Were you or a loved one injured in a motorcycle accident in Columbus, Georgia? You may have the right to receive compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering, and other damages.
However, the process of obtaining fair compensation is not easy. You will need an experienced lawyer on your side to provide support and pursue the compensation you deserve because of someone else’s negligence.
Our lawyers have over 26 years of experience fighting for injured clients like you, in cases like truck accidents, Columbus wrongful death claims, bicycle accidents, workers’ compensation claims in Columbus, child injuries, and more.
Learn about your legal rights and options when you contact us today at Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm or call (706) 940-4030 for a free and confidential consultation with a Columbus motorcycle accident lawyer.
How Our Columbus Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help After a Motorcycle Accident
You can put more than a quarter of a century of legal experience to use when you hire Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm. This essential experience has allowed us to develop the skills, resources, and networks necessary to fight for our clients’ best interests and recover tens of millions of dollars on their behalf.
When you hire us for help after a motorcycle accident in Columbus, GA, you can trust us to:
- Investigate the accident and identify all of your legal options for pursuing financial recovery
- Gather evidence to prove the defendant was at fault for the accident
- Handle communication with your doctors, insurance companies, and other parties on your behalf
- Manage claim paperwork and case deadlines
- Negotiate for fair compensation on your behalf
- Explain your legal rights and options
Our compassionate Columbus motorcycle accident attorney can help you through the entire claim process from start to finish. Call us today for your free case review.
How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Georgia?
According to the National Safety Council, motorcycles only make up 3% of registered vehicles and represent 0.6% of all vehicle miles traveled, yet they make up 14% of all traffic fatalities. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that it is 27 times more likely to be killed in a motorcycle accident than in a motor vehicle accident in a passenger vehicle.
Motorcycle accidents also represent 3% of all occupant injuries. The fatality rate for motorcyclists increased by 8% from 2020 to 2021. In the last decades, fatalities have increased by 19%.
According to the Georgia Department of Driver Services, 179 people in Georgia died in motorcycle accidents in 2020. From 2017 to 2019, motorcycle deaths increased by 22%. In 2019, 4,269 motorcyclists were involved in crashes. 42% of these crashes were attributed to the Atlanta area.
Counties with the most motorcycle fatalities in Georgia were Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, and Bibb. Motorcycle-related hospitalization and emergency room charges in 2019 in Georgia were more than $221 million.
What Is My Columbus Motorcycle Accident Case Worth?
Every motorcycle accident is different, so the potential value of one claim can vary drastically from the next.
Some factors that can affect the potential value of your claim include:
- The nature and severity of your injuries
- Whether any of the injuries rendered you permanently disabled
- The cost and nature of the medical treatment you received or anticipate receiving in the future
- How much time you missed from work
- The emotional trauma and physical pain and suffering you suffered
- How the accident has impacted your life
- The available insurance
An experienced motorcycle accident lawyer in Columbus can evaluate your claim and determine its value.
What Types of Damages Can I Recover After a Motorcycle Accident in Columbus, Georgia?
Georgia law recognizes that nothing can turn back time and prevent the accident from ever happening. Instead, your remedy is to receive compensation from the at-fault party for your economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are losses that can be quantified and are directly related to your accident, such as:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Costs to repair or replace your damaged bike
- Incidental expenses, such as mileage to and from medical appointments or alternative transportation expenses
- Rehabilitation expenses
- Funeral and burial expenses, in the event of wrongful death
Non-economic damages cannot be as easily quantified and represent other losses you experience, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- PTSD, anxiety, depression, or other psychological injuries
- Emotional distress
- Reduced quality of life
- Permanent disability
- Disfigurement and scarring
Our experienced motorcycle accident lawyer can help evaluate all the ways your injuries have affected you and will likely affect you in the future to fight for fair compensation on your behalf.
Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Being Partially Blamed For a Motorcycle Accident in Georgia?
Many motor vehicle crashes, including motorcycle accidents, are not straightforward. Various factors can combine to cause the accident. In some wrecks, more than one party is to blame.
Under Georgia’s modified comparative negligence law, you can still seek compensation after an accident in which you shared some of the liability as long as you are not 50 percent or more at fault for the accident. However, your damages are reduced by your degree of fault.
Suppose you were involved in a left-turn accident because another driver turned into your path. You were speeding five mph over the speed limit. You are determined to be 5% at fault. If you suffered $100,000, your award would be reduced by $5,000, which is 5% of the full damages of $100,000.
We Fight For Compensation For Victims Who Have Suffered Various Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycles lack a steel exterior, airbags, seat belts, and other safety features that protect motor vehicle passengers.
As such, motorcycle accident victims may suffer from various injuries, such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Multiple fractures
- Road rash
- Burns
- Organ damage
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
We also represent the families of loved ones who lost their relatives in a fatal motorcycle crash.
What Commonly Causes Motorcycle Accidents?
Part of the claim process to recover compensation for your accident-related losses is to determine the cause and the party responsible for your accident.
Some of the common causes of motorcycle accidents include:
- Cars turning left – Many motorcycle accidents occur when a motor vehicle turns left into the path of an oncoming motorcyclist.
- Distractions – A driver distracted by texting, their cell phone, GPS, or other source may not see a motorcyclist until it’s too late.
- Speeding – Many motor vehicle accidents are caused by another driver’s conscious decision to speed and put others at risk.
- Failing to yield the right-of-way – Many drivers of larger vehicles do not keep a proper lookout for vulnerable road users like motorcyclists, pedestrians, or cyclists. They may turn into their path or otherwise fail to yield the right of way.
- Roadway conditions – Motorcyclists are more prone to get in an accident due to road hazards such as potholes, dangerous curves, debris on the roadway, uneven pavement, or loose gravel.
- Impaired driving – Drunk, drugged, or tired drivers have delayed reaction times, are more likely to fall asleep at the wheel, and lack the depth perception necessary to recognize road hazards, increasing the likelihood that they will cause an accident.
- Unsafe passing or lane changes – Cars that dangerously weave around traffic or turn without looking if a motorcyclist is in the adjoining lane cause collisions.
- Not obeying traffic signs or signals – Other motorcyclist accidents are caused when other drivers run red lights, do not stop at stop signs, or otherwise disregard other traffic signs.
- Vehicle defects – Motorcycle accidents can also occur because of faulty brakes, tires, or other vehicle defects.
You can’t control what other people do on the road, but you can control what you do in response to them causing an accident because of their negligence.
How Can I Prove Negligence in a Motorcycle Accident Claim?
Proving negligence will likely depend on the strength of the evidence you have, which may include:
- Accident reports that describe how the event occurred
- Photos of the accident scene
- The location of the damage to your bike and the other vehicle
- A traffic citation issued to the other driver
- Medical records indicating the other driver was impaired by drugs or alcohol
- Witness statements about how the other driver caused the accident
You don’t have to worry about collecting this evidence. Our Columbus personal injury attorney can handle that for you so you can focus on your recovery.
What Is the Time Limit To File a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit in Georgia?
Each state has statutes of limitations that limit the amount of time people have to file a lawsuit. In Georgia, the time limit to file most personal injury lawsuits is two years.
If this deadline passes and you have not filed your case, you can lose your chance to recover compensation from the courts. Don’t let this happen to you. Contact an experienced Columbus motorcycle accident lawyer for guidance.
Contact an Experienced Columbus Motorcycle Accident Lawyer For Help
If you were injured in a motorcycle crash, reach out to the Columbus motorcycle accident lawyer at Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm. We want to help you recover the compensation you need for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other accident-related losses. Our consultations are free and confidential. Call us today at (706) 940-4030 to learn more.
Columbus, GA Health Clinics
- Piedmont Columbus Regional Community Health Center – 1800 10th Ave, Columbus, GA 31901
- Piedmont Urgent Care – 101 13th St Suite 200, Columbus, GA 31901
- Midtown Medical Center – 710 Center St, Columbus, GA 31901
- AlaMed Injury Clinics – 1629 10th Ave, Columbus, GA 31901
*Disclaimer – we do not endorse these companies or profit from having them listed on our website.
Our personal injury law firm in Columbus, GA also provides:
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