Gallatin Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Gallatin motorcycle crash attorneys fighting for injured riders and their families
On a clear day, you can ride forever. That’s the feeling that many motorcycle riders in Gallatin have as they enjoy the local scenery and enjoy the companionship of other riders. Whether it’s riding near local parks like Clearview Park or Triple Creek Park, or heading out the Blue Ridge mountains; riding a motorcycle is a joyful spirited way to travel. There are many other advantages such as low operating costs. There are also dangers at every turn. Most car and truck drivers don’t respect motorcycle riders. A road bump can cause a spill. Rain can make riding treacherous. At Rocky McElhaney Law Firm, our Gallatin motorcycle accident attorneys are skilled at showing that most motorcycle accidents are preventable. We demand justice by filing claims against negligent drivers and other responsible parties.
How do you fight for motorcycle accident victims in Gallatin?
Motorcycle accidents are preventable. Most motorcycle accidents happen because a car or truck driver fails to respect the right of a motorcycle rider to be on the road. Accidents may also be due to the reasons most accidents happen – failing to pay attention, failing to follow the rules of the road, and failing to drive defensively.
At Rocky McElhaney Law Firm, our Gallatin motorcycle accident lawyers work with investigators who examine the accident site and the damaged vehicles. They also speak with eyewitnesses. Our personal injury lawyers conduct formal questions (oral and written) of everyone who has knowledge about the case. Our lawyers are skilled at anticipating the arguments other drivers and their insurance companies try to use to deny or limit your claim.
We work with your medical team, your employer, motorcycle repair experts, and traffic reconstruction experts if necessary to help prove liability and to help show all your damages.
Mostly, we work with you and your family to guide you through each stage of the claims process.
The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can investigate how your motorcycle accident happened, determine who is responsible, review your medical care, and begin the claims process.
Why do motorcycle accidents happen in Gallatin?
Most motorcycle accidents in Gallatin are due to the following causes:
- Driver error
- Not respecting the right of a motorcycle to be on the road
- Failing to understand the rights of motorcycle riders
- Distracted driving such as texting while driving
- Driving while intoxicated
- Speeding and other traffic violations
- Not looking for and around blind spots
- Not understanding hand signals
Motorcycle accident victims may also have claims against other operators for failing to:
- Understand how to ride in groups of motorcycle riders
- Negotiate curves properly or how to turn properly
- Ride carefully when it’s raining or there are other unsafe weather conditions
- Understand when lane splitting is permitted
- Avoid or respond to dangerous road conditions such as uneven roads, potholes, or roadkill
Motorcycle accidents in Gallatin are also often due to defective vehicle parts. These parts may include brakes that don’t work, defective tires, helmets that don’t provide protection, faulty electrical systems, and other defective parts such as gears and clutches. The manufacturers of defective motorcycle accidents that cause an accident are strictly liable for the injuries or deaths the defective parts cause.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation or other state or local entities may be liable for the failure to properly design roads or maintain the roads. For example, whoever is responsible for the maintenance of a road may be responsible if unfilled potholes, overgrown foliage, or other failures cause a motorcycle accident.
What types of injuries do motorcycle accidents cause?
Motorcycle riders are more at risk of serious injuries than the drivers and passengers of other vehicles because their whole body is exposed. There’s no protection from hoods, roofs, trucks, or doors. When an accident happens, motorcycle passengers are likely to be crushed by the vehicle that strikes the motorcycle and then again by the road that they fall onto.
Our Gallatin motorcycle accident lawyers handle all types of serious injuries including:
- Traumatic brain injuries and other types of head trauma
- Spinal cord injuries including partial or full paralysis
- Fractured limbs and bones
- Crush injuries including liver, kidney, and other types of organ damage
- Biker’s am – nerve damage of the upper arm
- Road rash as the rider’s body slides along the road
- Facial disfigurement
- Scarring
- Tissue, muscle, ligament, nerve, and tendon damage
- Burn injuries
- Neck, shoulder, and back injuries
How much is my Gallatin motorcycle accident injury worth?
Every person’s case is different. We work with your doctors and our network of doctors when necessary to verify your injuries, explain the medical care you need, and analyze all the ways your life will be impacted by your injuries.
Our Gallatin motorcycle accident lawyers demand full compensation for all your current and future:
- Medical expenses including emergency care, hospitalizations, surgeries, doctor visits, rehabilitative care, medications, and assistive devices
- Loss of income and work benefits
- Daily physical pain and emotional suffering
- Property damage
- Loss of function, life’s pleasures, and consortium
- Scarring and disfigurement
We seek punitive damages if the defendant’s conduct was unconscionable, such as when a drunk driver causes an accident. We also file wrongful death actions if your loved one died due to a Gallatin motorcycle accident.
Our record of results in motorcycle accident cases includes:
- $2.5 million for a motorcycle rider who was struck by a drunk driver. Our client’s injuries included a collapsed lung and a fractured pelvis. The damage award included compensatory and punitive damages.
- $1.275 million (the policy limits) for a motorcycle rider who was paralyzed when a car negligently struck the motorcycle. We obtained this recovery from three different insurance carriers.
Why are motorcycle accidents so dangerous?
According to the Insurance Information Institute, 5,932 people died in US motorcycle accidents in 2021. More than 82,000 riders were injured.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that a motorcycle rider is 29 times more likely than other riders to die in a vehicle crash.
News Channel 5 Nashville reported on June 3, 2023, that 200 motorcycle riders had died on Tennessee roads through the date of their report – a 51 percent increase from 2022.
Contact our Gallatin motorcycle accident lawyers today
Whether a car driver refused to get out of the way, a truck slammed into you, or construction workers failed to direct you away from the work side, our Gallatin motorcycle accident lawyers have the experience and resources to help you hold the responsible parties liable. We’ll fight to restore your health, compensate you for all your damages, and start your life again. At Rocky McElhaney Law Firm in Gallatin, we’re ready to fight the insurance companies and defense lawyers. To schedule a free consultation, please call us or fill out our contact form. We maintain offices in Gallatin, Nashville, East Nashville, Hendersonville, and Clarksville for your convenience.