Selma Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Motorcycle riders in Selma often ride on the main roads in town like rt. 80, rt.14, rt. 22 or rt.219.  You can seethem on Edmnd Pettus bridge or even on some of the neighborhood roads like 1st Ave, or Broad Street where all the shops are at.

The fact that motorcycles are compactly sized makes it harder for other motorists to see them. Moreover, due to their small size, motorcycles can easily fit into the blind spots of larger vehicles like cars and trucks, which can increase the risk of a collision to a significant extent.

What is even worse is that many motorists are simply not used to checking for motorcycles while making a turn or changing lanes. It is one of the reasons why motorcycle crashes are so common – not just in Alabama, but in other parts of the country as well.

The most common causes of motorcycle accidents in Selma, AL include:

• Speeding
• Distracted driving
• Aggressive driving
• Impaired driving
• Left turns (when a car makes a left turn without checking for oncoming motorcyclists who are trying to go straight through the intersection)
• Unsafe lane changes (when a motorist tries to change lanes without checking for oncoming motorcyclists)
• Dooring (when a driver opens the door of their parked vehicle without checking for oncoming motorcyclists)
• Backing out of a parking lot without checking for motorcyclists
• Mechanical defects in the motorcycle
• Dangerous road conditions

The Most Common Types of Injuries That Can Result from a Motorcycle Accident in Selma, AL

When a car and a motorcycle collide, it is the motorcyclist who is at risk of suffering serious or even fatal injuries. The average motorcycle can weigh anywhere from 400 to 700 pounds. The average car, on the other hand, can weigh as much as 4,000 pounds. In the event of a collision – especially a head-on collision – the motorcyclist might get flung over the hood of the car, fall on the other side, and suffer serious injuries.

The most common types of injuries that can result from a motorcycle accident include:

• Road rash
• Dislocations
• Lacerations
• Fractures (particularly in the legs, arms, and the pelvis region)
• Injuries to the face resulting in significant disfigurement
• Burn injuries
• Crush injuries
• Traumatic amputation resulting in limb loss
• Internal organ damage caused by blunt force trauma
• Injuries to the neck and back
• Spinal cord injuries
• Brain injuries caused by blunt force trauma or penetrating trauma

Every year, hundreds of people suffer serious injuries in motorcycle accidents and are admitted to Vaughan Regional Medical Center, Jackson Hospital and Clinic, Baptist Medical Center South, and other hospitals in and around Selma.

Damages You Can Recover in a Selma, AL Motorcycle Accident Claim

Under Alabama law, you are entitled to recover tangible (economic) as well as intangible (non-economic) damages from the at-fault party. Depending on the nature and severity of your injuries, you might be able to recover the following damages.

• Medical expenses (including the cost of emergency transportation, diagnostic tests, lab tests, surgery and other treatments, emergency room charges, physician’s charges, and medications)
• Rehabilitation and therapy-related expenses
• The cost of walkers, wheelchairs, and other equipment needed to accommodate your disability (if any)
• Lost earnings
• Earnings you stand to lose in the future
• Loss of earning capacity
• Cost of repairing your motorcycle and other items damaged in the accident
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Diminished quality of life

If you are physically or mentally disabled as a result of your injuries, your spouse can file a loss of consortium claim against the at-fault party and seek compensation for the loss of a physical relationship, love, affection, services, and guidance caused by your disability.

Why It Is Important to Have an Experienced Selma, AL Motorcycle Accident Lawyer on Your Side

Alabama follows the doctrine of contributory negligence, under which you can be barred from recovering any compensation from the at-fault party if you are found to be at fault for the accident – even to a small extent.

What it means is that the at-fault party can get away with paying you nothing, as long as they can prove that you somehow contributed to the accident.

Knowing this, the at-fault party’s insurance company might try to blame you for the accident – even if you had nothing to do with it. It is why you need to have a seasoned personal injury lawyer, who can gather the evidence needed to prove that the accident was caused directly as a result of the at-fault party’s negligence, refute the allegations made by the insurance company, negotiate aggressively, and get you the compensation you deserve.

Choose Our Experienced Selma, AL Motorcycle Accident Lawyer to Maximize Your Compensation

Motorcycle accidents can lead to serious, life-altering injuries that might require extensive treatment and care. It is why you need to hire a seasoned lawyer who can fight for you tirelessly and make sure you are adequately compensated for your injuries.

Attorney Frank M. Wilson has been fighting for the rights of injury victims in Selma as well as other parts of Alabama for more than 30 years. Contact us today at 334-420-2931 or use our online contact form to schedule a free consultation with one of our accomplished Selma, AL motorcycle accident lawyers.