Bikers are attracted to motorcycles because they are a unique form of transportation. They offer a heightened sense of freedom and power on the road. But they also expose riders to more risk of injury than other motor vehicles. A motorcycle accident in Huntsville, Alabama, can leave you with serious injuries, costly medical bills, and a long road to recovery. But if someone else caused the accident, they could owe you money for your losses.
Contact an experienced Huntsville motorcycle accident attorney at Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., to find out how to pursue the money you deserve. The consultation is free.
Injured? We'll be right there!
Our experienced Huntsville motorcycle accident lawyers are here to fight for you. Contact us now!
How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents?
Motorcycle riders are 28 times more likely than car passengers to die in a crash and four times more likely to be injured than passengers in cars and trucks, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Even non-fatal Alabama motorcycle accidents can result in brain injuries, spine injuries, broken bones, road rash, burns, scars, and other serious or permanent injuries.
We know from experience that most motorcyclists are highly safety-conscious and mindful of traffic safety because they understand the risks of an accident. Many motorcycle accidents result from the carelessness or negligence of others on the road. Regardless of how safe a rider you are, you cannot control the actions of other motorists or prevent them from acting carelessly.
In many cases, drivers turning left may fail to see an oncoming motorcycle and turn directly into its path. NHTSA found that in one recent year, 2,741 two-vehicle accidents involving a motorcycle and another type of motor vehicle resulted in a fatality. In 42 percent (1,158) of the accidents, the motor vehicle was turning left while the motorcycle was going straight or passing another vehicle.
A motorcyclist is more susceptible to the carelessness of other drivers since the motorcycle’s smaller size makes it difficult for other motorists to determine its true distance and speed. Bikes can easily disappear into a blind spot if the other driver is not careful.
How an Experienced Motorcycle Crash Lawyer in Huntsville Can Assist You
Understanding the Impact of Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Motorcycle accidents may cause catastrophic, life-changing injuries. Many riders require months of rehabilitation to regain their independence. If your injuries are severe, you may be left with permanent disabilities. You may be unable to work again or earn as much as before the accident.
The Alabama personal injury attorneys at Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., have more than 140 years of combined experience representing injured motorcyclists and dealing with insurance companies regarding accidents caused by the negligence of others.
Reducing Your Stress While You Focus on Recovery
We recognize that you and your family are going through a very stressful time due to the motorcycle accident. You probably would rather not deal with insurance companies. Having an experienced motorcycle injury lawyer working on your behalf can help relieve your stress and allow you to concentrate on your recovery.
Investigating the Crash and Identifying Liable Parties
Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Huntsville are ready to analyze the contributing factors in the crash and determine all the potentially liable parties. We will act with all purposeful speed to secure evidence of negligence and prepare a claim for you.
Calculating the Full Cost of Your Injuries
If your injuries require ongoing medical care or lifestyle changes to resume daily activities, we can work with medical economists to estimate the long-term financial impact of your injuries. These future expenses will be added to the cost of current medical treatment, surgery, physical therapy, medical equipment, and lost wages to calculate your overall losses.
Negotiating with Insurance Companies for Full Compensation
We will submit a claim for full compensation to the insurance companies of the at-fault parties and negotiate fiercely for a just settlement. We conduct a thorough investigation of each motorcycle wreck case so that we have all the facts at our command. Our accident attorneys are seasoned negotiators, and most cases are resolved without a trial.
Taking Your Case to Trial When Necessary
We are always prepared to go to trial if that becomes the most effective way to fight for our clients’ rights. If the insurer refuses to agree to a just settlement, our motorcycle accident lawyers are prepared to pursue justice in court after consulting with you. Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., has a proven record of verdicts and settlements. We have recovered more than $168 million in verdicts and settlements for clients.
The fact that we are prepared to take a motorcycle accident case to trial, if necessary, works to the advantage of our clients as we negotiate to get a just settlement. Insurers do not like to go to court. But we do – when it’s the best way to demand justice and accountability.
Recover from Your Motorcycle Injuries While We Work on Your Case
After an Alabama motorcycle accident, your health should be your priority. We can help you find the best available medical care and arrange with your healthcare providers for the payment for your treatment to be postponed until your lawsuit is settled. Helping you get peace of mind is an important part of what our firm does for our clients.
While you recover, we will conduct an evaluation of your Alabama motorcycle wreck claim and determine who was at fault. We will perform a full investigation of the motorcycle accident scene, interview any witnesses, and take pictures of the vehicles that were involved. We will gather all relevant evidence to prove that the at-fault party is responsible for your injuries and seek to hold them liable.- Within days of your motorcycle accident, a lawyer representing the at-fault party’s insurance company will typically offer a quick settlement before you know how serious your injuries are. This lawyer’s chief concern is limiting the amount of money that the insurance company pays out. That is why you need a strong advocate who will fight for you. We have decades of experience fighting insurance companies on behalf of injured motorcyclists in Huntsville.
- When an insurance company presents a settlement offer, it is in your best interest to discuss the situation with a lawyer. Contact the Huntsville motorcycle accident lawyers at Morris, King & Hodge, P.C. We are familiar with the many tactics that insurance companies use to get you to settle quickly and for less compensation than you deserve. Insurers know that we are experienced motorcycle accident attorneys who won’t back down from a fight, even if that means taking them to court.
- Our firm has years of experience dealing with insurance companies and handling accident claims, such as uninsured motorist (UM) insurance claims. If you were involved in a motorcycle accident and the at-fault driver illegally left the scene, we can help you seek compensation through a UM claim.
- Our Alabama motorcycle accident lawyers want to make sure that you are compensated for all financial losses that you may have incurred from the motorcycle accident, such as medical bills and any lost income from missed work as a result of your injuries. You also deserve compensation for any emotional, mental, or psychological injuries that result from the accident. We can help you find the treatment necessary to deal with these after a motorcycle accident.
- Our lawyers will identify all possible sources of compensation for your injuries and contact the appropriate insurance companies on your behalf. While our attorney will try to negotiate a fair settlement before filing a lawsuit, we will not hesitate to go to trial if necessary to stand up for your legal rights. Our knowledgeable Huntsville motorcycle accident lawyers will aggressively pursue a just resolution to your case. You deserve full and fair compensation for your injuries. We can help you get it.
Injured? We'll be right there!
Our experienced Huntsville motorcycle accident lawyers are here to fight for you. Contact us now!
Statute of Limitations to File a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Alabama
Alabama gives you two years from the date of your motorcycle accident to file a legal claim for compensation. This deadline is set by a state law known as the statute of limitations, which limits how long you have to use the Alabama court system to seek damages for injuries caused by another person’s negligence.
You also have two years to file a wrongful death claim in Alabama. However, only the personal representative or executor of the deceased family member’s estate may file a wrongful death case in Alabama. An exception is if the deceased family member is a minor. If so, any parent can file the claim but must do so within six months of the date of the child’s death. After this time, the child’s personal representative must file the wrongful death claim.
What Compensation Is Available in Motorcycle Crash Claims?
If someone else caused the motorcycle accident that injured you, they could owe you compensation in the form of damages for the losses you suffered. That could include money for:
- Medical bills, including past and future surgeries, hospitalizations, physical therapies, doctor visits, and medication
- Lost wages, including benefits, commissions, and bonuses you could not earn
- Lost earning capacity, or your expected loss of future income due to your injuries
- Pain and suffering refer to the physical and mental discomfort caused by injuries
- Emotional and psychological trauma may consist of anxiety, depression, or even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Loss of consortium, or the intimacy and closeness shared by spouses
- Property damage, including the repair or replacement of the motorcycle and any personal items you had with you at the time
In cases where the defendant’s conduct is grossly negligent, reckless, intentional, and especially harmful, an Alabama court may award punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages. Our complete accident investigation will reveal any facts and circumstances that indicate whether punitive damages are appropriate based on the conduct of the party at fault.
If a family member was involved in a fatal motorcycle accident in Huntsville, you may be entitled to file a wrongful death claim. A wrongful death claim in Alabama arises when one person dies as a result of the legal fault of another person. The state is unusual in that only punitive damages can be awarded in such cases.
Causes of Huntsville Motorcycle Accidents
Common causes of motorcycle accidents in Huntsville, Alabama, include:
- Pulling Out in Front of a Motorcycle
- Driver Inattention
- Weather Conditions
- Failure to Yield
- Turning Left into a Motorcycle
- Not Signaling Lane Changes
- Lane Splitting
- Merging Automobiles Forcing Motorcycles off the Road
- Failure to Act Responsibly During Motorcycle Slideouts
- Rear-End
- DWI/DUI (Drunk Driving Accidents)
- Negligent Entrustment
- Negligent Use of a Cell Phone
- Texting While Driving
- Negligent Design, Construction, and Maintenance of Roads
- Defective Products
Types of Injuries Seen in Motorcycle Wrecks
Examples of common injuries in motorcycle accidents include:
Head Injuries
Riders who sustain TBIs are more likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation center or a long-term care facility for ongoing treatment and to have higher treatment costs. Approximately one of every six motorcyclists treated at a hospital emergency room after a crash had a TBI, according to one NHTSA study. Motorcyclists with a TBI are more likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation center or long-term care facility and incur higher medical costs.
Facial Injuries
Motorcycle accidents involving higher speeds increase the risk of a rider sustaining facial injuries. Riders who are ejected from a motorcycle and hit the road or another hard surface may sustain facial fractures, lacerations, nerve damage, or injuries causing disfigurement. Riders who are wearing helmets with face shields are less likely to suffer facial injuries. Extensive facial disfigurement may require multiple cosmetic surgeries.
Nerve Damage
When a rider hits the pavement or a guardrail, the rider’s arm and shoulder often take the initial impact. That can stretch or tear nerves that send signals from the spine to the shoulder and arm, causing a brachial plexus injury. Severe brachial plexus injuries can leave an arm paralyzed or with limited use. Surgery to graft nerves or muscles may help restore function.
Spinal Injuries
Motorcycle and other auto accidents are leading causes of spinal injuries, accounting for a third of spinal cord injuries. About one in every 10 motorcyclists who is injured in a crash sustains a spinal injury, according to research published in Trauma, a medical journal. Injuries to the thoracic spine —the middle section of the spine—are the most common spinal injuries in motorcycle crashes. A rider may also sustain injuries to multiple levels of the spine.
Leg Injuries
Injured riders sustain more leg injuries than any other type of lower extremity injury. Bone fractures, such as fractures of the ankle and the femur, the long upper leg bone, are common leg injuries.
Pelvis and Hip Injuries
Motorcycle crashes exert high-energy forces, and riders often sustain pelvic fractures. Pelvic fractures caused by high-impact crashes often require surgery to reconstruct the pelvis so patients can resume normal activities.
Motorcyclists typically suffer the brunt of injuries in crashes involving a motorcycle and a car or truck in Alabama. Motorcycles lack the protection of an enclosed passenger compartment or seat belt restraints. Often, nothing is between a rider and concrete, metal, and steel.
A biker may sustain a head injury, traumatic brain injury (TBI), facial injury, broken collarbone, broken pelvis, or other fractures in a collision. Incapacitating injuries are more common when the initial point of contact in a crash is the front of the motorcycle.
In higher-speed accidents, motorcyclists are often ejected onto the road or thrown into another vehicle. In fatal motorcycle crashes involving at least two vehicles, 76 percent of the motorcycles were struck in the front, while only 7 percent were struck in the rear, according to NHTSA. As the ridership of motorcycles has increased, the number of people killed and injured in motorcycle accidents has increased in recent years. Nationwide, over 5,500 motorcyclists died in accidents in one recent year, and over 82,000 riders sustained injuries, according to NHTSA. The total number of 5,579 fatalities was the highest number of motorcyclists killed since NHTSA started using the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) in 1975. Motorcycle crashes represent approximately one of every seven fatal traffic accidents.
The increase in accidents has been particularly pronounced among riders ages 40 and older, who now account for a large portion of riders. From 2011 to 2020, fatalities for riders 55 and older increased by 37 percent, from 1,087 to 1,486 deaths. Riders are often difficult to rescue after an accident due to rural surroundings.
Injured? We'll be right there!
Our experienced Huntsville motorcycle accident lawyers are here to fight for you. Contact us now!
Get Help from Our Huntsville Motorcycle Injury Lawyers
If you think we can help you as we have helped many other people in Huntsville with their motorcycle accident cases, please call us for a free consultation about your accident.
To schedule a free case review, please call us or complete our quick contact form. The Huntsville motorcycle accident lawyers at Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., are ready to help you move forward after a serious accident that was someone else’s fault.
