Motorcycle accident victims who are not at fault could be eligible to obtain compensation for damages incurred. Obtaining compensation for injuries and loss of income is easier with the assistance of a personal injury attorney in Statesboro. Find out if you are eligible to hold the at-fault driver financially responsible after evaluating your case. In most cases, attorney fees aren’t owed unless the case is won.
When You Need a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Statesboro
Contact a Statesboro motorcycle accident lawyer for an assessment of your case as soon as possible after your accident. Although you may think your accident was minor and your injuries are not severe, it is wise to seek legal advice. If you haven’t shown symptoms yet, it could be weeks or months before you begin to feel any pain.
A lawyer may not file a lawsuit until the prognosis of your case is well understood, but they can begin working on the case much earlier. You should contact a lawyer right now to discuss your legal options, if your injuries, treatment, and recovery allow it.
A Statesboro motorcycle accident lawyer from our firm can handle your entire case so that you can focus on your health, which is a top priority for you.
Eligible Compensation After a Motorcycle Accident
Before taking legal action to hold the at-fault motorist responsible for a motorcycle accident, we must complete several steps to pursue compensation. Among them are:
- Communicating with you on the case
- Ensuring your right to compensation
- Identification of potentially liable parties
- Determining liability and negligence
To build the strongest possible case against the at-fault driver, we will need to identify, gather, and analyze all possible evidence as part of our investigation. Documenting your accident-related injuries, expenses, and losses is another aspect of our investigation.
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Determining Liability in a Statesboro Motorcycle Accident
Motorcyclists are involved in accidents caused by road conditions, vehicles, and other drivers. You must include these factors, otherwise, you risk not holding the correct party accountable. During and after the incident, a complete picture of what happened should be made clear.
According to investigations, a driver’s error is one of the leading reasons for a collision with a biker. It is the person riding the motorcycle who initially causes the problem even though grievous injuries are sustained. The mistakes may have been caused by a misjudgment of another driver’s actions or intentions.
It is often the law of negligence applied to the accident that is the most important concept when determining liability. Negligent behavior refers to the behavior that led to injuries caused by carelessness or thoughtlessness. When driving around others, care and caution should be used to prevent injury or death.
Recoverable Damages in a Statesboro Motorcycle Accident Case
Georgia law states that the at-fault driver is responsible to pay damages for injuries they cause. Several parties may share the blame in an accident. Each party is responsible for a certain monetary amount.
An injured victim must prove the following facts to recover compensation:
- The accident was caused by the other driver
- Damages resulted from the accident
- The amount of compensation is justified by the damages
When an insurance company denies a claim or pays as little as possible, they typically assert that the motorcycle rider shared fault for the accident. The amount they have to pay to the claimant can be reduced if the claimant is even partially at fault. For instance, the motorcycle driver might have violated the following traffic laws:
- Not signaling their intentions
- Sharing a lane with more than one motorcycle
- Having insufficient equipment (night lights, windshields, helmets)
- Failure to yield to traffic
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
Some common causes of motorcycle accidents are often preventable. In most cases, motorcycle drivers get into accidents due to the following:
- Lack of experience: A motorcycle accident is most often caused by inexperience. Training should be spent dozens of hours by a motorcycle rider.
- Alcohol: Liquor can impair judgment, both on and off the road. Even one drink may reduce your reaction time when riding a motorcycle.
- Left turns: 42% of motorcycle deaths involved another type of vehicle turning left while the motorcyclist was doing something else.
- Overtaking: A motorcycle has low visibility. Before turning left at an intersection, many motorists do not take enough time to look for motorcycles.
- Excessive speeding: This is a leading cause of motorcycle accidents. Exceeding the posted speed limit may result in the ability to not stop quick enough for oncoming traffic.
- Inattentiveness: A motorcycle accident is caused by inattentive drivers, including vehicles and motorcycles. Injuries and fatalities can result from these accidents.
Statute of Limitations in Statesboro Motorcycle Accident Cases
According to Georgia law, personal injury cases begin to run two years from the date of the accident. A lawsuit must be filed by the injured party before the second anniversary of the accident.
Young adults under the age of eighteen, however, are “tolled” that two-year statute of limitations. Minors cannot sue for injury until they are “emancipated” by marriage or reach their 18th birthday.
Common Injuries from Motorcycle Accidents
Common injuries suffered after a motorcycle accident include:
- Traumatic brain injury. TBI refers to a type of brain injury that results from trauma to the brain. Injury to the head usually occurs when it strikes something violently, when it is shaken back and forth, or when it is punctured.
- Road burn. The result of skin being dragged along a road is this type of burn. Motorcycle riders usually suffer these types of injuries when they are thrown from their bikes and skid along the roadway before coming to a stop.
- Fractures. Motorcyclists are frequently thrown from or knocked off their motorcycles when a motorcycle and vehicle collide. A rider may find that certain body parts are forced into positions that aren’t natural when they hit the ground at a certain angle.
- Injuries to the spinal cord. Motorcycle accidents can result in spinal cord injuries that can have devastating effects. In some cases, the victim may not be able to walk, use their arms, or move at all because of the injury.
- Internal injuries. In a collision between a motorcycle and a vehicle, the victim may suffer internal organ damage. A motorcycle accident can also result in internal bleeding, which can be fatal if not treated promptly.
Call a Statesboro Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today
Recover the money you need to rebuild your life with the experienced attorneys at John Foy & Associates. Fill out our online contact form or call our office to schedule a no-cost, risk-free, confidential consultation.
912-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form