A motorcycle accident injury will change your life forever. Since motorcycles don’t have seat belts, airbags, or other protective equipment, motorcyclists are at risk of serious injuries each time they go for a ride. However, if your accident was the fault of a negligent driver, then you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries.
Suppose your motorcycle accident leads to long-term hospital care, or you require several surgeries and months of physical therapy to get well again. In that case, you’re going to accrue some serious medical bills.
What if you cannot return to work and have no income to support yourself and your family? The Augusta motorcycle accident attorneys from T. Madden & Associates, P.C. can be of assistance. You don’t have to deal with your motorcycle accident alone.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
Since motorcycles are fast and powerful, law enforcement and insurance companies often blame motorcyclists if they get into an accident. Generally, most motorcyclists are defensive and courteous drivers. If there’s an accident, your motorcycle accident lawyer can get to work investigating the causes of your accident.
Often, car drivers lose sight of motorcyclists. If they’re driving negligently, then they’re legally liable for your Augusta motorcycle accident injuries according to Georgia fault laws. Driver negligence may cause accidents in the following situations:
- Changing lanes without signaling or checking blind spots
- Cutting off a motorcycle making a turn
- Distracted driving
- Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Driving too fast for the road conditions
- Reckless driving
If you are in an accident, don’t be surprised if the other driver tries to blame you. Many at-fault drivers claim they didn’t see incoming motorcyclists. That’s why it can be of utter importance to secure legal representation from an experienced personal injury law specialist for your motorcycle accident claim.
According to personal injury traffic laws, the plaintiff has to prove negligence before recovering compensation. Augusta, GA motorcyclists have the same rights on the road as other drivers. That’s why injured riders are protected under the law when they have a motorcycle accident in Augusta.
Georgia Motorcycle Accidents
There were 179 motorcyclist fatalities in 2020. In 2019, motorcyclists represented 11% of total traffic fatalities and 21% of total driver fatalities, according to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. Motorcycles represent only 2% of registered vehicles in Georgia but represented 11% of all traffic fatalities in 2019.
In 2019, there were 3,948 motorcycle crashes statewide and a total of 4,269 motorcyclists involved in crashes. The fact sheet found that for every 100,000 registered motorcycles, there were 1,941.5 motorcycle crashes. The Georgia Department of Transportation reported a total of 337,797 motor vehicle accidents in 2020.
Georgia motorcycle accidents can be much more serious than your typical car accident. Serious motorcycle crashes have also become much more common. Between 2017 and 2019, the number of motorcycle fatalities in Georgia increased by 22%, and 83% of motorcyclists involved in crashes were helmeted.
Total motorcycle-related hospitalization and emergency room charges were $221 million. A motorcycle injury can be costly; that’s why our personal injury law firm attests that it’s worth sitting down with T. Madden & Associates, P.C. for a free consultation if you’re interested in recovering maximum compensation.
Augusta Motorcycle Accident Danger
When riding a motorcycle, there’s not much of a barrier between you, other cars, and the road. This lack of protection can mean serious injury when you’re involved in an accident, especially with a passenger vehicle. Cars and trucks have a barrier and extensive safety features to protect passengers. Most motorcycle riders wear protective gear, but motorcycle accidents can still lead to severe injury.
A motorcycle collision can give a rider head trauma, neck injuries, pain and suffering, and more. Negligent drivers of passenger vehicles can be held responsible in civil court. Our Augusta motorcycle accident lawyers can help you get fair compensation. Sit down with an accident lawyer for a no-obligation consultation today.
Augusta Motorcycle Accident Claim
Motorcycle accident victims are more likely to suffer permanent disabilities in a wreck. An insurance adjuster may try to give you a quick, lowball offer to pacify you. That is because the insurance company’s goal is to make as much money as possible by withholding as much as possible. That’s why T. Madden & Associates, P.C. is a law firm dedicated to pursuing accident claims as far as we can for the accident victim.
If you’re an injured motorcycle rider, your access to a fair settlement will largely depend on the following factors:
- If you can work while you recover
- Changes to your quality of life
- The nature, severity, and permanence of your injuries
- What percentage were you at fault for the accident?
- Will you be able to return to work?
Every personal injury lawyer is a different experience because each personal injury case is different. T. Madden & Associates, P.C. motorcycle accident lawyers can assist you if your accident occurred in Augusta or one of the nearby counties. An Augusta motorcycle accident attorney may prove useful when it’s time to litigate your personal injury claim.
When someone else is deemed legally responsible for your crash, you are entitled to recover compensation for your economic and non-economic losses. Punitive damages can also be available in certain cases of gross negligence.
Economic damages include:
- Lost wages and income
- Medications and medical devices
- Past and future medical bills, including ER visits, hospital stays, and doctor’s visits
- Reduced earning potential
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
Non-economic damages include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Diminished quality of life
- Disfigurement
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Scarring
If you lost a family member in a fatal motorcycle accident, our law firm can help you recover the damages you’re entitled to for wrongful death. An Augusta motorcycle accident attorney can help recover your funeral and burial costs, loss of financial support, loss of consortium, and more as wrongful death damages.
Georgia Comparative Negligence
Motorcycle accidents aren’t always easy to decipher. That could be because sometimes more than one party shares fault for an accident. However, you could still be entitled to compensation even if you share responsibility for your motorcycle crash. Speak with a motorcycle accident lawyer first, before deciding if you’re eligible for damages.
Georgia has modified comparative negligence rules. This means that victims may recover damages if they are less than 49% at fault. However, those damages are reduced according to your percentage of fault.
Insurance Companies and Liability
Insurers may try to blame you for your accident injuries, so they’re off the hook for having to compensate you. An insurance company may assert that you were lane splitting, violated GA’s helmet laws, or your failure to wear protective gear led to your accident. Our law firm is prepared to assist you no matter what they claim.
Augusta motorcycle accident lawyers are trained with the knowledge necessary to investigate, negotiate, and litigate motorcycle accidents. Your August motorcycle accident lawyer’s skill could make a huge difference in the outcome of your case. For more information about how we determine your role in the crash, contact our adept personal injury law firm in Augusta today.
How an Augusta Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Help You
An Augusta motorcycle accident lawyer will assist in dealing with the insurance company, checking medical records, investigating your claim, and negotiating your settlement. Insurers may contact you soon after the crash to get a compromising statement from you or trick you into accepting their lowest offer.
Motorcyclists are often accused by insurance companies of having contributed to or caused their crashes. This even occurs when the evidence indicates that the other driver was at fault. When you’re represented by a skillful Augusta motorcycle accident lawyer, insurers take you more seriously and your attorney can handle all negotiations.
T. Madden & Associates, P.C. will conduct a thorough and exhaustive investigation of the accident details to determine the cause of your collision. Once we collect the evidence needed to prove the other driver’s fault, we will identify each liable party and work to hold them accountable in civil court.
Georgia Motorcycle Accident FAQs
Sitting down with T. Madden & Associates, P.C. for a free no-obligation consultation is one of the fastest ways to get all of your motorcycle accident questions answered. Or you can continue reading for some of the most frequently asked questions we get about Georgia motorcycle accidents:
What happens if my accident was caused by a dangerous road condition?
Motorcycles are more exposed to roadway defects like potholes and spills. A government entity could be liable for damages when roadway defects cause devastating accidents with motorcycles.
The accident victim will need to prove that a state or local agency was responsible for maintaining the roadway but failed to make the necessary improvements. Claims against governmental entities in Georgia must be filed within six months under the Georgia Tort Claims Act and statute of limitations. Failing to do so could lead to a forfeiture of your right to sue.
What is a biker’s arm injury?
Biker’s arm occurs when a biker extends and positions their arm to brace for impact or cushion their fall. This term describes the resulting nerve damage from these reflexive reactions. The nerve damage happens to the median, radial, or ulnar nerves in the arm.
Some common symptoms of biker’s arm include:
- Loss of control of the shoulder, arm, elbow, hand, or fingers
- Muscle weakness in the shoulder, arm, elbow, hand, or fingers
- Numbness or tingling in the shoulder, arm, elbow, hand, or fingers
If you’ve suffered a biker’s arm injury due to the negligence of another driver or entity, a personal injury law attorney can be of assistance. These injuries can be nagging and persistent, so securing damages and professional healthcare services can help you to make a full recovery.
Is a motorcycle allowed to pass cars by riding between two lanes?
Georgia traffic laws apply equally to motorcycles, cars, and other vehicles. GA laws prohibit car drivers from interfering with another’s lane of travel without yielding the right of way. Also, Georgia specifically prohibits motorcycles from overtaking and passing a vehicle in the same lane.
That means a motorcycle rider cannot attempt to bypass traffic by lane splitting or driving between two lanes of traffic moving in the same direction. This is often seen at stoplights and doesn’t apply to law enforcement officers.
How can a motorcycle rider avoid an accident or injury?
The following safety tips can help motorcycle riders avoid an accident or minimize accident injuries:
- Always inspect the bike’s lights, tires, and fluids before riding
- Plan your ride ahead
- Ride defensively
- Wear appropriate clothing
- Wear a helmet and eye protection
If riding in a group, the following safety tips can be useful:
- Adopt a buddy system
- Communicate while riding using agreed-upon hand signals
- Leave ample room just in case
- Plan and organize the ride beforehand
- Stagger the riders and avoid riding two abreast