Operating any type of motor vehicle can be dangerous because there are a lot of irresponsible drivers on the roadways, but some vehicles are inherently more dangerous than others. Motorcycles, for example, can be particularly dangerous because you do not have anything surrounding you to absorb an impact, like you would if you were in a car.

The body of the car provides protection to the car’s occupants during a car accident and helps keep them inside, but a motorcycle does not afford that type of protection. When you are involved in a collision while riding a motorcycle, there is nothing separating you from the object you are impacting, and this can result in a very serious injury or even death.

As a motorcycle rider, you have probably heard the same lecture about wearing a helmet over and over again. However, even if you choose to listen and wear a helmet, this cannot prevent all motorcycle injuries, especially in very serious accidents. Contusions, broken bones, face injuries, burns, arm, leg, and feet road rash, and other very serious conditions can easily occur when there is nothing protecting the rest of your body from the road, other vehicles, poles, and anything else that you may come into contact with in the event of an accident. Unfortunately, choosing to ride a motorcycle brings on these risks and dangers automatically, and there is not much that you can do to prevent them other than safely operating your bike. But because there are other dangerous drivers on the roadways, being as safe as you can possibly be while riding your motorcycle is no guarantee of safety.

Sometimes accidents are inevitable. When an accident is due to someone else’s negligence, this is when you need help the most. Because of the serious injuries that can result from a motorcycle accident, you may have significant medical bills and have to miss time from work. The mounting bills and lost wages can be stressful and can make painful injuries even more difficult to endure.
An experienced Atlanta motorcycle accident attorney like Darl Champion at The Champion Firm, P.C., can help you through this difficult time. The legal system can be confusing, frustrating, and stressful. We will navigate the legal process for you while you focus all of your energy on healing. If you are injured in a motorcycle accident, receiving compensation for your personal injuries is an important step in your recovery process. Contact The Champion Firm, P.C., today.

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Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Atlanta – Risky Riding

As mentioned before, the decision to ride a motorcycle comes with a lot of risks and dangers. If you do not choose to wear a helmet, these risks increase dramatically. No matter how safe you try to be, you cannot control the actions of other drivers. Motorcycles are much less visible than other types of vehicles. Although motorists may believe that they are doing a good job looking out for their surroundings, there are certain situations in which it may be very difficult to see a motorcycle.

Common Motorcycle Accident Causes:

Semis changing lanes on the highway

When changing lanes on the highway, most people are aware that they need to check their blind spot. However, drivers are accustomed to quickly checking these blind spots for cars, and cars take up a lot of room. So a quick glance for a big car may mean that they do not see a motorcycle.

Merging into a lane that a motorcyclist is in can cause them to be knocked into a median, other cars, or something even worse.

Parked cars opening doors

Another common motorcycle accident is when drivers park on the side of a road and do not thoroughly check behind them before opening their car door. If a motorcyclist is coming and the driver opens their door, it could result in the motorcycle making contact with the door or making quick, unsafe, adjustments in order to get out of the way. These movements can cause other drivers to be caught off guard, possibly causing an even worse accident.

The examples mentioned above are only a few examples of risks that come with riding a motorcycle. Overall, riding a motorcycle is more dangerous than riding in a car. As much as you try to control your safety and actions, the actions of other drivers can be unpredictable: from distracted driving, drowsy driving, cell phone use, and eating in the car, or distracted truck drivers. If you are in an accident due to the negligence of another driver, you do not deserve to suffer.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a motorcycle accident in the Atlanta, Georgia, area through no fault of your own, you need to seek legal representation from a motorcycle accident attorney. At The Champion Firm, P.C., we want to help you through this difficult time and help you receive all the compensation that the law allows. Contact us today to get started.

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Atlanta Motorcycle Accident Attorney: Insurance Information

One of the most important reasons for contacting a personal injury attorney after your motorcycle accident is to make sure all available sources of insurance are located. Motorcycle accidents can result in very serious injuries or death because there is nothing surrounding a motorcycle rider to protect their body in a collision.

Common injuries in a motorcycle accident include severe road rash, scarring, broken bones, torn ligaments, and brain injuries. Because of the serious injuries that can result, your damages for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering can be substantial. Unfortunately, many motorists lack sufficient insurance to cover all of the damages that they may cause when they negligently injure a motorcycle rider, and some do not have any insurance at all. This makes finding all of the insurance that can be used to pay for your damages one of the most important steps in the process of your injury claim.

There are a variety of sources of insurance in any motor vehicle accident, and motorcycle accidents are no different. The vehicle that caused the collision should have an insurance policy on it. In Georgia, the minimum required insurance limits are only $25,000 per person and $50,000 per occurrence for bodily injury.

These minimum requirements are insufficient to cover the serious injuries that normally result from a motorcycle accident. If the driver of the vehicle that caused the wreck did not own the vehicle he or she was driving, then there may be additional coverage that applies to the driver. For example, the driver may have their own insurance policy that covers them while driving the car they were in at the time of the collision. It is also important to determine whether the driver was working at the time because employers are liable for any negligent acts that their employees commit in the course and scope of their employment.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

In addition to liability insurance that may provide coverage for the at-fault driver, the injured motorcyclist may be entitled to uninsured motorist coverage, which is commonly referred to as UM. In Georgia, UM applies to cover an injured motorist’s damages if the at-fault driver either has no insurance or not enough insurance to pay all of the damages. The insurance policy for the motorcycle may have UM coverage. Additionally, because many motorcycles are second vehicles, the injury motorcyclist may have other vehicles with insurance policies that contain UM coverage. The UM policies for those additional vehicles may be available for your motorcycle accident, even if you were not operating any of those other vehicles. You may also be entitled to UM coverage for any motor vehicle insurance policies issued to any relatives who you reside with.

Med Pay

Last, medical payments coverage, or med pay as it commonly referred to, is a type of insurance coverage on your own insurance policy that can be used to pay medical bills for you and anyone on your motorcycle at the time of an accident. Med pay is basically like health insurance for you and your vehicle’s occupants in the event of an accident. It applies regardless of fault, which means it can be used to pay your medical bills even if you were at fault.

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Virtually all insurance policies require that you provide the insurer with notice of the accident as soon as possible. If you fail to provide timely notice, then the insurer can deny coverage. This is one of the reasons why it is so important to contact the experienced motorcycle accident attorneys at The Champion Firm, P.C., immediately after your accident.

Immediate steps need to be taken to protect your rights, and any delay can result in you losing out on the potential for valuable compensation. We can locate all available sources of insurance and make sure that all of the insurance companies are properly notified. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, call the experienced Atlanta personal injury attorneys at The Champion Firm, P.C., for a free consultation.

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