With such little protection, motorcyclists are much more likely to suffer serious injuries in an accident than occupants of other kinds of motor vehicles. If you suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your injuries.
Did you suffer injuries in an auto accident involving a motorcycle? Call a motorcycle accident lawyer serving Savannah, GA from George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers at (912) 225-4600 for a free consultation.
Establishing Liability for Your Injuries in a Motorcycle Accident
If a vehicle strikes your motorcycle, our attorneys will investigate to determine if the driver of the vehicle was negligent. In order to prove the other driver’s negligence and successfully argue your claim, we must prove the “four elements” of negligence:
- Duty – That the at-fault driver owed you a duty of care. Drivers owe other motorists, including motorcyclists, a duty to drive in a safe manner and not cause injuries.
- Breach – That the at-fault driver breached their duty of care. For example, the driver disregarded traffic laws or was driving recklessly when they caused your accident.
- Causation – That the at-fault driver’s actions caused your accident, and that the accident caused you to suffer damage of some kind.
- Damages – The legal term for the losses and experiences that you went through because of the accident. There are many different types of damages that can be claimed in a motorcycle accident case, including medical bills, lost wages, property damage, pain, and suffering.
Motorcycle Accidents Caused by a Collision with a Vehicle
Motorcycle accidents occur for many different reasons, but especially in situations with other vehicles. Some of the most common causes that we see are situations where:
- The at-fault driver was speeding and did not see the motorcycle in time to avoid the accident.
- The at-fault driver of the vehicle was distracted for any number of reasons, including situations where the driver was talking on the phone, texting, or checking a GPS.
- The at-fault driver was following your motorcycle too closely. A rear-end collision can knock a motorcyclist off his or her motorcycle or cause the motorcyclist to lose their balance and fall.
- The at-fault driver failed to check his or her blind spot or failed to activate a turn signal before entering a lane occupied by a motorcyclist.
- The driver of a parked vehicle opened their door into the roadway, either striking the motorcyclist or causing the motorcyclist to strike them as they passed by.
Effect of Your Fault for the Motorcycle Accident
Georgia is a comparative negligence state, meaning that you must prove that another individual was more than 50% at fault for your collision in order to recover money for your injuries.
If you suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident, contact a motorcycle accident lawyer at George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers. Our lawyers will investigate your accident, talk to witnesses, collect footage from any available traffic camera, and gather results from blood or breath alcohol tests. Let us go to work on your case today to make sure that all the evidence you need before it’s lost for good.
Getting Compensation for Your Injuries in a Motorcycle Accident
People involved in a motorcycle collision can suffer from extremely severe injuries, including:
- Head injuries: Georgia law requires a motorcyclist to wear a helmet. Even when wearing a helmet, traumatic brain injuries can occur when your head hits the pavement.
- Leg injuries: Your motorcycle may fall on your leg.
- Wrist and arm injuries: You may break your wrist or arm trying to brace yourself when you fall.
- Road rash: You may suffer lacerations to your arms and other parts of your body if you slide across the pavement. Tissue can be torn from the skin, causing permanent scarring or disfigurement.
You can recover the following damages for your injuries in a motorcycle accident:
- Medical expenses: You can get your past and future medical expenses paid. This includes any rehabilitation costs or lifetime care expenses made necessary by your injuries.
- Lost wages: You can recover compensation for missed work. This includes the time you miss for doctors’ appointments.
- Lost earning capacity: If you cannot return to your job or a job paying the same wage, you can recover the difference in what you earned before the accident and what you can earn after the accident.
- Pain and suffering: Let our attorneys know how bad you hurt, how long the pain lasts, and how often you hurt.
- Emotional distress: You may suffer from anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder after the accident.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: You may not be able to participate in sports or hobbies that you enjoyed before the accident.
- Wrongful death and survival: If a loved one passed away in a motorcycle accident, you may be eligible to recover a payout through a wrongful death and survival action.
Although you usually have two years in Georgia to file a personal injury lawsuit, there are situations where this time period can be even shorter. The sooner you call, the sooner our attorneys can start to work toward getting you the money that you deserve for your injuries. If you were hurt in a motorcycle accident, contact a motorcycle accident lawyer serving Savannah, GA at George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers as soon as possible for a free consultation.
Settling Your Lawsuit for Injuries in a Motorcycle Accident
Our attorneys will negotiate with the insurance company to get you fair compensation for your injuries, your lost wages, and your pain and suffering. While most cases settle out of court, sometimes the insurance company refuses to negotiate in good faith and we are unable to reach a reasonable settlement agreement. In these cases, we can file your case and fight for your rights in the courtroom in front of a judge and jury.
If you suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident, call a motorcycle accident lawyer serving Savannah, GA from George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers at (912) 225-4600 for a free consultation.