A motorcycle accident can leave you dealing with devastating injuries, prohibitive medical bills, and uncertainty about your future. If someone else’s negligence caused your crash, our Jasper personal injury lawyer will help you hold them accountable.
Jones & Swanson has recovered over $50 million in settlements for our clients. If you or someone you love was injured in a preventable motorcycle crash, our motorcycle accident lawyer in Jasper will help you file a claim and recover the damages you deserve.
How Our Jasper Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Will Help
A Jasper motorcycle accident lawyer from Jones & Swanson will assist with every aspect of your claim.
Specifically, we will help by:
- Gathering evidence: We will collect police reports, photographs, surveillance footage, witness statements, and other evidence to determine how the crash occurred and who is responsible.
- Calculating your claim’s value: We will calculate both your current and future losses to determine the value of your claim.
- Handling insurance companies: We will communicate with insurance adjusters, respond to requests for information, and work to negotiate a fair settlement.
- Taking your case to court (if necessary): If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will file a lawsuit and represent you in court.
What Types of Damages Can You Recover?
Depending on the specifics of your case, available damages may include:
- Medical expenses: You can recover damages for emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgeries, medications, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and future medical care.
- Lost wages: You can seek damages for income you lost while recovering from the crash.
- Loss of future earning capacity: You can recover additional damages if your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous occupation or impact your future career prospects.
- Property damage: You can recover the cost of repairing or replacing your motorcycle and other damaged personal property.
- Pain and suffering: You can seek damages for the physical pain and emotional distress caused by the accident.
- Emotional trauma: You can recover additional damages for anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other psychological effects of the accident.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: You can seek additional damages if your injuries prevent you from participating in hobbies and activities you previously enjoyed.
- Permanent disability or disfigurement: You can recover damages for lasting impairments or permanent scarring caused by the crash.
- Punitive damages: You may be awarded punitive damages if your case involves especially reckless or intentional misconduct from the negligent party. This may apply if the motorist who caused your accident was impaired by alcohol or drugs.
- Wrongful death damages: If you lose a loved one in a fatal motorcycle accident, you and your family may be able to pursue damages.
What is the Time Limit for Filing a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Georgia?
According to Georgia Code § 9-3-33, you typically have two years from the date of a motorcycle accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If the crash caused fatal injuries, the deadline to file a wrongful death lawsuit is generally two years from your loved one’s date of death. If you don’t file your lawsuit before the applicable deadline, you will likely lose the ability to pursue damages.
Although two years may seem like plenty of time, waiting to file can make it more difficult to collect evidence and locate witnesses, which is why you should get in touch with our motorcycle accident attorneys in Jasper as soon as possible.
How is Liability Determined?
Our lawyers use many types of evidence to establish liability for a motorcycle crash, such as:
- Police accident reports
- Photographs of the accident scene
- Surveillance or traffic camera footage
- Witness statements
- Vehicle damage
- Skid marks and roadway conditions
- Cell phone records (in distracted driving cases)
- Accident reconstruction analysis
- Medical records documenting your injuries
We will help gather evidence to prove who is at fault for your crash.
What If I Was Partially At Fault?
Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence rule, which means you can recover damages for a motorcycle accident as long as you are less than 50% responsible for it. If you are found to be partially at fault, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of responsibility.
For example, if your damages total $100,000 and you are determined to be 20% at fault, your total award would be reduced to $80,000.
If you are found to be 50% or more at fault for the crash, you will be barred from recovering damages.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Jasper
Most motorcycle accidents stem from negligence. Some of the most common causes of motorcycle wrecks in Jasper include:
- Left-turn accidents: Drivers turning left may fail to yield to an oncoming motorcycle.
- Distracted driving: Texting, using navigation systems, eating, or engaging with other distractions can prevent drivers from seeing nearby motorcycles.
- Failure to yield: Drivers who ignore traffic signs or fail to yield the right-of-way frequently cause crashes.
- Unsafe lane changes: Motorists who fail to check their blind spots may sideswipe motorcycles.
- Speeding: Excessive speed reduces motorists’ reaction time and increases the severity of collisions.
- Driving under the influence: Alcohol and drugs impair motorists’ judgment, coordination, and reaction time.
- Following too closely: Tailgating can leave drivers with insufficient distance to stop before striking a motorcycle.
- Road hazards: Potholes, uneven pavement, loose gravel, construction zones, and debris present greater dangers to motorcycles than larger vehicles.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Even if you wear a helmet and protective gear, a motorcycle crash can cause serious physical trauma. These collisions result in a variety of injuries, such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck injuries
- Broken bones
- Road rash
- Internal bleeding
- Facial injuries
- Burns
- Amputations
Contact Our Motorcycle Accident Attorneys in Jasper
A motorcycle accident can upend your life. If you or someone you love was injured in a crash with a negligent driver, a Jasper motorcycle accident attorney from Jones & Swanson will investigate the accident, handle the insurance company, and help you recover damages.
Schedule a free case evaluation to find out how you can pursue justice.
