Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Texas
Motorcycle accidents are common in the state of Texas and can result in serious injuries, especially to motorcyclists involved in crashes with larger vehicles, including passenger vehicles.
Motorcycle accidents often occur due to:
- Distracted driving
- Aggressive driving
- Poorly maintained roads
- Failure to check blind spots
- Lane changes without signals or without checking mirrors
- Speeding
- Faulty motorcycle parts
- Drivers operating vehicles under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Who Is Liable in a Texas Motorcycle Accident?
In Texas, the law allows people injured in accidents to seek compensation from the at-fault party. Fault in a motorcycle accident is determined based on a number of factors and evidence available.
An experienced motorcycle accident attorney can help you determine who was at fault in your motorcycle accident. Usually, the person who is at fault, and/or their insurance company, will be liable for paying any damages owed to the victim of a crash.
Possible liable parties in a motorcycle accident include:
- The at-fault driver: Uninsured motorists who are found to be at fault in an accident might be liable for paying damages.
- Insurance company: Insurance coverage in Texas is a state requirement. Every driver on the road must have a minimum of $30,000 in coverage for damages owed to injured parties. In cases where damages exceed the amount of insurance coverage an at-fault driver has, they may be required to pay the remaining amount.
- Motorcycle manufacturers: Sometimes, faulty motorcycle parts are found to be the cause of an accident. In certain situations, especially when equipment fails on newer motorcycles and causes a crash, the manufacturer could be held liable for damages.
If a motorcycle accident victim files a personal injury claim against the liable party, that party could be responsible for paying any damages that have resulted from the accident.
What Losses Are Eligible for Compensation After a Texas Motorcycle Accident?
After being injured in a motorcycle accident, the expenses and impacts to your daily life start to add up.
All of the following are common damages is motorcycle accident claims:
- Medical expenses: Medical bills from any medical care you have received, plan to receive, or are likely to receive related to injuries from the crash can be claimed as damages.
- Lost wages: People who have not been able to work or who expect their ability to work to be impacted by their injuries can seek compensation for any lost wages.
- Pain and suffering: The experience of being in a motorcycle accident and any resulting injuries can cause emotional, physical, and mental suffering. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you seek compensation for these damages.
- Wrongful death: In the unfortunate scenario that you have lost a family member or close loved one due to motorcycle accident injuries, you may be eligible for wrongful death compensation.
What Is Negligence and How Does it Affect Motorcycle Accident Cases?
In order for victims of motorcycle accidents to get fair compensation for damages they have suffered from the liable party, their personal injury lawyer will help them to establish negligence.
When negligence is present, it means that a person or another entity has violated their duty of care. This means that they acted in a way that they knew, or should have known, would endanger others.
In the context of a motorcycle accident, a personal injury lawsuit must establish that negligence led to the accident and that it played a direct role in the resulting injuries.
Examples of negligence in motorcycle crashes include driver error, speeding, failing to yield during a left turn, and leaving the accident scene.
How Does Alcohol Impairment Affect Motorcycle Accident Cases?
Motorcycle accidents, like other types of motor vehicle accidents in the U.S., commonly involve one or more drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and/or other substances.
Motorcycle riders are familiar with “defensive riding”, which means being constantly on the lookout for drivers who are driving carelessly.
Sometimes, no amount of defensive riding can prevent a collision with an impaired driver. In these cases, establishing negligence is typically very straightforward.
If you have been in an accident with an impaired driver, you should reach out to a Florin|Roebig personal injury attorney immediately.
What Should You Expect From a Motorcycle Personal Injury Claim?
Most law firms, including Florin|Roebig, offer free consultations for people who have suffered injuries and/or property damage in a motorcycle crash.
During this initial consultation, lawyers will review your situation, look over documents related to your accident, and help you decide whether opening a personal injury case with a liable party is the right thing to do.
If you and the lawyers decide to move forward and file a lawsuit, your legal team will help you to gather all information pertaining to your case.
Your lawyers will take over all communication regarding your claim, acting as the middlemen between you, the liable party, insurance companies, other lawyers, etc.
Your lawyers will work to assess how much you should be compensated for your damages, from any medical attention you have received to emotional harm the accident or your injuries have caused.
Usually, personal injury claims settle out of court. This means that your lawyers, you, and the liable party’s insurance adjusters reach an agreement on a fair settlement amount to compensate you for your losses.
Your settlement amount will vary depending on how much medical treatment you have needed and will continue to need, whether you have suffered any lifelong or catastrophic injuries, and other factors.
If a settlement cannot be agreed upon, your case may go to court. Having the legal representation of experienced trial lawyers with a history of winning favorable verdicts is invaluable if your case does go to court.
Our Featured Case Results
Texas Motorcycle Accident Statistics
Motorcycle accidents are common across the country, and the state of Texas is no exception. Motorcycle riders know that they are in a vulnerable position if a car accident does occur.
Fatalities more commonly affect bikers when a crash between a motorcycle and a motor vehicle occurs.
Check out these statistics related to motorcycle accidents:
- In 2020, there were 5,579 motorcyclist fatalities in the U.S, a rate of 67.08 fatalities per 100,000 bikers.
- There were 83,000 injuries to motorcyclists in the same year. Nearly 1 in 100 motorcyclists was injured in an accident in 2020.
- Texas had 521 motorcyclist fatalities in 2021.
- 45% of the motorcycle deaths in Texas in 2021 were among bikers not wearing a helmet.
Common Injuries in Texas Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents are extremely dangerous due to the lack of protection for bikers. Collisions with other vehicles are even more dangerous.
Common injuries in motorcycle accidents include:
- Fractures and broken bones
- Head injuries including traumatic brain injuries
- Scrapes and burns, including “road rash”
- Disfigurement
- Dismemberment
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Cuts and lacerations
Why Is Working With a Lawyer Beneficial After a Motorcycle Accident?
You are not required to hire a lawyer if you want to file a personal injury claim in Texas, but doing so is still likely to be beneficial. Settlement amounts historically are significantly higher when a qualified personal injury attorney is assigned to the case.
When you work with an experienced attorney after a motorcycle crash, you can focus on recovering from your injuries and moving on with your daily life.
Attorneys handle all communication related to your case, and they are experts at compiling and organizing all of the necessary information and documents.
Your attorneys will work tirelessly to ensure that you receive the maximum compensation amount for your damages. Your quality of life should not be lowered by having to deal with a personal injury lawsuit after something as traumatic as a motorcycle accident.
In the rare case that your claim goes to court, you will be glad to have an experienced attorney fighting for you and making a clear case for why you should be compensated for your losses.
Top-Rated Texas Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Near You
If you have been injured in a motorcycle crash in Texas, a qualified attorney can help. Florin|Roebig has attorneys in Texas with experience working in all areas of the state, from Houston, to Dallas, to San Antonio.
Florin|Roebig is known as one of the top personal injury law firms in Texas, with countless favorable verdicts and over $1 billion in settlements won for our clients.
We have received recognition from Best Lawyers, in addition to a recent selection to U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Law Firms” list.
Florin|Roebig offers free case evaluations for injured riders and victims of motorcycle accidents in Texas. Our team includes several of the nation’s top personal injury attorneys, including:
- Wil H. Florin, B.C.S.
- Tommy D. Roebig, B.C.S.
- Parker Y. Florin, LL.M.
- Chase P. Florin, B.C.S.
- Nollys R. Solarte, O.C.
- Taylor D. Roebig
- John J. Hart
- Andrew M. Leone, O.C.
- Lawrence J. Najem, O.C.
We Are Nationally Awarded Lawyers
Reach Out to a Qualified Texas Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today
Motorcycle accidents can be disorienting, and it can be difficult to know exactly what to do after one.
You can make things easier on yourself by reaching out to Florin|Roebig for a free case evaluation. We will assess your case and let you know whether filing a personal injury claim in Texas is the right step to take.
To learn about our services and schedule a free consultation for legal advice, reach out to our offices via our phone number or online form today.
