Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Augusta
If you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident, or if you lost a loved one in a crash caused by another driver’s negligence, the Chris Hudson Law Group motorcycle accident lawyers in Augusta, GA will be here to stand up for you and fight for the fair compensation you’re owed. Whether a careless driver in a passenger vehicle hit you, or a distracted commercial truck driver caused a catastrophic accident, we’ll be ready to put our extensive experience to work for you.
If a motorcycle collides with another vehicle, the rider is almost always the one who suffers the worst injuries and most property damage. This is because aside from a helmet and some protective clothing, riders have very little to protect them from harm if they are struck by a car or truck or if they’re thrown from their bike in a crash.
Most severe injury crashes can be linked to negligence on the part of other drivers on the road. Motorcycles are smaller than other passenger vehicles, so other drivers frequently make mistakes when it comes to judging the speed or distance of motorcycles near them. Distracted driving, intoxicated driving, and other forms of negligence are also common causes of severe or fatal crashes.
If you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle crash in Augusta or anywhere in Georgia, call our experienced motorcycle accident lawyers at (706) 690-4613 right away. Seeking compensation can be impossible on your own, especially when you need to focus on healing and your recovery. Get the top-notch legal representation you deserve, and let us handle the legal legwork for you.
We work on a contingency-fee-basis, which means you’ll never pay us anything upfront. We only collect when we win money for you, so there’s absolutely no risk to hire us to represent you. Take the first step toward getting the justice you deserve by scheduling a free case review and legal consultation with our firm. Call (706) 690-4613 or contact us online today.
Do I Need A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?
The primary reason you are going to want an attorney is simply for assistance in dealing with an insurance company. Insurers will often contact victims soon after their crashes, usually before they have even had the chance to call a lawyer.
Agents for insurance companies will act concerned and claim that victims will be taken care of, but these are always empty promises and you should not be fooled by them. An insurer is only looking to protect its bottom line and it is going to do whatever it can to reduce or outright deny your injury claim.
One way an insurance company is bound to challenge your case is by arguing that you were at fault for your accident. Motorcyclists are frequently accused by insurance companies of having contributed to or caused their crashes, even when evidence tends to indicate that another driver was at fault.
Chris Hudson Law Group motorcycle accident lawyers will conduct a thorough and exhaustive investigation of your accident scene to determine the cause and collect the evidence needed to prove another driver’s fault. We will then identify every single liable party and work to hold them accountable.
Why Choose Chris Hudson Law Group To Handle My Case?
Christopher Hudson is a member of the Council of Municipal Judges and Council of Magistrate Judges as well as the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. He has received an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is licensed in both South Carolina and Georgia.
Amanda S. Morris has extensive trial experience as a former Assistant Public Defender for the Augusta Judicial Circuit in 2008 until 2017.
Senior paralegal Dawn Rentz is a member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers’ Association Paralegal Division and obtained a Paralegal Certificate from Blackstone Career Institute. Executive assistant Jennifer Thomas offers more than eight years of experience in the medical field, as well as degrees in both Surgical and Emergency Medical Technology.
Types of Motorcycle Accident Cases We Handle
Motorcycle accidents frequently involve other motor vehicles, and the crashes often stem from some kind of driver negligence. Common types of crashes include, but are not limited to:
- Lane Change Accidents
- Rear-End Accidents
- Left or Right Turn Accidents
- Driver Fatigue
- Distracted Driving Accidents
- Drunk or Drugged Driving Accidents
It is important to keep in mind that some motorcycle accidents are single-vehicle crashes. While these accidents are often attributed to motorcyclist error, there can still be liable parties in some of these crashes as well.
For example, a motorcycle with a mechanical defect caused by an improper repair could make a maintenance company liable. Additionally, a defective part could also make a part manufacturer responsible.
Motorcycle accidents have the potential to cause a very wide range of debilitating injuries. Some of the types of injuries Chris Hudson Law Group has assisted clients with include, but are not limited to:
- Nerve Damage
- Paraplegia
- Back Injury
- Road Rash
- Organ Damage
- Quadriplegia
- Eye Injury
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Burn Injuries
- Paralysis
- Amputation
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Neck Injury
Georgia Code § 40-6-315 establishes that a person cannot operate or ride a motorcycle unless they are wearing protective headgear that complies with standards established by the commissioner of public safety. Helmets can certainly help reduce the chances of serious head injuries, but riders could still suffer severe injuries to other parts of their body.
Georgia Motorcycle Accident FAQs
If I wasn’t wearing a helmet, could I still file an injury claim?
It could. The effect of the failure to wear a helmet will depend on the nature of your injuries. Injuries to the head, face, or brain may very well result in the conclusion that a motorcyclist was responsible for their injuries because of their failure to wear a helmet. When injuries involve harm to other parts of a person’s body, the lack of a helmet defense is not as likely to affect compensation.
It is important to remember that Georgia is considered a modified comparative fault state, which means that a person can file a lawsuit to recover damages so long as they are less than 50 percent at fault. When a person’s own negligence does contribute to their injuries, then their award can be reduced in proportion to their negligence. In other words, a motorcyclist awarded $100,000 for a motorcycle accident who is found to have been 20 percent at fault will have their award reduced by $20,000 and receive $80,000.
What kinds of compensation can be recovered for a motorcycle accident?
Most motorcycle accident cases are resolved through settlements that are intended to cover all of a victim’s past, present, and future expenses. When a settlement is not possible, then a lawsuit could be filed and the case is tried in court. If a victim is able to prove their case by a preponderance of the evidence, they can be awarded compensatory damages that generally include a combination of economic damages and noneconomic damages. Economic damages apply to tangible losses while noneconomic damages are for more subjective forms of harm. Economic damages may include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Loss of future earnings if you’ve become disabled
- Home modifications
Noneconomic damages could be awarded for:
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
Certain cases could also possibly involve an award of punitive damages (also known as vindictive damages or exemplary damages), and Georgia Code § 51-12-5.1 establishes that punitive damages are a form “of additional damages awarded because of aggravating circumstances in order to penalize, punish, or deter a defendant.” Punitive damage awards are fairly rare, but drunk driving cases can often be one of the forms of tortious conduct that often justifies such an award.
What happens if my accident was caused by a dangerous road condition?
Motorcycles are certainly more susceptible to defects in roadways like potholes. It could be completely possible that a single-vehicle crash was entirely caused by such a condition, and a governmental entity could possibly be liable for damages. A victim will need to prove that a state or local agency was responsible for maintaining the roadway but failed to make necessary improvements. Claims against governmental entities in Georgia must be filed within six months under the Georgia Tort Claims Act.
Motorcycle Accidents in Georgia
Since motorcycles are smaller and less stable than other vehicles, any crash involving a motorcycle commonly leads to injuries. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 5,579 motorcyclists died in crashes in 2020. That number represents an 11 percent increase from the year before. The rate of unlicensed fatally injured motorcycle drivers was 38 percent compared to only 20 percent of unlicensed passenger vehicle drivers sustaining fatal injuries.
In comparing single-vehicle crashes to multiple-vehicle accidents, 2,239 motorcyclists died in single-vehicle accidents, while multiple-vehicle crashes caused 3,340 motorcyclist deaths.
The age group with the highest number of motorcyclist fatalities in a year was 50 and older, with 1,992 deaths. The second highest number of deaths was 1,475 for motorcyclists 29 and younger. Males also accounted for 92 percent of motorcyclist fatalities, while females represented only 8 percent.
The number of fatally injured motorcycle drivers by motorcycle type in 2020 was:
- Cruiser/standard – 1,644
- Touring – 1,058
- Sport-touring – 47
- Sport/unclad sport – 593
- Supersport – 1,135
- Off-road – 97
- Other/unknown – 694
August was the deadliest month for motorcyclists during a one-year period. A total of 756 motorcyclists died in traffic accidents, representing 14 percent of all fatalities by month. July was the second deadliest month, with 728 deaths, followed by September, with 685 fatalities.
The number of motorcyclist deaths by the time of day in one year includes:
- Midnight to 3 a.m. – 429
- 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. – 194
- 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. – 232
- 9 a.m. to noon – 426
- Noon to 3 p.m. – 896
- 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. – 1,263
- 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. – 1,223
- 9 p.m. to midnight – 874
Contact a Motorcycle Accident Attorney in Augusta
Did you sustain severe injuries or was your loved one killed in a motorcycle accident in Augusta or another part of Richmond County? To get the full compensation you’re owed, call Chris Hudson Law Group to speak with one of our experienced and dedicated motorcycle accident lawyers right away.
Chris Hudson Law Group has recovered millions of dollars for our clients. Call (706) 690-4613 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
