Ad Curiam Law Blog

Good morning!
Welcome to “Do I Need A Lawyer?”

I’m Gary Martin Hays.

“Gary – I’d love to have your advice on this. It was a great day for me to be riding my Harley. And then it happened. This elderly woman pulls out of a fast food restaurant’s parking lot. She was trying to turn left and pulled out in front of me. I broke my right ankle and actually had to have surgery on it because it was really messed up.
Do I need a lawyer? And can you help me???” -Glenn in Norcross.

You need a lawyer and I would be happy to help you.

But let me give our viewers some alarming statistics from government studies about motorcycle accidents:

* In 2011 in Georgia, there were 149 motorcycle accident fatalities.

* Motorcyclists are 35 times more likely to experience a deadly accident on the road than those in passenger cars.

And Glenn – that is what you said happened in your wreck. The at fault driver was attempting to turn left out of the fast food restaurant driveway when she pulled out in front of you.
Now what is the main reason these motorcycle accidents happened?
The driver of the other vehicle did not see the motorcycle before the collision, or did not see the motorcycle until it was too late to avoid a collision.

First – from the perspective of the person riding the motorcycle.
Here are 5Tips I’d like to share:
(1) Perform a Bike Safety Check BEFORE you ride!
Start with the tires. Make sure they are property inflated by using a good tire pressure gauge.

Check your lights, turn signals and brakes. Please make sure they are in working order.

And this really does apply to all of us, not just to motorcycle riders.
Speed kills.

(3) Wear a quality protective helmet.
Head injury is the #1 cause of deaths in motorcycle crashes.

In 2008 in Georgia, 97 motorcyclists lives were saved because they were wearing a proper helmet at the time of their crash.
Georgia requires all riders and passengers to wear a helmet.

Make it a habit to do this – even in daylight hours.

(5) Wear high visibility, protective clothing.
Colors that stand out – like yellow, orange, or bright red jackets will help you be seen by others.

Now here are a couple of helpful hints for all of us:

You should always double check to make sure the road is clear before you pull into a roadway from either a stop sign, a yield sign, or a driveway.

(2) Keep your eyes on the road!
Please put down that cell phone when you are behind the wheel.

Glenn: you were hurt in this wreck because the other driver pulled out in front of you.

However, just because she was cited for causing the wreck does not mean her insurance company is going to compensate you fairly for your injuries.

Insurance adjusters are trained to act like your long lost friend. They will tell you things like “You don’t need a lawyer. We are here to help you.”

You really have to ask yourself – Do you want to take on the insurance company and THEIR lawyers by yourself?

* Injured victims receive an average of 40% more money just by consulting a lawyer to learn their rights!
So just by talking with a lawyer the injured victim received 40% more money than when they tried to handle the claim on their own.

* Injured victims receive an average of 3 and ? times more money when they hire an attorney to defend their rights!

Let’s put that in real dollars.
Suppose an injured victim that DID NOT have an attorney settled their claim for only $3,000.00. If they had hired an attorney, they could have settled the case for $10,500.00.
If you have been hurt in a wreck and you don’t hire an attorney, you are letting the insurance company hang onto YOUR money. Plain and simple.

Our legal professionals are standing by right now to speak with you.
The consultation is FREE and completely confidential.
I encourage you – if you don’t call us, please call someone to help you with your claim.

Personal Injury Law