Motorcycle Loss of Use
Get Paid for the Loss of Use of your Motorcycle after an Accident
If your motorcycle is deemed repairable after a motorcycle accident, not only are you entitled to demand that the other driver's insurance company pay for its diminished value (if it suffered significant damage), but you are also entitled to be paid for the loss of use of your motorcycle during the time it is in the shop being repaired.
If your motorcycle is deemed a total loss after an accident, you are entitled to loss of use compensation for the length of time it took to receive the total loss check. You can only make a loss of use claim against the other driver's insurance. You cannot make a loss of use claim under your own insurance policy.
How is Loss of Use of a Motorcycle Calculated?
Under California law, the measure of damages for loss of use of a vehicle is its reasonable rental value or the cost of renting a similar substitute vehicle. Even if you don't rent a replacement vehicle, you are entitled to loss of use damages. A rental motorcycle can cost about $100 to $150 per day.
What that means is: even if you don't rent a motorcycle, you may be entitled to $100 to $150 per day for each day that your motorcycle is in the shop being repaired, or, if your motorcycle was totaled, for the length of time it takes the insurance company to get you a total loss check.
Insurance Companies won't tell you about your Right to be Paid for Loss of Use
The other driver's insurance company won't volunteer that you are entitled to pay for the loss of use of your motorcycle. You or your attorney must demand the compensation. Many personal injury attorneys frankly don't know to ask for this for their clients or don't want to be bothered because it's not worth their time. But it's the motorcycle accident victim who loses out by getting victimized a second time. This money rightfully belongs to the injured motorcyclist.
If the other driver's insurance company does offer to pay you for loss of use, they will usually only offer to pay about $20 per day, claiming that is what a rental car would have cost you. Reject this offer. The law says they have to pay you the motorcycle's reasonable rental value, which is much more than $20 per day.
At McGee, Lerer & Associates, our Long Beach personal injury lawyers routinely demand loss of use compensation for our motorcycle accident clients. We refuse to accept less than the full value of our client's loss of use claim. If it takes 83 days for the other side to pay for the total loss of our client's motorcycle, then we will demand loss of use of $8,300 ($100/day x 83 days), and we will collect it.
No Fee on Loss of Use Claims
If we also represent you on a motorcycle accident injury claim, we will waive our fee on any money we collect for you on a loss of use claim if we can settle the claim without filing a lawsuit.
Contact a Long Beach motorcycle accident attorney to discuss your right to be paid for the loss of use of your motorcycle.
Why Choose McGee, Lerer & Associates?
What Makes Us Different
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Four Convenient LocationsWe have 4 offices in Southern California - Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Monica & Long Beach
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24/7 AvailabilityWe can be available nights and weekends and come to you at the hospital or at home.
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No Fees Unless We WinIf we are unsuccessful in our efforts to recover your compensation, you owe nothing. Learn more here.
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Individual AttentionWe take the time to understand all the unique factors of your case to achieve the best results.