Birmingham Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer | Here for Injured Bikers in Alabama

Our firm is dedicated to fighting for injured motorcyclists. If you have been hurt in an accident caused by another party’s negligence, you can have peace of mind when you turn to a seasoned Birmingham auto accident lawyer from our legal team for help through the personal injury claims process.

Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle accidents can occur for a variety of reasons, but they are most likely the result of driver negligence. Some common causes of motorcycle accidents that we see are as follows:

• Speeding
• Impaired driving (i.e. driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol)
• Defective motorcycle parts
• Opening car doors before looking both ways
• Driving aggressively, such as weaving or tailgating
• Failing to see bikers in blind spots
• Hazards on the road
• Driver errors, such as misjudging the distance between vehicles
• Texting while driving

Common Injuries in Alabama Motorcycle Crashes

While motorcycle crashes can—and do—result in all types of injuries, certain types of injuries are particularly common. Unfortunately, these injuries also tend to be fairly serious, and motorcycle accident victims often face long and difficult roads to recovery.

No matter what types of injuries you suffered, you will want to speak with a motorcycle accident attorney about your legal rights. Our attorneys represent motorcycle accident victims who are dealing with injuries including (but not limited to):

• Bone Fractures and Dislocations – The forces involved in motorcycle crashes are more than enough to fracture bones throughout the body. We represent riders who have suffered all types of fractures and dislocations, from dislocated fingers and collar bones to broken arms, legs and ribs.
• Road Rash – While riding gear can help mitigate the risk of road rash, road rash is an extremely common type of injury in motorcycle crashes. No matter what you were wearing when you went down or got knocked off of your bike, you should talk to an attorney about your legal rights.
• Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) – Spinal cord injuries (SCI) often have life-altering consequences for motorcycle riders. From herniated discs to nerve damage resulting in full or partial paralysis, we handle cases involving all forms of SCI.
• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) – Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) from motorcycle accidents also can have life-altering consequences. Even if you were wearing a helmet, most motorcycle helmets are not manufactured to a standard that prevents brain trauma in all circumstances. Our attorneys handle cases involving concussions, diffuse axonal injuries (DAI) and all other forms of TBI in Alabama.
• Other Catastrophic Injuries – From internal organ damage to loss of digits and limbs, we handle motorcycle accident cases involving all other types of catastrophic injuries as well. If you are facing medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses after a motorcycle accident in Alabama, we strongly encourage you to contact us right away.

When you schedule a free consultation, a Birmingham motorcycle accident attorney at our firm will walk you through everything you need to know in the aftermath of a serious crash. Your attorney will help you make an informed decision about seeking just compensation for your injuries; and, if you decide to seek just compensation, your attorney will deal with the insurance companies on your behalf.

Protecting Your Legal Rights After a Motorcycle Accident

Regardless of the injuries you’re dealing with, the costs of your motorcycle accident will begin to add up quickly—and they could continue to add up for years or decades to come. This makes it essential to protect your legal rights. With this in mind, if you are dealing with the aftermath of a motorcycle accident in Alabama, you should:

1. Make Sure You Understand Your Diagnosis

You should make sure you have a clear understanding of the injuries you suffered in your motorcycle accident. If you are not clear on any aspect of your diagnosis, don’t hesitate to ask your healthcare provider for clarification.

2. Follow Your Doctor’s Treatment Recommendations

In addition to making sure you understand your diagnosis, you should also make sure you understand your doctor’s treatment recommendations—and, here too, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification if necessary. When you are recovering from a serious motorcycle accident, getting the treatment you need is important for protecting your health and your legal rights.

3. Report Your Motorcycle Accident

You should report the accident to the police and your motorcycle insurance company promptly (if you have not done so already). You are required to report the accident to the police if you were injured, and failing to report the accident to your insurance company could lead to loss of coverage.

4. Take Detailed Notes (But Keep the Details to Yourself)

You should take detailed notes about your motorcycle accident while it is still fresh in your mind. But, for now, you should keep the details to yourself. When you report the accident to your motorcycle insurance company, stick to the basics, and do not let the insurance adjuster talk you into making assumptions on record about what happened or who might be to blame.

5. Schedule a Free Consultation with a Local Attorney

An experienced motorcycle accident attorney will be able to investigate your accident, calculate your financial and non-financial losses, deal with the insurance companies on your behalf, and fight for the compensation you deserve. To get started, you should schedule a free consultation as soon as possible.

What Claim (or Claims) Should You File?

When it comes to protecting your legal rights, another key step is determining what claim (or claims) you should file for your crash. After investigating the crash, your Birmingham motorcycle accident attorney will be able to determine if you have claims including:

• Claim Against a Negligent Driver – Most motorcycle accidents are caused by negligent drivers. If speeding, tailgating, driving under the influence, driving while distracted or any other form of driver negligence is responsible for your injuries, you may have a claim under the at-fault driver’s insurance policy.
• Claim Under Your Motorcycle Insurance Policy – You could have a claim under your motorcycle insurance policy as well. If you have uninsured/underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage and the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance (or doesn’t have enough insurance) to cover your injuries, filing a claim under your UIM policy could prove necessary.
• Claim for a Motorcycle, Helmet or Gear Defect – If an issue with your motorcycle, helmet or riding gear is to blame for some or all of your injuries, the manufacturer could be liable. In this situation, you will need to hire an attorney to file a product liability claim on your behalf.
• Claim Against an Employer, Rideshare Company or Delivery Company – If you got hit by a driver who was working at the time of the accident, the driver’s employer, rideshare company or delivery company could be fully liable for your motorcycle accident.
• Claim Against a Government Agency or Contractor – If your motorcycle accident was the result of an issue with the road, then the government agency or contractor that is responsible for the issue could be liable. We handle cases involving potholes, dangerous construction zones and other common road-related issues.

When Should You Accept a Motorcycle Accident Insurance Settlement?

Knowing when to accept (and when not to accept) a motorcycle accident insurance settlement is extremely important. If you settle for less than you deserve, you won’t be able to go back and ask for more. So, when should you settle?

Answering this question isn’t easy. To know when (and if) to settle, you first need to know how much you are entitled to recover. If you don’t know what your claim is worth, the insurance companies will take advantage of you. With an experienced motorcycle accident attorney on your side, you can be confident that you are seeking the full compensation you deserve, and you can be confident that any settlement you accept truly represents just compensation for your accident-related losses.

Why You Should Hire a Motorcycle Accident Attorney

As we’ve mentioned above, if you are coping with serious injuries from a motorcycle accident, hiring an experienced attorney is one of the first steps you should take to protect yourself. Here are just some of the ways an experienced Birmingham motorcycle accident attorney will be able to help:

• Conducting an Investigation – Your attorney can quickly launch a thorough investigation to gather the evidence needed to assess liability and determine what claim (or claims) you should file.
• Calculating Your Losses – Your attorney can accurately calculate just compensation for your losses resulting from the accident, including your present and future medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
• Dealing with the Insurance Companies – After gathering the evidence needed to prove your legal rights, your attorney will be able to file your claim (or claims) and deal with the insurance companies on your behalf.
• Helping You Make Informed Decisions – From deciding which claim (or claims) to file to deciding when (and if) to settle, your attorney will be able to help you make informed decisions throughout the recovery process.
• Going to Court if Necessary – While most successful motorcycle accident cases settle, if you do not receive an acceptable settlement offer, your attorney will be able to take your case to court in order to keep fighting for the financial compensation you deserve.

If You Lost a Loved One in a Fatal Motorcycle Accident in Alabama

If you have recently lost a loved one in a fatal motorcycle accident in Alabama, we offer our deepest condolences. In this scenario, we strongly encourage you to speak with a motorcycle accident attorney at our firm about filing a claim for wrongful death. Negligent drivers, trucking companies, bars and nightclubs, and various other parties can be held liable for causing fatal motorcycle accidents, and we can use our experience to help you seek justice for your loved one’s untimely passing.

Proving Negligence After a Motorcycle Accident

If a motorcyclist was injured in an accident due to negligence, they can choose to take legal action against the person who caused the accident. This can be done through a personal injury lawsuit that seeks to hold a negligent party responsible for their actions. This requires the injured party to prove negligence by satisfying the burden of proof. To do so, the individual must work with their legal team to gather evidence that shows the driver’s behavior directly caused the accident and their injuries.

When a person is involved in an accident, it is always important to contact law enforcement immediately. This ensures they document the incident and any other relevant information. This can be used to build a case for negligence. Additionally, all victims should seek immediate medical attention. This is crucial because even if injuries do not present themselves right away, they may do so later on. While treating the injury, the medical professional will document it, which can also be used as evidence for a case. Additional evidence for a lawsuit may consist of pictures of the scene or witnesses to the incident.

Contact a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today

If you have been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in Alabama, it is important to consider your legal options. The aftermath of these accidents can be overwhelming and have the potential to impact a person for the rest of their life. If you need an experienced legal team to assist your case, contact Alabama Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC today.