If you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident in Birmingham, Alabama, because someone else was careless, now’s the time to call Singleton Schreiber. You have rights as an injured rider, but getting the compensation you need and deserve from a powerful insurance company won’t be easy. That’s where our Birmingham injury lawyers can help.
Singleton Schreiber offers compassionate, honest, and skilled legal representation to injury victims and families across the nation. As award-winning legal advocates for justice, our personal injury law firm has won more than $3 billion in damages. Now, our local Alabama litigators are ready to invest our firm’s national resources into your Birmingham motorcycle accident case.
We know what you’re up against and can offer the kind of representation you’ll need to win your case and maximize your recovery. Contact our law office in Birmingham to learn more and schedule a time for your free consultation.
Motorcyclists Are Susceptible to Severe Physical Injuries in Alabama Traffic Accidents
Riding a motorcycle is thrilling, but it’s also risky.
Statistically speaking, two-thirds of all motorcycle accidents cause at least one injury or death. In contrast, one out of nine traffic accidents involving passenger vehicles has the same result.
Riders – even those who wear motorcycle helmets as required by Alabama’s universal helmet law – tend to suffer:
- Broken bones
- Burn injuries
- Road rash
- Nerve damage
- Leg injuries
- Knee injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Amputation injuries
- Head injuries
- Eye injuries
- Brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back injuries
- Paralysis injuries
- Neck injuries
- Chest injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
While motorcycles only log a small percentage of the daily vehicle miles traveled in Alabama, riders account for roughly 10 percent of all traffic accident fatalities and wrongful deaths each year.
Who’s Liable For My Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
It depends on why and how your motorcycle accident happened.
Some of the leading causes of motorcycle accidents in Birmingham include:
- Human error: speeding, distracted driving, unsafe lane changes, failing to yield the right of way, tailgating, unsafe turns, lane splitting, road rage
- Mechanical issues: brake failure, tire blowouts, engine failure, faulty throttles, vibrations
- Dangerous road conditions: potholes, uneven road surfaces, insufficient shoulders, unmarked lanes of traffic, debris, low-hanging branches, obscured signage, unsafe bridge joints, grooved road surfaces
- Bad weather conditions: rain, fog, high winds
In Alabama, anyone who contributes to your motorcycle accident can be liable for resulting damages. So, once the cause is known, our motorcycle accident attorneys in Birmingham might find that one or more of the following parties are responsible for your injuries:
- The driver of a passenger car
- A commercial truck driver
- A bicyclist or pedestrian
- Another motorcyclist
- A transportation service
- An auto manufacturer
- A property owner
- The employer of a negligent party
- A local, county, or state government agency
The more someone bears responsibility for your motorcycle crash, the more they’ll be expected to cover your costs and suffering. Our Alabama personal injury attorneys won’t let them off the hook if they’ve caused you harm. We’ll build a strong claim that proves liability, establishes your damages, and forces them to make things right.
What Compensation Can I Get After a Motorcycle Accident in Birmingham?
Alabama is a “fault” state for auto accident claims. As an injured rider, you reserve the right to seek compensation from those responsible for your recent accident. This typically involves filing a claim with a negligent driver’s insurance company or suing someone personally for damages.
In either case, you can request compensatory damages. Compensatory damages include two types of monetary awards: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages help to cover your objective financial losses, which could include:
- Emergency room treatment, hospitalization, labs and diagnostic tests, surgery, medication, medical devices, and other current medical bills
- Reasonably necessary future medical expenses
- Lost wages and job benefits
- Disability
- Property damage
- Nursing assistance
- Rehabilitation
Non-economic damages can acknowledge harder-to-value pain and suffering you experience because of a motorcycle crash, including:
- Chronic physical pain
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Reduced quality of life
- Emotional distress
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Inconvenience
- Loss of consortium
What if a motorcycle accident is fatal? In these situations, you can bring a wrongful death claim against the at-fault party, but the exclusive remedy will be for punitive damages. Punitive damages aren’t paid to compensate you for the financial losses and suffering you’ve experienced in the wake of a tragedy. Instead, they’re intended to punish the defendant for conduct that was malicious or willful and wanton.
How Long Do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Alabama?
Pursuant to Alabama Code Section 6-2-38, you’ll generally have two years from the date of a motorcycle accident to file a personal injury lawsuit.
The two-year statute of limitations has some exceptions, most often involving injuries to children and government tort claims. The former provides additional time to pursue compensation, while the latter are subject to accelerated timetables.
Missing the filing deadline cannot be an option. Once the statute of limitations expires, you generally lose the right to seek compensation from a negligent or otherwise liable party.
How Can a Birmingham Motorcycle Accident Attorney Help Me?
You need time to rest, recover, and heal from your motorcycle accident injuries. That can be difficult when you’re overwhelmed and stressed out by a personal injury claim for damages. Hiring an experienced Birmingham personal injury attorney with extensive experience litigating complex motorcycle accident cases can make all the difference in the world.
Singleton Schreiber brings in-depth knowledge of relevant motorcycle accident laws and regulations, decades of collective legal experience, and a passion for justice to the negotiating table.
We do more than level the playing field against the insurance company; we set the stage for life-changing monetary awards.
Count on our team to:
- Carefully evaluate key pieces of evidence for your legal claim, including damaged property, tire tracks and skid marks, accident reconstruction reports, forensics reports, social media posts, cell phone records, medical records, and eyewitness statements
- Coordinate an independent investigation into your motorcycle crash
- Bring in reliable expert witnesses and professionals, as needed
- Anticipate allegations of contributory negligence and determine the best strategy for fighting back in your defense
- Ensure your claim complies with applicable Alabama state laws and procedures
- Build a claim that forces the defense to engage in honest and productive settlement negotiations
- Reject unreasonably low settlement offers and take your legal fight to court, if necessary
Now’s the time to take action. Don’t let anything stand between you and a meaningful financial recovery. Call our Birmingham motorcycle accident lawyers today. We offer a free consultation and work on a contingent basis, so it costs nothing up front or out of your own pocket to ask for our help.
