Atlanta Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Aggressive Atlanta Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Ready To Fight For You

Motorcyclists make up more than ten percent of traffic accident fatalities in Georgia, and the number has been increasing rapidly in recent years.  Accidents that occur in Atlanta, GA make up a large percentage of these accidents because of the city’s high population and heavy traffic.  The stretch of I-75 that passes through the Atlanta, Georgia area has been listed as one of the nation’s ten deadliest roads, and Interstate 20 and Interstate 16 aren’t far behind. If you were a victim of a motorcycle accident, reach out to our Atlanta motorcycle accident attorneys now.

What Our Lawyers Can Do for You

Retaining a highly-skilled Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyer at T. Madden & Associates, P.C. after an accident can help you in several ways, including:

• Insurance companies tend to become noticeably more cooperative once they discover that you have hired an experienced motor vehicle accident law firm to represent you – especially if it is T. Madden & Associates, P.C.
• You can leave the legal wrangling to us while you focus on recovering your health. All major case decisions are still yours to make, of course.
• Our Atlanta motorcycle accident attorney will investigate the scene of the accident, interview witnesses, collect and organize evidence, communicate with the insurance company, negotiate your claim, and even file a lawsuit and go to court, if necessary.
• Our Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyers will advise you on how to avoid common mistakes that could damage or even kill your claim.

T. Madden & Associates, P.C. has won tens of millions of dollars for their personal injury clients over the years, including several seven-figure recoveries. Speak with our trusted Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyers. Don’t settle for less than what you deserve.

Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

Some of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents are also common causes of car accidents, while others are unique to motorcycles. Following is a shortlist of some of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents in particular.

• A vehicle makes a left turn in front of you. This is by far the most common cause of motorcycle accidents.
• Lane splitting: Lane splitting, where the motorcyclist drives between lanes of traffic, is illegal in every state except California. Unfortunately, it is a common cause of motorcycle accidents, because the vehicle you share the lane with might not even realize you are there.
• Someone opens a car door in your path. This is particularly common when a taxi stops to let out a passenger and the passenger exits into the street.
• Dangerous road conditions. Something as seemingly innocuous as gravel on the road can lay your motorcycle down, with potentially fatal consequences. Ice and sleet also represent particular dangers.
• Sudden stops: A sudden stop that would result in a minor rear-end collision for an automobile can send you flying over the car ahead of you and onto the hard concrete below.

The foregoing represents only a few of the many possible causes of motorcycle accidents. Speak with our experienced Atlanta motorcycle accident attorneys for more information.

Client Testimonial

No words can express the gratitude that I have for T. Madden & Associates, P.C.  Thanks for making such an unfortunate experience not so much of a headache.  No questions or concerns were left unanswered and everything was handled in a timely and professional manner.  I also wanted to extend a special thank you to my legal assistant, Elexis Cummings, for going the extra mile to make sure nothing was left undone.  Thanks so much for everything you all have done. I sincerely trust you guys.

— La Toya Denise

Other Kinds of Cases We Handle

At T. Madden & Associates, P.C., we practice all forms of injury legal matters, including:

• Medical Negligence and Malpractice: Most doctors are competent professionals who do their best to serve their patients. Nevertheless, even these doctors sometimes make serious mistakes, and some doctors make far more than their share.  When this happens, justice demands full compensation.
• Slip and Fall Accidents: You can be seriously injured in a slip and fall accident if, for example, you fall down in a commercial establishment because an employee forgot to erect a “Wet Floor” sign after mopping, or because an escalator malfunctioned. Slip and fall claims are among the most common of all personal injury claims.
• Negligent Security: The owner of an establishment that welcomes guests, such as a mall or a parking structure, is obligated to take reasonable steps to protect them against foreseeable harm. In some cases, this obligation includes posting cameras or security guards on the premises. If security measures are inadequate and someone gets hurt, the property owner is likely to be responsible.
• Wrongful Death Claim: Maybe your loved one was killed by a drunk driver, or maybe he or she died due to cancer that was not diagnosed as early as it should have been. Either way, a wrongful death occurred, and it can trigger a civil lawsuit, even if criminal charges are never filed.
• Auto Vehicle Accidents: Over the next hour, 70 Georgians will be involved in an auto accident. Your personal odds are about one car accident every ten years.  If the accident seriously injured you and was someone else’s fault, you are entitled to full compensation.
• Semi-Trucking Accidents: A truck rolling down the highway rivals a missile in its destructive power. The bad news is that injuries caused by truck accidents tend to be serious.  The good news is that truckers are almost always heavily insured.
• DUI Accidents: DUI accidents are among the most avoidable of all accidents, and you can win a civil claim against an intoxicated driver who injured you, even if no criminal charges are filed. You might even be eligible for punitive damages.
• Dog Attacks: A dog is a man’s best friend – except when he is our worst enemy, which isn’t most of the time. Dog bites are incredibly common, and they often occur despite the fact that the owner had reason to know that his dog was aggressive.  Typically, homeowners’ insurance policies cover dog bite liability.
• Nursing Home Negligence and Abuse: Nothing infuriates most people, including us, more than nursing home abuse and neglect, because this type of wrong is directed against the most vulnerable members of society. Both employees and the nursing home itself can be held liable.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How are motorcycle accidents different from car accidents?

Statistically, they are far deadlier – especially if the rider does not wear a helmet.  Unlike an automobile, a motorcyclist enjoys almost no frame protection, and a high-speed accident can send his body flying for dozens of yards.  Additionally, motorcycles are harder to see than automobiles, and accidents often occur when motorists simply fail to notice them.

What should I do after a motor vehicle accident?

The first step is to contact an ambulance if there is even a chance that you have been injured. Some head injuries, for example, are not apparent at first.  Moreover, immediate medical attention can provide you with the evidence you need to win a personal injury claim.  As soon as you can, contact a seasoned Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyer to help you win your claim.

Do I have to wear a helmet to operate a motorcycle?

The Georgia motorcycle helmet law requires that everyone, including passengers, wear a helmet that complies with certain standards set by the state Department of Transportation.  You must also either install a windshield on your motorcycle or use protective eyewear.

I was not wearing a helmet at the time of my accident.  Can I still file a claim against the driver who caused the accident?

Yes, you can still sue the at-fault driver.  You may end up with reduced damages, however.  What a court will likely do, is determine the extent of the injuries you would likely have suffered if you had been wearing a helmet, and award you damages based on these hypothetical injuries rather than your actual injuries.  If most of your claim is based on a head injury, you could lose most of your damages.

I was hit when a car turned left in front of me. Do I need a lawyer?

Yes, you do.  If your accident was caused by a motorist turning left in front of you, you have a good chance of victory with skilled legal assistance supporting you.  An automobile must yield to an approaching motorcyclist just as they would be obligated to yield to an approaching automobile.  Failure to do so can justify a personal injury claim if an injury accident results.

When should I contact an attorney after an accident?

You should contact Atlanta motorcycle accident attorneys soon after your accident. Georgia has a statute of limitations of two years for personal injury cases. This means that if you don’t file a lawsuit within two years of your accident date, the court will throw out your case. Our Atlanta motorcycle accident injury lawyers need time to negotiate with your insurance company to try to reach a settlement before filing suit, so time is of the essence. Contact our Atlanta motorcycle accident law firm as soon as you are able.

Do I really need to see a doctor after my accident?

Yes, you do, even if you believe you weren’t injured.  Some injuries, particularly certain types of head injuries and soft tissue injuries, may not produce symptoms until days after the accident.  The last thing you need is for the insurance company to question the seriousness of your injury due to your delay in seeking medical treatment.

Is lane splitting legal in Georgia?

Lane-splitting is riding a motorcycle on the lane separation lines, a tactic that is often employed by motorcyclists to thread their way through a traffic jam.  It is illegal in Georgia. If you were lane-splitting at the time of the accident, the accident might be blamed on you rather than the other driver (but only if it caused the accident).  It is also legal for you and another motorcycle rider to share a single lane riding side-by-side.

Will the insurance company monitor my social media profiles?

There is a fairly good chance they will, and this chance increases dramatically the more money you are claiming.  Don’t comment or upload material that might damage your claim, and always remember that insurance companies are good at twisting any information you provide them to their own advantage.

What if the accident was partially my fault?

If the accident was partly your fault, a court will assign fault between you and the defendant.

• If your degree of fault was at least 50 percent, your claim will be dismissed.
• If the accident was more than 50 percent of the defendant’s fault, you will receive a recovery based on the amount of your actual damages, minus a percentage that is equal to your percentage of fault. If you were 25 percent at fault, for example, you will receive 75 percent of your damages.

Will you take my case to trial?

We will do whatever it takes to get you maximum compensation. If that means taking your case to trial, our elite Atlanta motorcycle accident attorneys are prepared to do that–we have helped injured clients recover millions in compensation. However, most of the time, we can achieve desirable compensation amounts without putting you through the stress of a trial. Nationwide statistics indicate that around 95% of pending lawsuits settle before going to trial. Our Atlanta motorcycle collision lawyers will use our decades of experience negotiating settlements to attempt to resolve your claim quickly and fairly while letting the insurance company know that we are prepared to proceed to trial if needed.

We Either Win Your Claim, or We Work for Free

Our Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyers charge no upfront fees, and you will never owe us any money, ever, unless we win your claim.  You might wonder how we can afford to stay in business this way.  It’s not difficult when you win as often as we do–which is almost all of the time.

Contact our attorneys as soon as possible after your accident.  You can speak with a highly experienced Atlanta motorcycle accident attorney at T. Madden & Associates, P.C. by telephone, by email at tmadden@tmaddenlaw.com, or through our online contact page.  We can set up a free, confidential case consultation to listen to your story and evaluate your claim.  We serve personal injury clients in Home Park,  Edgewood, Glenrose Heights, and in neighboring communities in Atlanta.  Our attorneys also take cases elsewhere in Ge