Alabama Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

The state of Alabama is famous for some of the most beautiful roads for motorcycle riding in the country, ranging from the Little River Canyon National Preserve to the Cheaha Mountain motorcycle run. The beauty of the Yellowhammer state is expansive, making it no wonder that many choose to explore and enjoy it via motorcycle.

Setting fun, enjoyment, functionality, and beauty – all things that are associated with riding a motorcycle – aside, motorcycling can be very dangerous. Every year, motorcyclists are involved in accidents, injured, and killed throughout the United States, leaving motorcyclists and their families with serious questions about their future.

Following a motorcycle accident in Alabama, the experienced personal injury attorneys at McPhillips Shinbaum, LLP know how to build your claim and advocate on your behalf. Do not wait until it is too late – call our law offices today to schedule your free consultation.

Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle accidents are almost always the result of negligence; rarely do unforeseeable and unpreventable factors – like an animal darting into the road – cause the crash. That being said, some of the top acts of negligence, and top causes of motorcycle accidents, include:

• Failure to yield. A significant number of motorcycle accidents are caused by a driver’s failure to yield to a motorcyclist, who is making a turn at, or traveling straight through, an intersection. A driver may also fail to yield the right-of-way when going through a roundabout, at a stop sign, or when exiting a driveway.
• Distracted driving. When drivers are distracted, they put all those on the road around them at risk. If a driver is distracted, they may not notice an approaching motorcyclist, or see a motorcyclist in the distance ahead. This can lead to dangerous lane changes, failure to yield, rear-end accidents, and even head-on collisions.
• Road hazards. While a less common cause of motorcycle accidents road hazards do pose a threat. Examples of road hazards include darting animals, potholes, debris, water or puddles, ruts, etc.
• Motorcycle error or inexperience. Motorcycles require skill and knowledge of safety standards to properly operate and a lack of experience – or downright negligence, such as riding while impaired or lane splitting – in a motorcyclist may contribute to a crash.

 When negligence of another party causes your motorcycle crash, you deserve to be compensated for your losses.

 Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries

 Motorcyclists are much more likely to suffer severe or fatal injuries in a crash than are the drivers of passenger cars. Common injuries that a motorcyclist may suffer include:

• Road rash/road burn;
• Lacerations and bruising;
• Traumatic brain injuries;
• Scalp and facial injuries;
• Broken bones;
• Back injuries;
• Spine and spinal cord injuries;
• Amputation injuries/injuries to extremities;
• Internal injuries; and
• Soft tissue injuries.

These injuries can permanently disable a motorcyclist and leave them unable to work or enjoy life. They can result in thousands of dollars’ worth of medical expenses and lost wages. They can lead to psychological injuries like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Liability for Motorcycle Accidents

When another party is to blame for your motorcycle accident through an act of negligence, they are responsible for paying for your damages. Negligence, or the failure to act with a reasonable amount of care, may be demonstrated by either party in a crash. For example, the driver’s failure to yield may have been a negligent act that caused the crash itself, but your failure to wear a helmet was a negligent act that contributed to the extent of your traumatic brain injury.

Because of Alabama’s contributory negligence law, if you are found to be even partially at fault for your injuries and accident, then you cannot recover damages for your losses. As such, it is absolutely critical that you prove that the other party was 100 percent to blame for your crash and damages.

Steps to Take after a Motorcycle Crash

Taking the right steps after a crash can help to preserve your right to seek damages. Because proving the negligence of the at-fault party is so important in an Alabama motorcycle claim or lawsuit, you should:

• Immediately report the accident to the police;
• Write down everything you can remember about the crash;
• Send spoliation of evidence letters to any relevant parties;
• Interview witnesses who saw what happened; and
• Hire accident reconstruction experts.

You should also seek medical care as soon as possible and document the care received. Considering several of the items listed above may be challenging for most, hiring an attorney who can handle an investigation into the cause of your motorcycle accident on your behalf is recommended.

Statute of Limitations for Filing a Motorcycle Accident Claim

In addition to the items above, you must also pay attention the statute of limitations for filing your claim; if you wait too long to file your claim, you will be permanently barred from recovering compensation at all. In Alabama, you must bring forth your claim within two years’ time to recover damages for your losses.

How Alabama Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Can Help

The experienced Alabama motorcycle accident attorneys at the law office of McPhillips Shinbaum, LLP are passionate about representing the clients we work with, and firmly believe that hiring an Alabama motorcycle accident attorney after a crash is in your best interest. Here is how our lawyers help you:

• Explaining your options for compensation, the claims process, and how filing a lawsuit works;
• Investigating your claim and hiring accident reconstruction and other experts;
• Gathering and preserving all evidence related to your accident;
• Sending a demand letter to an insurance company;
• Organizing medical bills, wage statements, employee letters, and other forms of evidence of your losses;
• Negotiating with the insurance adjuster;
• Proving negligence;
• Filing a lawsuit;
• Preparing you for court; and
• Advocating for you every step of the way.

When are dealing with severe injuries and losses after a motorcycle accident, do not wait a day longer to call our team. We truly care about you, and are here to help. Reach us now at 334.262.1911, or use our quick contact form to write us a short message.