Augusta Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

Protecting the Rights of Injured Riders

Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys is proud to offer top-tier legal services to local motorcycle riders who were in wrecks that were not their fault. Far too often, insurance companies try to pin the blame on the rider, no matter what. We know this is wrong, and we are adamant about stopping this unfair strategy in its tracks. If you are feeling pressured by an insurance company to settle low or to accept full liability for a motorcycle accident you know you didn’t cause, then it is already time to get our lawyers on your side.

Dial (706) 719-7177 now. Free consultations are available.

Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

A motorcycle accident refers to a collision or incident involving a motorcycle and one or more motor vehicles, or in some cases, other motorcycles. These accidents can result in varying degrees of injury or damage to the involved parties, including the motorcyclist, the occupants of other vehicles, and even pedestrians.

Motorcycle accidents can occur for a variety of reasons, and common causes involving motor vehicles include:

• Distracted Driving: When drivers of motor vehicles are distracted by activities like texting, talking on the phone, adjusting the radio, or using in-car entertainment systems, they may fail to notice a motorcyclist, leading to accidents.
• Failure to Yield Right of Way: Motor vehicle drivers may not yield the right of way to motorcyclists when required, such as at intersections or when merging onto highways, resulting in collisions.
• Unsafe Lane Changes: Sudden and unsafe lane changes by car or truck drivers can lead to collisions with motorcycles in adjacent lanes.
• Speeding: Excessive speed by motor vehicle drivers can reduce their reaction time and increase the severity of accidents when they collide with motorcycles.
• Impaired Driving: Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can impair a driver's judgment and reaction time, increasing the likelihood of motorcycle accidents.
• Failure to Check Blind Spots: Motor vehicle drivers may not adequately check their blind spots, leading to accidents when they change lanes or make turns without noticing nearby motorcyclists.
• Following Too Closely: Tailgating motorcycles can be particularly dangerous, as motorcyclists need space to maneuver and stop safely.
• Turning Across the Path of a Motorcycle: Motor vehicle drivers making left turns in front of oncoming motorcycles are a common cause of accidents.
• Road Conditions: Poor road conditions, including potholes, uneven surfaces, and debris, can be hazardous for motorcyclists who are less stable and more vulnerable to these conditions than larger vehicles.
• Weather Conditions: Rain, snow, ice, and fog can reduce visibility and road traction, increasing the risk of accidents involving motorcycles.
• Inexperienced Drivers: Motor vehicle drivers who lack experience in sharing the road with motorcycles may not be as aware of the challenges and risks motorcyclists face.
• Reckless or Aggressive Driving: Aggressive behaviors such as tailgating, road rage, and reckless driving can endanger both motorcyclists and other motorists.
• Opening Car Doors: Drivers or passengers in parked vehicles may open car doors without checking for approaching motorcycles, leading to accidents known as "dooring."
• Mechanical Failures: Mechanical failures in motor vehicles, such as brake or tire problems, can lead to accidents involving motorcycles.
• Inadequate Signaling: Failing to use turn signals or brake lights can make it difficult for motorcyclists to anticipate the actions of other drivers.

Georgia Motorcycle Laws

When investigating your motorcycle accident, our attorneys will need to see if there is any way that Georgia’s specific motorcycle laws intersect with your claim. If you were violating the law when the crash occurred, it could reflect poorly on your claim’s validity and give the defense more room to challenge you.

For your claim, we will need to pay attention to two laws in specific:

• Helmet use: In Georgia, all motorcyclists and their passengers must wear a helmet whenever the vehicle is being operated, which includes sitting on it while it is idling. If you chose not to wear a helmet and suffered a head injury, then the damages related to treating that head injury could be challenged by the defense. Always wear a motorcycle helmet, even if you are in another state that does not require it.
• Lane-splitting: Georgia law prohibits lane-splitting, which is done when a motorcycle rides between occupied lanes of traffic to pass or reach the front of an intersection. It also does not allow motorcyclists to try to lane share with a larger vehicle. If you were lane-splitting when a driver sideswiped you, for example, then your claim’s chances could be damaged.

The Consequences of Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle accidents can be more devastating than car accidents for several reasons, primarily due to the inherent differences in size, structure, and protection between motorcycles and cars.

Here are some key factors that make motorcycle accidents more potentially devastating:

• Exposure to Impact: Motorcyclists are exposed to the open environment while riding, which means they lack the protective structure of a car. In a car, occupants are surrounded by a metal frame, seatbelts, airbags, and other safety features that absorb and distribute the force of impact. In contrast, motorcyclists have only their protective gear and helmets.
• Lack of Crumple Zones: Cars are designed with crumple zones that absorb and dissipate the energy of a crash, reducing the impact on the occupants. Motorcycles lack these safety features, which means that in a collision, riders often bear the full force of the impact.
• Size Disparity: Motorcycles are significantly smaller and lighter than cars, making them more vulnerable in accidents involving larger, heavier vehicles. In collisions with cars or trucks, the motorcyclist is at a disadvantage due to the size and weight differential.
• Balance and Stability: Motorcycles require a high degree of balance and control. In an accident, they can become unstable, leading to riders being thrown from the bike or the bike itself becoming a hazard.
• Limited Visibility: Motorcycles are smaller and less visible on the road compared to cars, increasing the likelihood of drivers not seeing them or misjudging their speed or distance. This can result in more unexpected collisions.
• Risk of Ejection: In a motorcycle accident, riders can be ejected from their bikes, leading to direct contact with the road, other vehicles, or obstacles. This increases the risk of severe injuries.
• Vulnerability of Vulnerable Body Parts: Motorcyclists are more vulnerable to injuries to the head, neck, and extremities due to the lack of physical protection. Helmets can mitigate head injuries to some extent, but the rest of the body remains exposed.
• Road Rash and Abrasions: When a motorcyclist slides on the road after a crash, they can suffer from road rash, a painful and severe abrasion injury. This can result in infections, scarring, and long-term complications.
• Severity of Injuries: Due to the factors mentioned above, motorcycle accidents often result in more severe injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, and internal organ damage. The likelihood of fatalities is also higher in motorcycle accidents.
• Recovery and Rehabilitation: Recovery from motorcycle accident injuries can be more challenging and require longer rehabilitation periods compared to car accident injuries, which can lead to significant medical expenses and long-term disabilities.

Financial Compensation Owed to You

Motorcycle accidents are so devastating in most cases because a motorcycle affords virtually no extra protection to its rider. If there is a traffic collision, then the rider will likely be thrown off the motorcycle and suffer any consequent injuries, which could be life-changing. Brain injuries, back injuries, road rash, and other severe injuries are all common in motorcycle accident claims. As such, the financial compensation owed to a motorcycle accident survivor and their family is often significant.

In your motorcycle accident claim, you could be owed money that helps pay for:

• Medical costs: Any past medical care you have received due to your motorcycle accident injuries should be completely paid for by the defendant. Also, if you need future medical care, like months or years of rehabilitation, then it should be covered as well.
• Lost wages: Did you miss work because of your injuries? The defendant should pay for the paychecks you were unable to earn. The same is true if your future earning capacity has been limited due to your injury, such as if you suffer a disability that makes it impossible for you to advance your career in your desired path.
• Permanent disability: Speaking of disabilities, you can be provided further compensation for the hardships caused by a new disability. For example, if you need a chairlift installed in your two-story home, then the cost of that installation should be covered.
• Pain and suffering: Your physical pain, emotional suffering, and mental anguish can all be turned into financial compensation and pursued as non-economic damages. The worse you were injured, the greater your non-economic damages will be, usually.

The driver who hit you will also owe you compensation for replacing or repairing your motorcycle. However, this type of damage is technically handled in a separate property damage claim. In a personal injury claim, the focus is on damages related to your bodily injuries and their consequences.

Bringing Your Claim to the Next Level

Working on a motorcycle accident claim by yourself will be a challenge, especially if your injuries are severe and require you to rest. Please leave it up to our Augusta motorcycle accident lawyers. We are here to manage everything from start to finish and pursue as much compensation as possible.

Call Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys at (706) 719-7177 now.