Even when a motorcycle rider exercises all possible safety precautions on the road, a negligent driver could come along and still cause a bad accident. You should not have to suffer because of someone else’s poor choices, and a lawyer can help you.
Collisions with motorcycles often stem from driver negligence rather than motorcycle rider negligence. Distracted, speeding, or inattentive drivers are huge problems facing motorcycle riders today. Speak to an attorney as quickly as possible, as you might have several legal options, and they might be time sensitive. Insurance claims are fairly routine, but you also might consider filing a lawsuit or reaching a settlement agreement with the negligent driver. To prepare your claim, we need to evaluate your injuries and damages, obtain evidence, and prepare a formal complaint against the other driver.
Make an appointment for a free, confidential case assessment with our motorcycle accident attorneys at Howe Law by calling (844) 876-4357.
How Collisions with Motorcycles Can Happen in Vestavia Hills, AL
Negligent drivers often cause motorcycle accidents. Unfortunately, motorcycle riders and enthusiasts sometimes get a bad reputation for being risk-takers or even criminals, and they are often blamed for accidents they did not cause.
Distracted drivers are a huge problem on the road, especially for motorcycle riders. Cell phones, GPS devices, and other communication devices are made to be synced up with vehicles, but they often driver the driver’s attention from the road. It only takes a moment of distraction to cause a severe accident, and the motorcycle rider will likely be more badly injured than the driver.
Speeding is a major factor in a lot of accidents. Generally, the higher the rate of speed, the more significant the injuries and damage will be. For motorcycle riders, being struck by another vehicle at a high rate of speed is not just dangerous; it is potentially fatal. Riders might be thrown from their bikes onto the hard pavement or into nearby objects, barriers, or structures. Riders are often badly hurt, and many do not survive.
Turning or merging without signaling or checking blind spots is another big problem motorcycle riders face. Since motorcycles are smaller compared to standard cars and trucks, they are more easily hidden in blind spots. If a driver in a car does not properly check their blind spots before turning or merging, they might hit a motorcycle rider. The danger is even greater when the driver fails to signal their turn or merge, as the motorcycle rider has no opportunity to get out of the way.
Options for Legal Action After a Motorcycle Crash in Vestavia Hills, AL
While an attorney can help you file a lawsuit to get compensation for your injuries, there might be other legal options worth exploring. Many injured motorcycle riders file insurance claims after a crash. Unfortunately, insurance is not always the safety net we think it is. Insurance companies care only about their bottom line. If we cannot gather sufficient evidence to prove that the other driver is at fault for the crash, your claim might be denied. This is often frustrating, as the lack of evidence might be due to circumstances beyond our control.
When insurance does not pan out, or if it covers only a portion of your total damages, our motorcycle accident lawyers can help you initiate a lawsuit against the other driver. A lawsuit might help you recover greater damages than those available through insurance. Not only are insurance policies capped at certain limits, but they often do not cover specific categories of damages. Non-economic injuries like pain and suffering are sometimes excluded from insurance policies, and injured riders can only recover these damages by filing a lawsuit.
A lawsuit will end in a trial and jury verdict unless you choose otherwise. Depending on your situation, it might be possible to negotiate a settlement with the defendant and their insurance company. Settlements are the results of compromise between the parties, and many plaintiffs give up some damages in exchange for others. Alternatively, if your case is strong with a lot of supporting evidence, the defendant might be inclined to settle for the full value of your damages simply to avoid an unnecessary trial where they will likely lose. Your attorney can help you evaluate your claim and determine if a settlement is a good idea.
Preparing Your Vestavia Hills, AL Motorcycle Accident Case
To prepare your case, you must first get emergency help after the accident. You should immediately call 911 and have emergency responders and the police sent to the accident scene. Getting medical attention as soon as possible is not just necessary for your health. It is also necessary to establish records of your injuries and treatment that we can later introduce as evidence in your lawsuit.
Since accident scenes are often cleaned up by law enforcement quickly, it is imperative that you preserve the scene with photographs and videos. Your photos might contain important details about who was present at the crash, the extent of injuries and damage, the vehicles involved, the location, and many other details. If you were too badly hurt to take pictures, we can try to find footage from dashcams or security cameras.
We must evaluate your damages in preparation for your lawsuit. This is sometimes surprising for plaintiffs, as damages are awarded at the end of a lawsuit. However, your damages must be fully assessed and evaluated before we even file the claim. The court does not decide what your damages are or how much they are worth. We make those decisions, and then we must convince the jury that we are correct. If we leave out damages in your complaint, they will not be compensated.
Call Our Vestavia Hills, AL Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
Set up an appointment for a free, private case evaluation with our motorcycle accident lawyers at Howe Law by calling (844) 876-4357.
