Motorcycle Collision Lawyer in Chattanooga, TN

Far too many bikers are hurt in accidents on Tennessee and Georgia roads every year. Often, motorcycle collisions are the result of another driver’s negligence. With little to no protection, the motorcyclist usually sustains the most severe injuries.

In many cases, victims are left to deal with psychological issues resulting from the crash. Anxiety, depression, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are often reported by motorcycle accident victims in the months and years that follow.

After a motorcycle crash, victims are left to try to piece their life back together. Davis Firm, LLC personal injury attorneys in Chattanooga has been trusted by bikers and their passengers over and over to fight for their right to receive fair compensation for motorcycle accident-related injuries and losses.

Attorney Scott N. Davis has legal insight, experiences, and accomplishments that give him a unique perspective on motorcycle crash lawsuits. He previously worked for over 15 years as an insurance claims defense attorney. He understands insurance company tactics and uses this knowledge when fighting for the rights of injured motorcyclists. He is committed to seeking maximum compensation for his clients’ injuries.

As a former Judge Advocate for the 16th Special Operations Wing of the United States Air Force, Attorney Davis is committed to always upholding the core values of service and respect. He has a passion for trial work and has tried over 200 cases to a verdict and negotiated settlements with insurance companies in hundreds of personal injury cases.

If you were hurt or your loved one was killed in a motorcycle accident in Tennessee or Georgia, Attorney Scott Davis knows how to get results and will work to pursue the full and fair compensation that you deserve. Call us or contact us online now to schedule a free case consultation. You won’t pay us anything unless and until we get compensation for you.

How Motorcycle Accidents Are Different

Motorcycle accidents are different from other types of crashes because of the devastating injuries that motorcycle accident victims typically suffer. Without the protection of airbags and seatbelts or the external structural support that cars and trucks have, motorcyclists often sustain life-altering injuries that require extensive and expensive medical treatment.

Other motorists don’t always respect the rights of motorcyclists to share the road. If another driver causes a collision because they failed to maintain a safe distance between vehicles, drove in an aggressive or careless way, or didn’t check their blind spots to change lanes safely, they could be held liable for biker’s injuries and property damage.

Bikers also may face unfair treatment or maybe wrongly blamed for causing the crash. Often, the at-fault driver’s insurer will claim that you caused the accident to avoid liability. Insurance companies may use negative stereotypes that paint bikers as reckless or always engaging in risky behavior in an attempt to shift the blame. We won’t let them get away with it.

What You Need to Know About Dealing with Insurance Companies After a Crash

It is important to realize that although their commercials will insist that “we’re on your side,” insurance companies will do all they can to minimize the payout to victims. It is their goal to maximize their profits, not to pay you what you deserve for your losses.

Because of this, dealing with an insurance company can be frustrating. The insurer for the at-fault party will often try to shift blame to you to deny paying you anything at all. In other cases, they may look to settle as quickly as possible to make your claim go away. This often comes in the form of a lowball settlement offer that doesn’t nearly match the costs you’ve incurred or your future expenses.

The insurance company hopes that you will be desperate for compensation, to the point that you will accept any amount they offer. Don’t fall for this tactic. The first offer from the insurance company will likely never be enough to fully compensate you for the harm you’ve suffered, the damage to your bike, and other expenses that you’ve incurred.

Because insurance companies are often difficult for motorcyclists to work with, it’s in your best interest to trust your motorcycle accident case to Scott N. Davis and Davis Firm, LLC.

As a former insurance defense attorney, he knows how the insurance company will approach your claim. He is aware of the tactics they will use to save their shareholders money. That’s why it is vital to have Attorney Davis on your side. He will work to build the strongest case possible on your behalf and won’t let insurance company representatives take advantage of you.

Let us handle the negotiations with the insurance company while you focus on what is most important: recovering from the accident and being with those you love.

Compensation for Motorcycle Accident Victims

The amount of accident-related compensation that you receive should cover your medical bills for physical and emotional injuries suffered in the crash. Compensation should also account for any medical treatments that you might need in the future, such as physical therapy and emotional counseling.

Some motorcycle accident injuries are so severe that victims are unable to continue working either temporarily or permanently. In those cases, compensation should include the amount of your lost wages or your loss of any future income opportunities.

Compensation should also cover the damages to the motorcycle. Costs related to repairs, replacement parts, or a replacement motorcycle should be accounted for when seeking compensation for your losses.

Pain and suffering damages make up a major component of compensation in many motorcycle crash claims. Although it is more difficult to assign a specific dollar value, these losses are very real and should be compensated.

In cases of disabling injury or death, the motorcyclist’s spouse may be able to receive compensation for things such as loss of income, loss of consortium, loss of emotional support, funeral expenses, and others. Our experienced motorcycle injury attorneys can guide you through the process.

Insurance companies typically prefer to settle a case than incur the cost of going to trial. Don’t try to negotiate with an insurance company on your own. Our skilled Chattanooga personal injury attorneys know how to negotiate with an insurance company and will fight to make sure that the settlement offer covers all your expenses after a crash.

If negotiations fail and your motorcycle accident case winds up in court, you and your attorney must prove that the negligent party was at fault for your injuries. You must also prove the extent of your losses. If the court rules in your favor, the jury can award compensatory damages, which are a combination of economic and non-economic damages. Examples of economic damages include medical expenses, lost wages, and property damages — losses that can be calculated with receipts and invoices. Noneconomic damage could include things like pain and suffering and emotional distress – losses that are more subjective.

In rare cases, motorcycle accident victims may be able to recover punitive damages that are designed to punish egregious behavior.

What If the Driver and Insurance Company Blame Me?

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for drivers and insurance companies to unfairly blame motorcyclists for causing an accident that was clearly the fault of a fatigued truck driver or a negligent car driver. Contact our attorneys right away so he can handle all communications with the negligent party’s insurance company.

Often, insurance companies will contact victims directly and demonstrate a false sense of concern. In most cases, they are trying to get you to admit to having some responsibility for the accident in a recorded statement that will be used against you later. Don’t talk to any insurance company representative before you have consulted with an attorney.

Even if you were partly responsible for the crash, you could still be eligible to recover damages in Tennessee and Georgia. Both states follow a comparative negligence doctrine, which allows you to seek damages from the other party if your portion of liability was 50% or less.

Any party that is found to be 51% or more responsible for an accident will not be eligible for compensation, but any percentage 50% and under could allow you to recover something from the other party. Your final award will be reduced according to your specific percentage of fault. This means that if the award was $100,000 and you were found to be 30% at fault for the crash, the total amount you will receive will be $70,000.

When you hire our attorneys to represent you, we can investigate the crash and gather evidence that supports your injury claim. We can build a case on your behalf that will demonstrate the other party’s negligence and seek to minimize your fault as much as possible.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident

If you are hurt in a motorcycle accident, there are steps that you can take immediately following the motorcycle accident to protect your health and any future injury claim that you may need to make.

First and foremost, seek medical attention for your injuries as soon as possible. Be sure to inform your doctor that a motorcycle accident was the cause of your injuries. Even if you don’t think at first that you were injured severely, you should still seek a thorough diagnosis because some symptoms may appear later. You’ll also want to make sure that a medical record that can be tied to the collision is generated. These records may become vital when you seek compensation for your injuries.

Taking pictures right after you’ve been in a motorcycle accident can be very valuable. The pictures should be clear and detailed and show the damage to your motorcycle and document any injuries that you sustained as a result of the crash. Pictures of nearby street signs and weather and lighting conditions can help paint an accurate portrayal of the accident. If your injuries prevent you from taking pictures at the scene, ask a friend or someone on the scene to do it for you.

Get the contact information of any witnesses to the accident. Your attorney will want to speak to them and get statements from them as soon as possible, while the accident is still fresh in their memory.

Make sure to contact the motorcycle accident lawyers in Chattanooga, TN at Davis Firm, LLC as soon as you are in a position to do so. Our lawyers can immediately begin an investigation into the true cause of the crash and can quickly preserve as much evidence as possible before the scene is cleaned up and vital evidence disappears. Our attorneys may also collect police reports, medical records, and other valuable paperwork that could bolster your claim.

Our lawyers can also handle negotiations with insurers and seek to take the burden of your injury claim off your shoulders so that you can focus on getting better.

Statute of Limitations on Motorcycle Accident Claims in Tennessee and Georgia

If you don’t file your motorcycle accident claim within the statute of limitations, you won’t be able to seek compensation or take the negligent party to court. The statute of limitations for motorcycle claims begins on the date that the accident occurred and varies from state to state.

In Georgia, you have two years after the date of your motorcycle accident to file your claim.

In Tennessee, you only have one year from the date of your accident to file your claim.

The sooner you get started on your claim, the better. Building a solid claim for compensation after a motorcycle crash takes time. Get help from our lawyers as soon as possible to avoid running up against a hard deadline.

Contact Our Chattanooga Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Today

Motorcycle accidents can be devastating but know that legal help for a motorcycle accident is available especially if it involves Helmet Laws. You can put this crash behind you and move on with your life with the help of experienced Chattanooga motorcycle accident lawyers on your side.

Your motorcycle accident case should be handled properly and with care so that you can be fairly compensated for your injuries and other damages. Attorney Scott Davis at Davis Firm, LLC has the skill and experience to aggressively pursue the compensation that you deserve.

If you were injured or your loved one was killed in a motorcycle accident in Tennessee or Georgia, Davis Firm, LLC can help you seek the money you need to cover the costs related to your injuries and damages. Call us or contact us online to schedule a free consultation today.

 

Motorcycle Accidents FAQs