Every year, motorcyclists in Alpharetta face some of the most serious accidents on the road. While many people spend a lifetime motorcycling without an injury, the aggressive behavior of car and truck drivers makes bikers very vulnerable. And insurance companies are quick to capitalize on inaccurate stereotypes, painting injured bikers as daredevils who caused their own accident. You don’t have to tolerate this—and you don’t have to settle for a dollar less than you deserve. You need to talk to an Alpharetta motorcycle accident lawyer.
We can help. Our law group works with some of the most respected motorcycle lawyers in the state—with a proven record of winning cases in and around Alpharetta. When we work for you, you get more than just our 20+ year of experience. You also get a team that is passionate about bikers’ rights and cares deeply about helping injured bikers and their families.
Let us give you a FREE consultation. You never owe us anything if we don’t get you money. Call us at (404) 341-6555 or fill out the form to the right to get your free consultation today.
How is fault determined in a motorcycle accident?
The rules for fault in Alpharetta, and statewide, are the same no matter what kind of vehicles were involved. The driver who caused the accident, or was the biggest contributor to why it happened, will normally be liable. Their insurance has to pay for it. In some cases, fault can be shared between both parties.
In motorcycle cases, however, there are a few things you should know:
- Lack of knowledge: Accident investigators and insurance adjusters are much less familiar with forensic evidence related to motorcycles than they are with cars and trucks. As a result, they often miss key clues and misinterpret what happened.
- Bias: Car drivers rarely understand what it’s like to be a biker, or how much space they need to give you. Police can be more sympathetic, but insurance companies are not. Expect to be treated as if you were at fault even if you weren’t. Don’t let this rattle you—we can prove the truth.
- Insurance tricks: Motorcycle accidents are often more severe than other accidents and thus more costly. Insurers will play hot potato with your case. They will look for excuses to deny your claim or put you at fault, and often try to trick you so they can use your words against you. Minimize your contact from the start by getting a lawyer who can serve as your go-between.
What if I was lane splitting/between lanes?
This can affect your claim, but it depends on what exactly happened.
Lane splitting, or biking between lanes/between traffic, is illegal in Georgia—with no exceptions. This surprises many bikers who come through from out of state, as well as residents who moved here from elsewhere. In fact, many otherwise law-abiding bikers in Georgia don’t even know it’s illegal.
Here’s how it affects your case:
- If you were between lanes, you are likely to be at fault. This isn’t true 100% of the time, but it’s a general rule. Even though there are other factors that may have caused the accident whether you were splitting lanes or not, the argument will be that the other driver couldn’t have expected you to be where you were and, thus, couldn’t have done anything to avoid you.
- It IS okay to dive between lanes if you are trying to avoid an obstacle. All vehicles, motorcycle or otherwise, swerve to avoid being hit—and this is a good thing. If you were in your lane originally, but moved to the side (between lanes) to try to avoid the collision, that should not be held against you. You did what you had to do.
As you can imagine, insurance companies will seize any excuse to blame you for the accident. We can help prove that you weren’t lane splitting or that you did it defensively. And, even if you were splitting lanes, we may be able to help you recover money.
Do other factors matter, like wearing a helmet?
Whether you were wearing a helmet will come up in your accident case. However, in most cases, it should not affect fault—but there are exceptions.
The thing about a helmet is, it’s there to protect you. It doesn’t change how anyone drives or how much space you need. Whether you wore a helmet is irrelevant to who caused a crash.
However, many motorcycle accidents involve head injuries. If this applies to your case, get ready for the insurer to argue that your injuries would be less severe if you’d had a helmet on. They will use this to try to get out of paying at least part of your costs.
How much money can I recover for a motorcycle accident in Alpharetta?
You can recover money for:
- Immediate medical costs
- Long term costs like medication, additional procedures, or physical therapy
- Missed work time
- Motorcycle repairs
- Money to offset the impact of severe pain, or losses such as a permanent injury
- Family members are able to recover money on behalf of loved ones in wrongful death cases. Since so many motorcycle accidents prove fatal, this is a crucial form of relief for bikers’ families.
Many motorcycle accident cases will end up paying out $100,000 or more. Many even pay over a million dollars.
Talk to an Alpharetta Motorcycle Accident Lawyer for Free
Bikers are often alone out on the road. But you don’t have to be alone in your accident claim. Put a team of respected, proven legal professionals to work for your—and make sure you get every dollar you deserve. FREE consultation. FREE legal opinion. NO charge, ever, if we don’t get you money. Call us at (404) 341-6555 or fill out the form to the right to get your free consultation today.
