Motorcycle accidents are often more damaging than other accidents. For many, that often means more painful injuries and higher bills if you’re involved in a crash when you’re on your motorcycle. If someone else caused your accident, you shouldn’t have to pay for their negligence.
Our personal injury lawyers in Jonesboro, GA, at John Foy & Associates understand the risks of the road. And we know how to represent you against drivers and insurance companies that may want to keep you from getting compensation. Learn more about how we can help.
Why Motorcycle Crashes Are Different from Other Accidents
Unfortunately, motorcyclists often meet different challenges and experience different treatment when on the road than other drivers might. The difference between motorcycle crashes can be obvious – there is simply less protection and visibility afforded to motorcycle riders – but differences can also be less apparent.
One reason that motorcycle accidents differ from other traffic accidents is bias. Drivers are often biased against motorcyclists–they give them less space on the road and are less forgiving in traffic.
Bias can extend beyond the road, though. Insurers and juries often let their own preconceptions cloud their judgment. They think motorcyclists take more risks and go faster than they actually do. Because of that, motorcycle riders may be found to have a higher percentage of fault in their case than other motorists.
That’s why a personal injury lawyer with experience in motorcycle accident cases is a good asset to have. We understand the challenges that motorcyclists face, and we can battle the bias against motorcycle riders to get you a fair settlement.
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What a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Jonesboro Can Do for You
After a motorcycle crash, you deserve to have someone by your side who can not only argue your case, but also investigate it to find out what really happened and who is actually at fault. Motorcycle accident attorneys do more than just argue in court. They handle your motorcycle accident claim from paperwork to payment.
Things that a motorcycle accident lawyer can do for you include:
- Investigating your crash
- Gathering evidence that you were the victim of a negligent driver
- Calculating the full scope of the damages you’re owed
- Negotiating with the other party’s lawyers and the insurance company
- Representing you in court in the rare event that your case goes to trial
In a case like yours, it’s not enough to just show that the other party did something wrong. Your lawyer will also need to show that their actions led to specific monetary damages and that they are liable to pay for those damages.
Our skilled motorcycle accident attorneys in Jonesboro, GA, know what to look for in your case. They can find details an untrained eye might not notice to show just how much you deserve in your settlement.
Damages You Can Recover for a Motorcycle Crash
When tallying up your damages, your lawyer won’t just take into account bills you’ve already paid and pain you’ve already suffered. They will also calculate what you’ll need to pay in the future, expenses like ongoing therapy or continued repairs on your vehicle, to get you everything you’re owed.
Damages in a motorcycle accident may include:
- Medical bills
- Repair costs
- Lost wages due to missed work
- Any pain or suffering due to your injuries
- Mental anguish you may have experienced during or after your accident
- Wrongful death of a loved one involved in a motorcycle accident
You may notice that some of the damages listed are not financial. How do you put a price tag on pain and suffering? In many cases, lawyers use medical bills and other economic damages to calculate how much you should receive for pain and suffering in your motorcycle accident case.
When you meet with your personal injury lawyer, they will assess your case and give you an estimate of how much compensation you may receive. Every case is different, so your settlement will be different from another settlement for a similar case.
Understanding Georgia’s Motorcycle Laws
When you make your claim, the other party may try to argue that you don’t deserve full compensation because you weren’t following Georgia’s motorcycle laws. It’s important that you do everything you can to follow traffic laws, not only for the safety of yourself and others, but also to have a strong personal injury claim if someone else causes your accident.
Some of Georgia’s most important motorcycle laws include:
- Lane splitting: It is illegal to split lanes on a motorcycle in Georgia, as well as most other states.
- Helmet laws: The Official Code of Georgia Annotated § 40-6-315 states that anyone on a motorcycle, regardless of age, must wear a helmet.
- License laws: The Georgia Department of Driver Services requires anyone operating a motorcycle to have either a Class M license or a Class M Instructional Permit.
- General traffic laws: Motorcyclists must also follow all other traffic laws that any other motorist is subject to, including posted speed limits and parking restrictions. Motorcyclists cannot park on sidewalks in Georgia.
If you fail to follow Georgia’s motorcycle laws, the other party’s lawyers may be able to argue that you were partially at fault and therefore don’t deserve full compensation. While your motorcycle accident lawyer in Jonesboro, GA, will do their best to argue in your favor, you should do your part to reduce any fault you may have in a crash.
Talk to a Motorcycle Accident Attorney in Jonesboro for Free
Motorcycle accidents can be fast-paced and frightening, and the recovery period afterward can be particularly taxing. The Jonesboro, GA, motorcycle accident lawyers at John Foy & Associates understand this and want to take some of the stress off of your shoulders. We can handle your claim while you heal and rebuild.
Call us or fill out our online contact form to get your FREE consultation with an attorney in Georgia. Lawyers from our firm are available to talk at any time of the day.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form