A Connecticut motorcycle rider who was cut off by a teenage driver in 2012 has settled his personal injury case for $975,000.
The rider unsuccessfully swerved to avoid a collision and struck the negligent driver’s SUV going about 20-30 miles per hour.
Fortunately, there were no fatalities. However, the cyclist has already had five surgeries and is likely undergo at least one more. In addition to outstanding medical bills, he stands to lose about $400,000 in wages – not to mention the pain and suffering he sustained.
Based on the information I read, I think the personal injury settlement for this motorcycle accident might have been low.
Two points:
A lawsuit was never filed. The attorney for the motorcycle rider dealt exclusively with an insurance adjuster. The adjuster probably never offered “full value” (they rarely do). This forces the injured party to make a tough call – take the settlement offer now or wait several years for a jury trial hoping to get a better result. Always a difficult decision.
While the driver of the SUV was at fault for the accident, the rider was also issued citations for operating the motorcycle without insurance and without registration plus he did not have a motorcycle license. This certainly caused the insurance company to “discount” their settlement offer.