Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Montgomery, AL

What Compensation is Available After a Motorcycle Accident in Montgomery?

After a Montgomery motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to the following compensation for your ordeal if you have been injured in a motorcycle accident: medical expenses, lost wages and earning capacity, pain and suffering, loss of life quality, inability to participate in activities you enjoyed, and lost of consortium.

At Stokes Stemle, LLC, our Montgomery motorcycle accident lawyers aggressively fight to seek maximum compensation for your damages after a Montgomery motorcycle accident.

• Medical expenses, including hospital stays, surgeries, doctor’s office visits, prescription medication, physical and occupational therapy, mobility equipment or durable medical equipment, prosthetics, and home alterations to accommodate your motorcycle accident injuries and disabilities
• Lost wages if you miss work while you recover from your injuries
• Lost earning capacity if your motorcycle accident injuries prevent you from returning to your old job or the hours you previously worked, and you suffer a reduction in your earnings.
• Pain and suffering or the physical and mental anguish and distress caused by your injuries
• Lost quality of life, which can result from disfigurements or disability
• Inability to participate in activities you enjoyed before the Montgomery motorcycle accident or the failure to perform day-to-day tasks.
• Loss of consortium, which compensates your spouse for the loss of your ability to have an intimate relationship

In addition to compensation for your injuries, a Montgomery motorcycle accident lawyer will assist you in securing compensation for property damage. Property damages may include the repair costs for your motorcycle or the bike’s value if it is totaled in the Montgomery motorcycle accident. You might also be eligible for reimbursement for other damaged or destroyed property in the crash.

What Should I Do After an Alabama Motorcycle Accident?

After an Alabama motorcycle accident, you should take the following steps to best protect your legal rights and interests:

• Check on everyone involved. Following a Montgomery motorcycle accident, a motorist must ensure that everyone involved is okay. If you believe that you or anyone else has been injured and requires medical attention, call 911.
• Contact the police. Even if no one involved in the accident needs medical attention, it is still helpful to call the police. Officers then come to the scene to investigate the collision and generate an accident report. This report can be critical evidence in your motorcycle accident lawsuit for compensation.
• Gather relevant information. You or someone you trust should also collect information, including the names of the other drivers in the Montgomery motorcycle accident and their contact information. You should also record the vehicles’ make/model/year and the insurance information for each motorist.
• Take photographs or videos. You or a friend/family member should take pictures or video of the accident scene. Capture the positions of vehicles after the accident. Note any damage to the cars, including your bike. Take a picture of any skid marks on the road. Also, take note of the road lines and traffic controls at the scene. Make a record of the road conditions, traffic conditions at the time of the accident, and lighting and weather conditions at the time of the accident.
• Avoid making admissions or accusations of fault. Do not admit fault or apologize for the Montgomery motorcycle accident. Do not accuse someone else of causing the accident. Statements you make about the accident may later be used to allege that you were at fault.
• Identify potential eyewitnesses. Bystanders can provide a neutral third-party perspective of the Montgomery motorcycle accident. Try to gather the contact information of any witnesses in case you need to obtain a statement from them.
• Seek medical attention. Even if you are not injured, have a doctor examine you immediately after the Montgomery motorcycle accident. Symptoms may not manifest themselves for days or weeks after an accident.
• Contact a motorcycle accident attorney. Contact and retain the services of an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer soon after your accident. A skilled personal injury attorney can promptly collect relevant evidence before it is lost. A motorcycle accident attorney familiar with motorcycle accidents can immediately begin the claims process to ensure you receive compensation.

What Are the Motorcycle Laws in Alabama?

The motorcycle laws in Alabama, demand for certain requirements applying to residents who want to legally operate a motorcycle on public roads, including:

• A person must obtain a driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle. A person must be at least 16 years old to get a Class M license to operate a motorcycle; a person older than 14 may obtain a restricted class B license to use a motor-driven cycle, which is defined as a motorcycle that does not exceed five horsepower, 150 cc engine displacement, or 200 pounds total weight. A motorcycle rider must carry their license at all times, and the permit must be displayed upon request by law enforcement.
• A motorcyclist may only ride on a permanent and regular seat and may not carry a passenger unless the motorcycle is designed with a separate seat and footrests for that passenger.
• A rider must be able to keep both hands on the handlebars at all times. The handlebars must be 15 inches above the operator’s seat.
• All motorcycle riders must wear protective headgear that complies with Alabama law and is approved by the Alabama Director of Public Safety. Shoes are also required at all times.
• A rider may not attach themself or the motorcycle to any other vehicle.
• Motorcycles are entitled to full use of a traffic lane. No motor vehicle may be driven to deprive a motorcycle of full use of a traffic lane; however, two motorcycles may be ridden abreast in the same traffic lane.
• Motorcycle riders cannot may operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or rows of vehicles.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics in Alabama

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, per miles traveled, a motorcyclist is 28 times more likely than an occupant of a passenger vehicle to suffer fatal injuries in an accident. Motorcycles only account for three percent of the national registered motor vehicle fleet, but they account for 14 percent of all traffic-related fatalities.

The Alabama Department of Transportation has compiled the following state statistics for motorcycle accidents (including accidents involving motor scooters and mopeds):

• In a recent year, 1,918 motorcycle accidents across the state were reported.
• These accidents resulted in 1,222 injuries and 97 fatalities.
• Motorcyclists with the highest crashes and injuries were 20-24 years old.

In addition, the Governors Highway Safety Association states that:

• In a recent year, there were 77 motorcyclist fatalities. Those deaths represented 8 percent of all traffic fatalities in the state.

What Are the Common Motorcycle Traffic Collision Injuries in Alabama?

Some of the common motorcycle traffic collision injuries in Alabama include road burns, broken bones, crush injuries, soft tissue injuries, and internal organ injuries. Motorcycle riders are often unprotected in collisions with other vehicles. This is because motorcyclists lack many safety devices other cars have, such as seatbelts or airbags. Those missing safety features put motorcyclists at far greater risk of severe injuries.

Common injuries suffered by riders in motorcycle accidents include:

Contact Our Montgomery, Alabama Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Suppose you or a loved one have been injured in a motorcycle accident in Montgomery or elsewhere in Alabama. That was not your fault. In that case, you deserve compensation for your injuries and losses.

Let an experienced Montgomery motorcycle accident injury lawyer fight on your behalf to seek maximum compensation.

Call the motorcycle accident attorneys at Stokes Stemle, LLC today to schedule a free, confidential consultation. Let our Montgomery personal injury lawyers discuss your legal rights and options under the motorcycle laws of Alabama. There is no cost to you for our professional services, and there are no legal fees unless and until your motorcycle accident lawyer obtains a financial recovery for you.