Payouts for bicycle accident settlements can range from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of dollars. There is no single average figure, as individual settlements depend on a number of factors, such as the severity of the injuries and the degree of fault.
If you have recently been injured in a bicycle accident in Washington, you should speak to an Olympia bicycle accident lawyer from NextLaw. A lawyer can help you calculate your losses and give you an estimate of any potential settlement amounts.
Factors That Impact Bicycle Accident Settlements in Washington
Every bicycle accident case is different, so it’s impossible to predict exact amounts without looking at the specific details.
General factors that will influence amounts include the following:
Injury Severity
All other things being equal, the more severe your injuries, the larger the settlement.
For instance, a settlement for a spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury would generally generate more money than one for a broken wrist or sprained ankle. More severe injuries require more extensive medical treatment and longer recovery times.
Severe injuries may also cause permanent disability that has long-term impacts on your quality of life.
Medical Bills
Coverage for medical bills is a significant portion of bicycle accident settlements.
Compensable medical expenses include emergency stabilizing treatment, surgeries, hospitalization, follow-up outpatient care, rehabilitative therapy, prescription medications, ambulance costs, and medical devices.
You need to keep meticulous track of all your medical expenses, or else you won’t be able to get compensation for them.
Insurance Limits
Liability insurance policies have a policy limit, which is the maximum amount the policy will pay out for injuries. For instance, a $500,000 liability policy will pay out a maximum of $500,000 for injuries after an accident.
If a judgment exceeds the policy limits, the at-fault party may be personally responsible for the remaining balance.
Lost Wages and Reduced Earning Potential
You can also recover compensation for any earnings you lost on account of missing work. This includes any hourly pay or salary and accrued benefits, such as PTO and vacation time.
If your injuries require you to switch to lower-paying work or stop working entirely, a settlement can compensate for the difference in your expected lifetime earnings.
Miscellaneous Injury Expenses
The severe injuries of a bicycle accident can necessitate a number of one-time or recurring costs.
For instance, you may need to pay for alternate transportation while your bike is repaired. Alternatively, your injuries may require you to pay for housekeeping or childcare services while you recover.
You should keep track of all these expenses so you can demand compensation for them in a bicycle accident lawsuit.
Non-Economic Losses
Washington also allows you to recover financial compensation for your psychological and intangible losses caused by the accident. These losses may include pain and suffering, emotional distress, and the mental anguish associated with your injuries.
Typically, non-economic losses are calculated as a multiple of your total explicit economic losses, like medical bills and lost income.
Quality of Legal Representation
Although not a direct factor in settlements, having an attorney on your side can help you secure a larger amount.
An attorney can provide leverage during insurance negotiations and push back against attempts to downplay or minimize your injuries. A lawyer can also help you pursue a formal lawsuit against the insurance company, which can result in substantially higher awards than a settlement.
For a free legal consultation, call (253) 238-2558
How Comparative Negligence in Washington Affects Bicycle Accident Settlement Amounts
In Washington, comparative negligence laws allow you to recover financial compensation after a bicycle accident, even if you are partially responsible. The catch is that any financial compensation you receive will be reduced based on your percentage of fault.
For example, if you were 30% responsible and your total losses were $100,000, your final award would be $70,000. Washington specifically uses a pure comparative negligence system, so there’s no fault threshold over which you can’t make an injury claim. Even if you were 99% responsible, you could still recover that remaining 1% of damages.
Of course, the structure of this system means you need to minimize your fault as much as possible to maximize your recovery. A bicycle accident lawyer can present arguments and evidence in a way to reduce your shared liability and recover as much money as legally allowed.
How to Maximize Your Bicycle Accident Claim
Below are some useful tips from a bicycle accident lawyer on how you can increase your chances of receiving a larger settlement:
- Keep track of all expenses and receipts from purchases related to your injuries. You need proof of your financial losses to recover them in a settlement.
- Similarly, keep tabs on how much work you have missed, including total lost hours and expected bonuses, commissions, or tips.
- Get as much medical documentation of your injuries as you can. This includes intake paperwork, doctors’ notes, lab reports, diagnostic results, discharge information, and hospital bills.
- Don’t accept the first settlement offer you receive. The odds are that your attorney can negotiate a higher counteroffer.
- Contact an attorney early to start building a case. The sooner you talk to a lawyer, the sooner you can receive your payments.
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Call Dan Next to Speak to an Olympia Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Do you have any more questions about average bicycle accident settlement amounts? If so, Call Dan Next! Contact NextLaw online or call us by phone today to discuss your case with an Olympia personal injury lawyer.
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