Cartersville Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

Perrotta, Lamb & Johnson, LLC is trusted by clients and colleagues across Georgia to take on the toughest cases. We proudly serve victims and families across the Atlanta metro area and beyond from our office in Cartersville and offer FREE and confidential consultations. 

Reasons you can be confident about choosing our team:

• Millions of Dollars in Compensation Recovered for Clients.
• Award-Winning Attorneys with Decades of Combined Experience. 
• Personalized Support and Step-by-Step Legal Counsel. 
• Contingency fees – No Fee Unless We Win.

Speak with a Cartersville motorcycle injury lawyer about your rights and options. Call (770) 637-7603 or contact us online for a FREE consultation.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics 

Motorcyclists are among the most vulnerable road users, suffering serious and fatal injuries at far higher rates than occupants of standard vehicles. In fact, according to data from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, motorcycles account for nearly a quarter (21%) of all motorist fatalities in Georgia, despite representing just 2% of all registered vehicles in the state. 

And while motorcyclists have always been overrepresented in accident data, recent numbers show alarming trends. Here’s some key data from the 2020 Georgia Traffic Safety Facts report:

• There were 192 motorcyclist fatalities in Georgia in 2020, the most in a decade and a 10% increase from the previous year.
• At least 834 motorcyclists suffered serious injuries in 2020, an 18% increase from 2019.
• Most motorcycle crashes occurred in North Georgia and counties within the Atlanta metro area, which accounted for 37% of all motorcycle crashes statewide.
• There were nearly 3,800 crashes that involved motorcyclists in 2020. Over half (58%) were multi-vehicle crashes involving other vehicles, 40% were single-vehicle crashes, and 2% involved two or more motorcycles.
• Most motorcycle crashes occurred on minor arterial roads, followed by local roads, principal arterial roads, and collector roads (roads that connect local roads to streets).

Many accidents occur due to the negligence of other drivers who fail to yield the right of way, follow too closely, or make sudden lane changes without checking for motorcycles. Motorcycles are smaller and less visible than cars or trucks, making them more prone to being overlooked by other drivers and increasing the likelihood of accidents, especially during lane changes or turns.

Common causes involving other motor vehicles in motorcycle accidents include:

• Left-Turn Accidents: A significant number of motorcycle accidents occur when other vehicles make left turns in front of an oncoming motorcycle. Drivers might misjudge the speed of the motorcycle or fail to notice it altogether.
• Rear-End Collisions: Motorcycles can be rear-ended by other vehicles, often due to the driver’s inattention, sudden braking, or misjudgment of the motorcycle’s speed.
• Lane Changes: When vehicles change lanes without properly checking blind spots or signaling, they can collide with motorcycles in adjacent lanes.
• Opening Car Doors: Parked cars opening their doors without checking for oncoming motorcycles can lead to collisions.
• Driving Under the Influence (DUI): Impaired drivers pose a significant risk to motorcyclists as their impaired judgment and slowed reactions increase the chances of accidents.
• Distracted Driving: With the prevalence of smartphones and other distractions, drivers may be less attentive to the road. This distraction can lead to overlooking motorcycles, increasing the risk of collisions.

If you or someone you love were injured in a motorcycle crash, you may have grounds to pursue legal action and compensation for your losses. But to secure the full recovery you deserve, you’ll need to prove your claims and fight back against insurance companies that care more about profits than people.

Determining Fault & Liability in Motorcycle Accidents

Determining who you can hold at fault for an accident is the first and most important step of any personal injury case, as victims who file personal injury claims allege that the at-fault party should be held liable (or financially responsible) for their injuries. However, every case is unique and should be investigated personally by experienced attorneys who know what to look for when it comes to liability.

In Georgia, to succeed in a motorcycle accident claim, several elements need to be established:

1. Duty of Care: The plaintiff (injured party) must show that the defendant (usually the other driver) owed them a duty of care. This duty of care means that the defendant had a responsibility to operate their vehicle safely and follow traffic laws.
2. Breach of Duty: It must be demonstrated that the defendant breached this duty of care. For instance, if the defendant was speeding, distracted, or violated traffic rules, it could constitute a breach of duty.
3. Causation: There should be a clear link between the defendant’s breach of duty and the accident. The plaintiff needs to show that the defendant's actions directly caused the accident and subsequent injuries.
4. Damages: The plaintiff must prove actual damages resulting from the accident. This includes medical bills, property damage, lost wages, pain and suffering, and any other losses incurred due to the accident.

Typically, the party (or parties) against whom you file a claim will be one who caused your crash due to negligence. In some cases, it may be another party, such as the owner of a company responsible for a negligent employee or some other negligent or wrongful condition. 

 Some examples of potential defendants in motorcycle accident lawsuits include:

• A motorist who caused your crash due to negligence, such as running a red right, failing to yield the right of way, or making an unsafe lane change.
• A commercial trucking company that employed a negligent truck driver who caused your crash.
• A corporation whose employee negligently caused your crash, such as in the case of crashes caused by work trucks or delivery vans.
• Manufacturers, distributors, or retailers responsible for defective products or motorcycle parts.
• Property owners responsible for premises hazards that caused your crash.

At Perrotta, Lamb & Johnson, LLC, our attorneys conduct meticulous investigations to help clients determine fault, assess the availability of sufficient insurance coverage, and pursue the compensation they deserve. We also have experience representing victims injured in crashes involving uninsured or underinsured motorists. We can discuss fault and liability in your accident during a free consultation. 

How Much is My Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit Worth?

Motorcycle crashes can upend the lives of victims and their loved ones, and are more likely than other types of traffic crashes to result in catastrophic injuries that come with big bills and long-term health concerns. As such, securing a full and fair financial recovery is of the utmost importance.

As with any personal injury case, however, the value of your motorcycle accident lawsuit will depend on the circumstances involved. This includes factors such as your injuries, the medical treatment you received, and your age, occupation, and income. In cases involving serious injuries, it can also involve the costs of any future medical treatment you’ll need, how your injuries or disabilities affect your ability to work and earn income in the future, and how much insurance coverage is available.

At Perrotta, Lamb & Johnson, LLC, we work to help clients maximize their recoveries by consulting various experts and accurately calculating both past and future losses.

Examples of damages you may be able to recover in a motorcycle accident case include:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost income and lost future earnings
• Pain and suffering
• Grief, anguish, and other emotional injuries
• Property damage
• Other economic and non-economic losses

How Can a Motorcycle Accident Attorney Help?

Unfortunately, motorcycle accident claims are not as simple as car accidents. They often pose unique legal challenges due to the following factors:

• Bias and Perception: There’s a prevalent bias against motorcyclists, with stereotypes suggesting they're risk-takers or reckless. This bias can influence perceptions, making it harder for riders to prove they weren't at fault, even if they were following road rules.
• Severity of Injuries: Motorcycle accidents commonly result in severe injuries due to the lack of protective barriers around the rider. Severe injuries often lead to higher medical bills and long-term care needs, making it crucial to establish fault accurately for compensation.
• Multiple Parties Involved: Accidents might involve multiple vehicles or parties. Determining fault becomes complex when more than one party shares responsibility.
• Visibility and Awareness: Motorcycles are smaller and less visible on the road compared to larger vehicles. This can lead to issues where other drivers claim they didn’t see the motorcycle, creating challenges in proving fault.
• Lane Splitting and Legal Gray Areas: Laws around lane splitting (riding between lanes) vary by state and country. In areas where it's legal, determining fault can be complicated, as some might argue the legality of the motorcycle's position on the road.
• Insurance Issues: Insurance companies might try to minimize payouts by placing partial blame on the motorcyclist, especially in states with comparative negligence laws.
• Need for Expert Analysis: Accident reconstruction experts are often necessary to determine the sequence of events and establish fault accurately. This requires detailed investigation and analysis, adding complexity to the legal process.

Personal injury lawsuits are high-stakes cases, and the outcome of yours can have a tremendous impact on your ability to treat your injuries, care for lasting disabilities, and cover the losses and expenses you have incurred and are likely to incur in the future.

At Perrotta, Lamb & Johnson, LLC, we take these cases seriously and provide the comprehensive legal counsel clients need to address every aspect of their claims. This includes providing support for:

• Accident investigation and accident reconstruction.
• Evidence gathering and other elements of discovery (i.e. interrogatories, depositions, etc.).
• Consultation and collaboration with experts, including medical specialists, economists, and other expert witnesses.
• Liability determinations and evaluations of available insurance coverage, including both third-party claims against an at-fault party’s insurer and first-party claims with your own insurance carrier under a UM/UIM policy, when available.
• Settlement negotiations and litigation at trial, when necessary.

We know motorcycle accident victims have many concerns when it comes to exercising their rights and securing a fair financial recovery. It’s why we do everything in our power to educate victims, explain the personal injury claim process, and provide guidance at every stage of the process. 

And because we know medical bills and lost income add to our clients’ concerns, we also handle these cases on contingency – which means there’s no cost to hire our team and no fee unless a recovery is made in your case. 

Examples of Our Results

Perrotta, Lamb & Johnson, LLC has recovered millions of dollars for victims of motorcycle accidents and other traffic crashes across Georgia. Some examples of our results:

• $1.55 million for a motor vehicle accident victim injured in a head-on-collision.
• $1.25 million for a motorcyclist struck by a vehicle performing an illegal U-turn.
• $1.125 million for a victim injured in a motor vehicle crash caused by a distracted driver.

Call For a FREE Case Evaluation: (770) 637-7603

While victims of negligence have the right to recover financial compensation from those at-fault, the process of securing a full and fair recovery can be a challenge, especially when claims filed by injured motorcyclists pose big threats to an insurance company’s bottom line. 

At Perrotta, Lamb & Johnson, LLC, our Cartersville motorcycle accident lawyers leverage decades of collective experience to help victims in the fight for justice. We have the resources to level the playing field with powerful insurance carriers and the insight to guide victims toward the justice and compensation they deserve. 

Give us a call at (770) 637-7603 or complete an online form to learn how we may be able to help you.