Motorcycle Accident Attorney in Duluth

If you suffered injuries in a Duluth motorcycle accident, a lawyer can help you seek compensation and accountability from the at-fault party. You don’t need to lift a finger, which comes as a relief for most people recovering from devastating injuries.

Our experienced Duluth motorcycle accident attorneys will:

• Provide legal guidance on how to proceed with your case
• Handle all communications with the insurance company

• Identify the party(s) at fault for your injuries
• Conduct a thorough investigation of the accident to provide solid proof of negligence from every liable party
• Consult experts for testimony showing how the accident happened and its impact on your life
• Determine the full extent of your damages
• Negotiate for maximum compensation from the insurance company
• Represent you at trial to demand full and fair compensation

The leading causes of motorcycle accidents in Duluth include:

• Left turns – According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 42 percent of two-vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle occurred when the other vehicle turned left while the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking another vehicle. Left turns are deadly because many drivers do not see the oncoming motorcycle or misjudge their speed or distance.
• Failure to yield – Motorcyclists have the same rights as other drivers. Motorists must yield the right-of-way to them when required based on Georgia’s traffic laws. Drivers who fail to yield to motorcyclists, either because they fail to see them or purposefully choose not to, put bikers at grave risk of injury in a devastating accident.
• Distracted driving – Distracted driving is a pervasive problem in our community. According to the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS), 6,552 drivers were convicted of a distracted driving violation in one recent year in Gwinnett County alone. Distractions such as cell phones, passengers, and navigation systems can take a driver’s eyes off the road long enough to miss a smaller motorcycle, increasing the risk of a collision.

Motorcycle accidents can result in a wide range of injuries, including the following:

• Road rash
• Soft tissue injuries
• Broken bones
• Dislocations
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Spinal cord injury
• Internal organ damage
• Facial injuries
• Amputation
• Burns

Using the Georgia Crash Data Dashboard and our experience representing accident victims, our motorcycle accident lawyers have identified the most dangerous areas in Duluth for riders.

The following are the most dangerous intersections for motorcycle riders in Duluth:

• Pleasant Hill Rd. and Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
• Duluth Highway and Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
• Buford Highway and Pleasant Hill Rd.
• Pleasant Hill Rd. and N. Berkeley Lake Rd.
• Peachtree Industrial Blvd. and Sugarloaf Parkway

Here are the key Georgia laws that motorcyclists need to know:

• Rights and duties – Georgia law grants all the same rights and responsibilities to motorcyclists as to other drivers on the road.
• License – Motorcyclists must obtain a Class M license (or a Class M instructional permit if they are 16 years old). To do so, they must either pass a motorcycle skills test at a DDS center or complete a Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program Course. The DDS website details the process of obtaining the proper license.
• Insurance – Georgia law requires motorcycle owners to maintain a minimum of $15,000 per person and $30,000 per incident of bodily injury liability insurance, and $10,000 per incident of property damage liability insurance.
• Helmet – All motorcyclists must wear a Department of Transportation-approved helmet while operating or riding a motorcycle.
• Passengers – Motorcyclists can only carry a passenger on a bike designed for one.
• Lane splitting – Motorcyclists cannot pass a vehicle within the same lane or between lanes of traffic, a practice known as lane splitting.

Because Georgia law requires motorcyclists to wear a helmet at all times, you can expect the insurance company to try to deny your claim for an accident where you failed to wear a helmet. Even if another party’s negligence clearly caused the accident, the insurance company will likely argue that your helmet law violation substantially contributed to your injuries.

If you find yourself in this situation, you need an aggressive motorcycle accident attorney to stand up for your rights and fight for accountability from the at-fault party. Not wearing a helmet may not bar your recovery, but it could reduce the amount of compensation you receive. Contact a Duluth motorcycle accident lawyer today.

Compensation in a successful Duluth motorcycle accident claim could include money for:

• Medical bills
• Rehabilitation costs
• Lost wages
• Reduced earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Emotional distress
• Loss of companionship
• Loss of consortium
• Lost quality of life

Georgia law allows victims who bear partial fault for an accident to still recover compensation up to a limit. The court will reduce your compensation in proportion to your share of the fault.

Suppose the court finds you were 10 percent to blame for the motorcycle accident that injured you. By law, you will receive 10 percent less than your total available compensation to account for your portion of responsibility for the crash. However, there is a catch. If your share of the blame is 50 percent or more, you cannot recover any compensation at all. A Duluth motorcycle accident attorney can help.

Georgia’s statute of limitations sets a two-year deadline from the date of the motorcycle accident for the injured party to file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party.  Some exceptions apply that could shorten or extend the time limit, so you should contact a Duluth personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to learn the limitations period for your case. If you fail to file by the deadline, you could forfeit your right to any compensation at all.