Motorcycle Accident

Atlanta Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Stephen M. Ozcomert is a Georgia motorcycle accident lawyer with offices in Decatur and Atlanta. With over 20 years of legal experience, Mr. Ozcomert has an established personal injury practice dedicated to victims of negligence. When a careless mistake causes a preventable accident, Mr. Ozcomert will fight to make sure that justice is served.

Motorcycle Injuries and Fatalities

Despite soaring death and injury rates, more people in the United States choose to ride motorcycles than ever before. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, motorcyclists are 35 times more likely to be killed in a deadly accident than drivers protected by cars. Common injuries sustained in motorcycle accidents include:

• 

  Head trauma
• Loss of leg, foot
• Arm, hand fracture
• Broken clavicle, ribs
• Traumatic brain injury
• Partial or total paralysis
• Damage to spinal column
• Shattered pelvis, lower trunk

Although about 5,000 riders are killed in road accidents each year, more than 7 million motorcycles are registered in the United States. Non-fatal injuries have also increased, reaching over 170,000 last year. Because most motorcycle death rates are caused by head injury, helmets can cut the risk of fatality by 40 percent. Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyer Stephen M. Ozcomert will fight for your compensation if you or someone you care about has been injured in a motorcycling accident.

Georgia Helmet Law

Georgia’s helmet law is more stringent than that of other states. Pursuant to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) Section 40-6-315, riders are required to:

• Wear approved headgear
• Have motorcycle windshield
• Wear goggles or eye protection
• Have safety gear approved by law

The Commissioner of Public Safety enforces regulations governing protective devices. Helmets, goggles, and windshields must comply with the specifications set forth in the OCGA.

Negligent Drivers

More than half of all motorcycle deaths involve at least one other vehicle. Many crashes occur while the driver of a passenger vehicle is turning left, hitting the passing motorcycle rider. In these accidents, motorists at fault are negligent because if they have breached their legal duty to the rider to operate their vehicles safely. Reckless driving may involve:

• Speeding
• Drunk driving
• Talking, texting
• Unsafe lane changes
• Not using turn signal
• Passing or overtaking
• Intentional, hostile acts
• Ignoring road conditions
• Failure to check blind spot
• Insufficient braking distance

Even when unintentional, the failure to exercise due care in operating a motor vehicle can gives rise to liability. If found liable, negligent drivers that cause motorcycle accidents are required to provide financial compensation to victims for bodily injury, and to family members for wrongful death. Stephen M. Ozcomert is an experienced Atlanta motorcycle accident attorney who can help in obtaining the compensation you deserve.

Product and Premises Liability

Manufacturers have a duty to correct dangerous defects before products reach the market. Flaws in helmets, goggles, and motorcycles can often endanger the rider or exacerbate an injury. If a defective product leads to an accidental injury, the manufacturer can be held liable for the resulting harm. Courts may award punitive damages in cases involving product liability.

Property owners have a similar obligation to protect invitees on the premises from unreasonable harm. Poorly-constructed roads, unmarked curves, and large obstructions are all dangerous conditions that can injure motorcycle riders. Public agencies and municipalities may be liable for failing to repair or remove known dangers that lead to accidental injury.

Fight to Recover Full Compensation

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, Atlanta personal injury attorney Stephen M. Ozcomert can help. For over 20 years, through our Decatur and Atlanta offices we have faithfully served victims injured by negligence. We handle all types of cases involving negligent drivers, defective products, and dangerous road conditions. Honored as one of Georgia’s “Super Lawyers” and as a member of its “Legal Elite,” Stephen M. Ozcomert will strive to obtain an award for you that includes damages for lost income, medical costs, pain and suffering, and wrongful death as appropriate. Call (404) 370-1000 today for a free consultation or contact us online.