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You can’t go back and undo the harm another driver caused when that driver crashed into your moped. You can’t undo your injuries. However, you can protect your fair recovery by taking action, avoiding mistakes, and knowing the fair value of your potential damages.
Actions You Can Take to Protect Your Moped Accident Recovery
As you recover from injuries that you never expected to get, it can be difficult to think about what you should do. Yet, the decisions that you make can significantly impact your recovery. Accordingly, it is important to:
- Take pictures at the accident scene, if you can do so safely. Take photos of your injuries, the damage to your moped and other vehicles, road conditions, road signage, weather conditions, and anything else you can think of at the time.
- See a doctor. If you have significant injuries, then you should go to the hospital directly from the accident scene. Otherwise, you should see your own doctor as soon as possible. A prompt diagnosis can help prevent your injuries from worsening, help you manage your pain, and provide important evidence for your legal recovery.
- Follow your doctor’s advice. It isn’t enough to see a doctor. It is also important to follow your doctor’s directions so that your injury does not worsen. This means taking medication, consenting to medical procedures, and limiting your activity or work as your doctor directs. Of course, if you have any questions about your doctor’s advice, then you have the right to seek a second medical opinion or to change doctors.
- Understand your legal rights. After a moped or scooter crash, you may be able to recover financial damages if the other driver owed you a duty of care, breached the duty of care by failing to act like a reasonable driver, if you were hurt because of the other driver’s breach of the duty of care, and if you have a legal right to damages. This may seem straightforward, but it is often complicated and highly dependent on the specific facts of your case.
- Talk to an attorney. An attorney can review all of the facts of your case and make sure that your rights are protected. It won’t cost you anything to consult with a lawyer at Hupy and Abraham.
Following these steps, and recognizing mistakes that could impact your case, can help you protect your recovery.
Mistakes That Could Hurt Your Moped Injury Case
A big part of protecting your recovery after a scooter crash is avoiding mistakes. For example, you want to avoid:
- Talking to insurance companies. Insurance companies want to pay you as little as possible for your recovery and may take things that you say out of context in an effort to pay you less than they should pay you. Of course, you must communicate with the insurance company to get a settlement. However, you have the right to have your lawyer negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf so that you don’t have to worry about making a potentially costly mistake.
- File a complaint before the statute of limitations expires. In Illinois, you usually have two years to file a lawsuit. If you try to file your case after that time, you should expect that it will be dismissed and that you won’t be able to recover damages.
- Settling your claim before you know what your case is worth. Once you settle your claim, your case will be considered resolved, and you won’t recover additional compensation later. Therefore, it is important to know the full extent of your damages before you accept a settlement offer.
Avoiding these mistakes could help you as much as the proactive steps that you take to protect your recovery.
What Your Financial Recovery May Include After a Scooter Crash
If your moped accident case is successful, then you may recover compensation for your:
- Healthcare costs
- Lost income
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Pain and suffering
Additionally, your recovery could include compensation for any other damages that you can prove were caused by the accident. Your recovery should include compensation for costs that you have already incurred and costs that you reasonably believe will be incurred in the future. Expert testimony may be needed to determine the value of your future healthcare costs, lost income, physical pain, emotional suffering, and other future damages.
Don’t handle your Illinois moped or scooter accident case on your own. Our experienced lawyers are here to help you every step of the way. Please call us or reach out to us on this website to schedule a free consultation about your rights and to learn more about our Win or It’s Free Guarantee!
