. There is no way to give a price to pain and stress, or at least do it objectively.

Naturally, courts have a method to calculate the amount of money people will receive to cover serious injuries, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Depending on the state and the severity of the accident, people could get most of the compensation from non-economic losses.

It's difficult to prove the severity of unquantifiable losses. Setting emotional distress as an example, victims could use psychological evaluations as evidence in a future trial.

How Do Courts Calculate Bicycle Accident Settlements in Missouri?

The settlement in a bike accident is nothing but the total damages people suffer in the form of economic and non-economic losses. Missouri follows a pure comparative negligence system. That means that victims can pursue compensation even if they are 99% at fault for the crash.

For example, if the total damages for a bicycle accident claim are $50,0000, and the cyclist is 20% at fault for the incident, they will get $40,000. That's how bicycle accident lawsuits work in Missouri.

Many factors can affect the amount of money people will receive after a Missouri motorcycle accident. That includes the severity of the injuries, insurance coverage, and degree of fault.

It's clear what courts do to calculate quantifiable losses. Now, what do they do with non-economic damages? There are various methods available in these situations:

Multiplier Method

The first is the multiplier method. It consists of giving a multiplier to the total economic damages in an accident.

In most bicycle accident lawsuits, economic losses get a multiplier from 1.5 to 5. What determines how high that number gets is usually the severity of the injuries.

Following the example used before, if the settlement for economic losses is $50,000, and the court uses a multiplier of three, the total amount of non-economic damages would be $150,000. Hence, the victim would receive a compensation of $200,000.

In a case where economic damages are more expensive than expected, using the multiplier method will prove useful. It's the best way to maximize the amount of money the victim receives when they pursue compensation.

Per Diem Method

Sometimes, courts use the per diem method to calculate the price of physical pain and general suffering. When they go for this option, they give a dollar amount for pain and suffering and then multiply it by the number of days the victim suffers due to the accident.

Naturally, when people use the per diem method, the value of the compensation may not be that high. If the court uses a daily rate of $200 and the recovery period is 180 days, non-economic damages will be $36,000.

Using this method is especially useful when victims suffer from severe health problems, such as spinal cord injuries. Recovering from that kind of issue takes long, which ensures people receive as much money as they can.

What Is the Role of an Insurance Company in a Bicycle Accident in Missouri?

Insurance companies play a key role in personal injury accidents in the state. They will handle all claims, evaluate liability, assess damages, and negotiate settlements.

To do this, the insurance company will have to review police reports and other pieces of evidence, such as medical records, property damage, and lost wages. The insurance adjuster determines the cyclist's degree of fault, which directly affects the amount of money they will receive.

It's worth noting that personal injury claims are not the same as bicycle accident lawsuits. In the former, the insurance company determines the amount of money the victim will receive and covers their damages. As for the latter, the case goes to court, and the negligent party has to pay for what happened.

How Much Compensation Do Victims Need to Cover Severe Injuries After a Bicycle Accident?

There is not an exact average bicycle accident settlement since all cases are different from each other. The financial support victims will need to cover medical expenses depends entirely on the injuries they are going through and how expensive it will be to heal from them.

It's worth noting that the money the victim requires for medical bills includes long-term care and other factors, such as rehabilitation equipment and medication. That's what makes it important to find a lawyer who can truly prove their client needs all the support they are asking for.

If they only count emergency care, rehabilitation, medications, medical equipment, future care, and hospitalization, victims may need from $50,000 to $250,000 to cover moderate injuries. More severe health problems could cost $50,000 or even more.

Best Practices to Maximize Compensation After a Bicycle Accident

Victims trying to maximize compensation must get a full medical evaluation after the accident, even if they think they only have minor injuries. They should also keep all records, prescriptions, and bills.

Gathering strong evidence, such as photos and videos, will help too. Some victims even ask for a copy of the police report on the accident.

People involved in a bicycle accident in Missouri should never admit fault. That would highly reduce what they get in the final settlements. Victims shouldn't do anything that could be misinterpreted as accepting blame.

Lastly, the victim of a crash shouldn't give any kind of recorded statement if their lawyer is not with them at the moment.

Final Thoughts - Hire a Bicycle Accident Attorney Today!

Understanding how bicycle accident settlements are calculated in Missouri is essential for getting fair compensation after a crash. Many factors can alter the final payout.

Going through this process alone can be overwhelming, especially when dealing with insurance companies. That’s what makes hiring an experienced lawyer crucial. They will guide victims through every step, which includes handling negotiations, gathering evidence, and fighting for the maximum compensation possible.

Victims of a bicycle accident in Missouri shouldn't wait to take action. They can contact the Powell Law Firm today for a free consultation and get the legal support they need to recover fully and protect their rights.