Many Americans choose to ride motorcycles for a variety of reasons. They have better fuel economy than cars, are compact, and are just plain fun to ride. However, there is a bit of a dark side to the impression of motorcycles – and the people who ride them – in this country. Motorcyclists are seen as individualistic thrill-seekers who do not care so much about their own safety. This stereotype is often exaggerated by the very serious injuries that victims receive when motorcycle accidents take place.
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, you need experienced attorneys in your corner. We know how to deal with motorcycle accident cases and can collect evidence, talk to witnesses, insurance companies, and opposing counsel, and fight for you in court at trial and beyond.
Howe Law’s Atlanta accident attorneys can be reached at (844) 876-4357 for free case reviews.
Motorcycle Accidents in Stockbridge, GA
There are many different ways that a motorcycle accident can happen, and they all can lead to serious injury. When building a claim, it is important to have the best understanding possible about your situation so that our lawyers can create the strongest argument we can to take to court.
Single-Vehicle Accidents
A single-vehicle accident refers to any accident where one vehicle does not impact another. Motorcycle single-vehicle accidents can occur because of popped tires, problems with the bike’s brakes or hydraulics, poor road conditions, or other reasons. For example, a car driving aggressively could force a motorcyclist to take evasive action and crash. In that scenario, no contact between vehicles was made, but the car driver may be found to have caused that accident.
Many may simply brush off a single-vehicle motorcycle accident as the fault of an inexperienced, careless motorcyclist. We know this is rarely true, and we will do everything in our power to determine the real cause of your single-vehicle accident.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions are extremely dangerous, even for ordinary motor vehicles. For motorcyclists, all they have to protect themselves is a helmet, which, even with a DOT-approved model, will only protect up to a certain point. It is entirely possible that motorcyclists could go flying through the air after a high-speed collision and get very badly injured.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions can be even more dangerous for motorcyclists because there are often minimal safety features on motorcycles oriented to guard against rear-end collisions. Accordingly, motorcyclists who are struck in the rear of their bike can get badly hurt.
Even if a rear-end collision involves your bike colliding with the rear of another vehicle, it may not be your fault. This is especially true if the vehicle in front of you suddenly slows down and you impact it with your bike, getting hurt in the process.
Blind Spot Accidents
A blind-spot accident occurs when one vehicle cannot see another because it is in its “blind spot.” One vehicle then moves and inadvertently impacts the unfortunate motorcyclists, injuring them.
Blind spot accidents can happen between two ordinary motor vehicles. Motorcycles are smaller than cars and, therefore, harder to spot. A driver who is not paying attention to their blind spots at a crucial moment could easily get into this kind of accident.
What Damages Can I Get in Stockbridge, GA Motorcycle Accident Lawsuits?
You can file a lawsuit for any reason, but you are most likely seeking financial compensation. In civil lawsuits, plaintiffs are awarded financial compensation in the form of damages if they prove that the defendant was liable for their injuries. Damages are how courts try to reset the plaintiff’s condition to how it was prior to getting injured. Especially with motorcycle accidents, the extent of injuries often makes this not possible, which is why financial compensation is used as a substitute.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are based on things that have a quickly ascertainable economic value. Items that fall into this category include your medical bills as well as lost wages and property damage.
Lost wages can mean a couple of different things. If you had to take time off of work to recover, your missed pay can factor into damages. Also, if you had to take a job that pays less because of your injuries, that is also taken into consideration. Finally, if you are unable to work due to the nature of your injuries, you can get compensation based on your projected future income during what would have been the remainder of your career.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages, by contrast, do not have a value set for them ahead of time. Non-economic damages include things like “pain and suffering.” and “mental anguish.” Here, you are seeking compensation for physical, mental, and emotional pain brought on by the accident and your injuries. Since there is no set value for these damages, you will need to work with our motorcycle accident lawyers to demonstrate their value to the judge and jury.
Motorcyclist Stereotypes in Stockbridge, GA
It is no secret that people who ride motorcycles are thought of in a certain way. Many people subscribe to the belief that all motorcyclists act like biker gang caricatures that do not care about their own safety. The reality could not be further away from that mistaken belief. Many motorcycle riders care a great deal about safety and invest heavily in safety equipment like helmets and appropriate jackets and boots.
Canny defense attorneys, however, know that this stereotype exists and may try to weasel it into your lawsuit to try and sway the jury. Our motorcycle accident lawyers will make sure that does not happen.
Do Not Hesitate to Contact Our Stockbridge, GA Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Let our Atlanta motorcycle accident attorneys from Howe Law look at your case when you contact us at (844) 876-4357.
