Left Turn Collisions

Drivers making left turns at intersections can pose a great risk to motorcyclists. Riders are more susceptible to serious injuries than most other people on the road, due to the fact that motorcycles do not offer structural protection in the same way that a car does. If you have been hurt in a left turn collision in Marietta or the surrounding communities, you should contact a motorcycle accident lawyer at Miller Legal Services. We can advise you on whether you may have a claim for compensation and represent you with aggressive tenacity if you do.

Left turn collisions with motorcycles can take place in a variety of ways. Some common situations when they happen include:

• A driver cutting off a motorcyclist while making a left turn;
• A driver ignoring a stop sign or failing to stop fully before prematurely making a left turn; or
• A driver making an illegal left turn when traffic rules do not permit it.

People who cause left turn collisions may be liable for any resulting harm under the theory of negligence, which is the failure to comply with the duty of reasonable care. Drivers are held accountable for acting as a prudent person would act behind the wheel in the same or similar circumstances. For example, someone who cuts off a motorcycle while making a left turn probably would not be considered to be acting reasonably and thus might be held liable through a negligence claim.

In order to prevail on a negligence claim, the injured person must establish four main elements by a preponderance of the evidence. The first element simply consists of establishing the duty of reasonable care. Then, the victim must identify the specific conduct by the defendant that fell short of the appropriate standard. There must also be a causal link connecting the defendant’s carelessness to the crash, which must have been a reasonably foreseeable result. The final element consists of identifying quantifiable costs and losses that arose from the accident. These may be both economic, or relatively objective, and non-economic, or somewhat subjective.

An injured motorcyclist will typically be able to seek compensation for past, present, and future medical expenses, lost income and benefits, pain and suffering, property damage, and more. The compensation may be obtained through a settlement agreement or through a jury verdict. The exact amount of money that a victim will be able to recover will vary according to his or her specific injuries.

There is a limited amount of time to bring a claim after a motor vehicle collision or another type of accident. This is known as the statute of limitations. While some narrow exceptions exist, an accident victim generally must comply with its requirements or face the unfortunate prospect of being barred from compensation.

At Miller Legal Services, our diligent injury attorneys have helped many Marietta residents and other people throughout Georgia bring accident claims. We can meticulously investigate the facts of your case and come up with a legal strategy accordingly. We also represent clients from Roswell and Smyrna, among other communities. For more information and to set up a free consultation, call us at 770-284-3727 or contact us online.