Madison Motorcycle Injury Lawyers

Caring advocacy for riders and passengers injured in accidents

Riding a motorcycle on the open roads in Madison can be a very enjoyable experience. Some riders take to the Old Madison Pike or Mill Road for fun, while others end up on Rt. 20 and I-565 to get to their destinations. When a motorcycle crash occurs, lives can end in an instant. For survivors of motorcycle accidents, a lifetime of pain is a very real possibility.

The Madison motorcycle lawyers at Martin & Helms understand how devastating motorcycle accidents can be. For more than 20 years, we’ve negotiated strong settlements with insurance companies and tried cases in court so that survivors and families can get justice. We work quickly and aggressively to show that a car, truck, or other motorcycle driver caused your pain. We demand payment for all your medical bills, lost wages, and your daily physical pain and emotional suffering.

The leading causes of motorcycle accidents

According to Forbes Magazine, nearly 5,000 people were killed nationwide in 2017 in motorcycle accidents. On a per-mile basis, motorcycle riders are 28 times more likely to die in a crash than the average vehicle driver. It’s easy to understand why motorcycle crashes are so deadly. The motorcycle doesn’t protect the rider. There’s no hood, front, rear, or doors to secure the rider. Riders who fall usually strike hard asphalt at high rates of speed.

Our Madison injury lawyers work to show another driver caused the accident. Common reasons motorcycle crashes happen include:

  • Lack of respect by car and truck drivers. Drivers of bigger vehicles often fail to respect the right of a motorcycle driver to be in their lane or to pass them. Many drivers fail to see the motorcycle operator in their mirrors. Drivers of larger vehicles often fail to measure how much distance and time a motorcycle needs to move through traffic.
  • Driver distraction. Drivers who are texting or talking on their cellphone can’t react quickly when they do see a motorcycle. Drivers who are eating or looking at a GPS don’t have their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel.
  • Dangerous road conditions. Motorcycles are more vulnerable to dangerous or defective road construction or conditions which can cause a motorcycle driver to lose control and lead to crash.
  • Driving while intoxicated. Drunk driving is a leading cause of all types of vehicle crashes including motorcycle accidents. There’s no excuse for driving while drunk or under the influence of narcotics.
  • Defective motorcycle parts. The manufacturers and sellers of defective motorcycle parts can be held liable if the defect causes death or injuries. Defects that kill or cause serious harm are tires that blowout, brakes that don’t work, gears that don’t shift properly, and steering mechanisms that fail to move the motorcycle in the direction intended by the operator.

Liability for Madison motorcycle accidents

Our lawyers work to hold accountable everyone who caused a loved one to die or a motorcycle rider to be hurt. When motorcycle crashes occur, we begin by filing a claim against the driver. Often, we can negotiate a settlement with the driver’s insurance company. In addition to the driver, these people may also be responsible:

  • The owner of the motorcycle. Many times, the owner is not the same person as the driver. Owners of the at-fault vehicle may be liable for the negligence of anyone they gave permission to drive the vehicle, if the driver is unsafe or unfit to drive and caused an injury.
  • A tavern or seller of liquor. If a bar or other liquor establishment served someone who was visibly drunk and the drunk person caused a crash, the seller can be held accountable.
  • Manufacturers and sellers. Any company that makes or regularly sells motorcycles or parts for the motorcycle can be held accountable if a defective part caused death or injury.
  • The municipality, county, or state. If your bike wreck was the result of defective roadways design or unsafe roads, the government may be liable for your injuries. These cases have a shorter statute of limitations, so seek our help quickly if you were hurt because of a dangerous roadway.

If your loved one dies in a motorcycle crash

Under the law, if a person dies as a result of someone else’s negligence, the case automatically becomes a wrongful death case. This means that the “regular” rules for compensation claims don’t necessarily apply.

In an injury case, you can seek compensation for lost wages, medical expenses, property damage, and your pain and suffering. In a wrongful death claim, you can only seek punitive damages. These damages are capped at three times the amount of your economic and non-economic losses, or at $1.5 million – whichever is less.

Talk with a skilled and respected Madison Alabama motorcycle accident lawyer now

At Martin & Helms, our lawyers understand how crushing a motorcycle accident can be. We fight for drivers and passengers when careless drivers or irresponsible manufacturers cause any type of pain. To speak with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney in Madison, call 256-539-1990 or fill out our contact form.