ATVs and two-wheeled motor vehicles involve risks that enclosed vehicles don’t face. The rider or passenger is often thrown off the vehicle with extreme force during a motorcycle accident, which can result in severe trauma, including brain injuries, spinal damage, and friction burns (road rash), amongst other things.

With few exceptions, there are no airbags on a motorcycle (unless you have a Honda Goldwing). Likewise, enclosed vehicles have a host of other safety features. Even ATVs with cages lack many of these advanced protections, so when an accident occurs, it is likely to be worse for the rider.

Finally, two-wheeled vehicles face challenges from the elements and road defects that other drivers can ignore without consequences. These are hazards that most drivers miss or don’t understand. In the same way, your average injury lawyer simply doesn’t understand the challenges of motorcycle litigation.

The top-rated motorcycle injury lawyers at Morrison & Hughes know how to keep their eyes on the road, to protect you from legal hazards. Call our experienced Atlanta motorcycle attorneys for your free legal consult at 404-800-LAWS (5297).

There are many factors which play into the value of your claim. Knowing how those factors come together and how to make an appropriate demand to the insurance company is the hallmark of an expert motorcycle crash attorney. You and your attorney will need to work together to maximize the fair value of your case, taking into consideration:

• Medical Bills: Almost all of your damages are based on how much medical care you get, including the total cost of your medical bills, and your attendance at medical appointments. In court, proof that you received care quickly and consistently is the key to a bigger verdict.
• Pain & Suffering:In addition to your medical bills, you are also entitled to compensation for loss of enjoyment of life, mental anguish, impairment of your activities of daily living, scarring or damage to tattoos, along with other types of benefits based on your pain and suffering. Our experienced Atlanta motorcycle wreck attorneys know exactly how to ask a jury to compensate you for the pain caused by a negligent or drunk driver.
• Who Hit You, and How Much Insurance Do They Have?In Georgia, most driver’s carry the State minimum for auto insurance, which is $25,000.00 per person, with a $50,000.00 cap per accident. This means that the negligent driver’s insurance company could be obligated to pay out only $25,000.00 for your injuries, regardless of how hurt you are. By contrast, many commercial vehicles typically have at least $750,000.00 of auto insurance. Likewise, we highly recommend that you purchase “add on” underinsured motorist (UM) coverage. This insurance pays out when the negligent driver’s insurance is inadequate to cover your losses, and it is relatively inexpensive.
• Venue: Putting a value on your case, and what you have lost, is the job of a jury. Your lawsuit’s "venue” is the county where your lawsuit must be filed, and the county where your jury lives, so it can have a big impact on your recovery. A Cobb County, Marietta motorcycle accident may be worth more than a Cherokee County, Woodstock motorcycle accident, but less than a Fulton County, Alpharetta motorcycle accident. In general (but not always) rural juries pay out less than urban (city) juries. Understanding venue, and how that plays into negotiations is one hallmark of a seasoned Georgia motorcycle accident lawyer.
• Punitive Damages:These are damages meant to punish the other driver. From reckless driving to intoxication to fleeing the scene of the accident, many factors can play into a punitive damages claim. Likewise, your experienced Marietta motorcycle crash attorney will have a deep understanding of insurance bad faith law.
• Death Claims:no amount of money can compensate for a death in the family. However, the law makes certain benefits available to the family or estate of a deceased cyclist in addition to the damages discussed above. These include benefits for funeral and burial costs, loss of companionship, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of future income, and the grief and emotional damage of the death.
• Other Damages:Depending upon your accident, and whether you are married, other damages may be available, such as loss of consortium. If you are unable to work due to your accident, you are entitled to lost wages and possibly a loss of future earning capacity. To get a fuller understanding of your potential recovery, contact one of our local motorcycle accident attorneys.

Passenger Claims

The passenger on a motorcycle at the time of an accident is almost never at fault for the wreck. If you were the passenger involved in a motorcycle or ATV collision, even if it was a single vehicle collision, call us to discuss your rights.

Getting medical care after a motor vehicle wreck can feel like a full-time job. During the critical months after a major collision, you need a strong legal advocate so that you can focus on your health and recovery, not legal matters. Upon hiring an Alpharetta motorcycle wreck lawyer, that attorney begins an important investigation and takes over each aspect of your legal case. Specifically, actions that your attorney may take include:

• Investigating the collision by visiting the crash site and tracking down video footage of the wreck
• Using technology such as drones or 3D cameras to capture the scene.
• Figuring out who is at fault
• Hiring expert witnesses to analyze evidence and to prove negligence
• Getting you to the medical specialists
• Gathering medical records and bills
• Calculating your total damages
• Negotiating with the insurance company to get you a fair offer
• Filing a lawsuit where necessary
• Representing you in legal hearings, proceedings, and at trial

An experienced Alpharetta motorcycle wreck attorney will understand all of the legal deadlines which apply to your case and the pitfalls of insurance litigation. Remember, the jury never gets to make decisions about a case if that case gets kicked out of court on a technicality. Getting to a jury, and telling them your story, is our responsibility.

While it is true that all accidents involving motor vehicles have the potential to cause death or serious injury, people who drive or ride on a motorcycle face even greater risks. They are extremely vulnerable in a collision with a truck, bus, car, or other vehicle with more than two wheels. This is easy to understand when you consider that the typical car weighs more than 4,000 pounds. Unfortunately, motorcyclists often sustain some of the most serious and life-altering types of personal injuries such as traumatic brain injury, paralysis, and multiple broken bones. Hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer early on can help you obtain the financial compensation you need as you recover. Recovering from an accident is stressful enough but it can feel overwhelming when you have bills to pay and don’t know when or if you will be able to return to work. Morrison & Hughes understands your dilemma and will aggressively pursue your right to a fair financial settlement.

• A common tactic is for insurance agents to intentionally make you a low offer hoping that your circumstances are desperate enough to compel you to accept it
• You have the legal right to refuse the offer and hire a motorcycle accident attorney to help you fight for better financial compensation.
• It’s up to you to find a lawyer and file a personal injury case as soon as possible.

While you would like to think the insurance company for the responsible party wouldn’t fight your right to fair compensation, this usually isn’t the case. In fact, a common tactic is for insurance agents to intentionally make you a low offer hoping that your circumstances are desperate enough to compel you to accept it. They realize that turning down the settlement offer means that you have little to no funds available to help pay medical costs and make up for missing time from work.

You have the legal right to refuse the offer and hire a motorcycle accident attorney to help you fight for better financial compensation. However, it’s up to you to find a lawyer and file a personal injury case as soon as possible. In most cases, an insurance agent won’t make you a better offer unless legally challenged. The benefit of working with a motorcycle accident attorney from our law firm is that we have years of experience negotiating settlements and representing injured clients in court if reaching a settlement becomes impossible.

Motorcycle accidents often produce differing reports from both drivers. Your motorcycle accident lawyer will investigate how your accident happened so you can prove that the other party bears liability for it. This may involve working with an accident reconstruction specialist. If you don’t know who hit you, it will be necessary to file a claim against your own insurance company to obtain the funds you need to meet expenses while you recover. The law requires insurance carriers to offer financial protection from uninsured motorists and hit-and-run accidents.

Georgia allows injured people two years from the date of their accident to file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party. Typically, people who go this route receive a larger payout than those who attempted to represent themselves or accept the insurance company’s first offer. We invite you to contact Morrison & Hughes at 404-800-5297 to request your free legal consultation today. A motorcycle accident attorney will listen to the facts of your case and advise you on whether you should move forward with filing a lawsuit.