Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Motorcycle accidents are more than medical matters, they’re legal ones too. It’s important to retain a qualified Texas injury lawyer to help. A motorcycle accident lawyer understands the severity of injuries that bikers may experience after a crash.

The injuries are some of the most severe and deadliest that our injury attorneys see on any given day. If a motorcycle crash has changed your or your family’s life, you may be able to take legal action against the driver who caused your crash. Contact a Texas Motorcycle Accident Lawyer at 800-359-5690 to schedule a free consultation.

What is the Motorcycle Accident Claim Process?

A motorcycle crash is just as much a legal issue as it is a medical one. Bikers are often the victims of negligence when drivers don’t see them or behave in other reckless ways in their larger vehicles. Generally, a motorcycle accident lawyer will handle your claim through the following process:

Step 1. Gathering Information

In order to build your case, the first step your Motorcycle Accident Lawyer will take is to gather documentation and evidence of your crash and injuries. This includes collecting medical records, medical bills, insurance policies and other records related to your claim.

Step 2. Investigate

Once our motorcycle attorneys have gathered the proper paperwork, they will begin looking for supporting evidence to build your case. We have in-house private investigators who can gather evidence such as witnesses, security footage, dashcam footage, police records and more.

Step 3. Negotiations

With the evidence built up from the information gathering and investigation stages, your motorcycle accident lawyer will begin negotiating a settlement with the insurance company. If the insurance company fails to offer a fair settlement, your Carlson Law Firm lawyer will be ready to present your case in a courtroom.

What are Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Texas?

The most common cause of a motorcycle accident is an automobile or truck driver’s failure to yield the right of way to the motorcyclist. This is especially true at an intersection when the motor vehicle is making a left turn in the face of an oncoming motorcycle. Because of their relatively small size, motorcycles may be difficult to see on the road. Often, this requires other drivers to pay attention to their driving and the road ahead of them and obey all traffic signs and signals. Another common cause of motorcycle accidents is roads that are in unsafe condition, either because of potholes or uneven surfaces.

Researchers at Texas Tech University found that the human brain has a harder time accurately perceiving small objects that are close by than larger objects that are farther away. Further, the implication for motorcycle riders is that drivers in cars and trucks may have a hard time accurately knowing how close motorcyclists are to their vehicles and may be unable to judge the motorcyclist’s speed, increasing the chance of an accident.

If you have been in a motorcycle accident, you are not alone. Over 5,000 people die each year in motorcycle accidents, and over 100,000 motorcyclists and their passengers suffer injury.

The most common reasons for motorcycle accident injuries include the following:

Driver Error: The most common motorcycle crashes occur when a car turns in front of a bike, hits the motorcyclist while changing lanes, or runs into the rider at a stoplight. Common reasons for the driver not seeing the motorcyclist are inattention, distractions, blind spots, and that the driver is looking for cars rather than motorcycles. Motorcycles can easily fit into blind spots and drivers looking for cars aren’t psychologically programmed to see motorcycles.
Faulty Equipment: Accidents can happen even when no driver is at fault. Vehicle defects that slip past the manufacturer can cause an accident or faulty safety equipment may fail to protect the travelers the way it should. When products fail and cause avoidable harm, a skilled motorcycle accident lawyer may find it necessary to pursue a product liability case.
Dangerous Conditions: Motorcycle technology has developed over the years to improve rider safety. Many bikes now come equipped with anti-lock braking systems and traction control. These developments still may not eliminate all dangers. Additionally, poorly maintained roads, liquids that are leaked or spilled on surfaces, or improperly engineered streets and highways can lead to accidents and injuries.

Motorcycle Accident: How Were You Injured?

Insurance companies will never take your injuries as serious as they truly are. Retaining legal counsel that understands your injuries, understands the law and knows your rights can ensure you are fully compensated for your motorcycle accident injuries. More than 80% of all reported motorcycle crashes result in the injury or death of the rider. If the victim survives, they will likely live with life-altering pain and injuries.

Survivors of motorcycle crashes face an uphill battle of recovering from an injury such as the following:

Broken Bones

When you are traveling at high speeds and impact into immovable objects, you will likely end up with a broken bone. Broken bones can take a long time to heal and can leave you with debilitating injuries. The most common broken bones include a frontal impact to your femur (thigh bones) or tibia (shin). These injuries occur when your legs hit the handlebars and result in a break. A bad enough break will require pins in your bones to hold them together.

Wrists and arms breaks occur when the rider puts his or her arms up to protect themselves from the impact. Shoulders and collar bones are also common broken bone injuries in motorcycle accidents. These types of injuries occur when a rider lands on the road sideways.

Road Rash

Tarmac tears through jeans in a matter of seconds. When it reaches your skin, tarmac will strip your skin down to the flesh causing nerve damage and other injuries. If your injuries are bad enough, they can be disfiguring and require skin grafts. Road rash injuries include:

Avulsion Injuries: These injuries occur when the underlying muscles and fat are exposed.

Compression Injuries: These injuries can lead to bruises and haematomas.

Cuts: These injuries can be large wounds that require stitches or bandages.

Spine and Neck Injuries

Spine and neck injuries can lead to serious injuries like paralysis. When nerves in the spinal cord are compressed or severed, the spinal cord cannot send or receive signals to the area with which these nerves communicate. This lack of communication results in partial or full loss of movement.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Serious head injuries are among the most common fatal injuries in motorcyclists. Helmets improve a motorcyclists chances of surviving a crash by 37 percent. In addition, helmets are about 67 percent effective in preventing brain injuries. However, only 19 states and the District of Columbia require helmet use by all riders.

Internal Injuries

The impact against an object can rupture internal organs and cause bleeding. Motorcycle handlebars can cause significant internal injuries.

Biker’s Arm (Nerve Damage)

Biker’s arm occurs when a rider lands on the road sideways. The friction of the road will wrench the shoulder inwards. This movement leads to biker’s arm, which is a type of nerve damage in the upper arm causing ongoing pain and tingling.

Groin Injuries

On the majority of motorcycles, the petrol tank is right in front of the rider’s groin area. A frontal impact can cause the groin to hit the tank. Recovery from injuries like broken bones, nerve damage, paralysis, traumatic brain injuries and more can be a life-long journey. A qualified motorcycle accident attorney from The Carlson Law Firm can help you get the treatment you need. Our firm has the resources and experiences to get you the recovery you deserve.

Eye Injuries

Riders can be hit in the eye by insects or stones kicked up from other vehicles. Even the tiniest object can cause significant damage when they impact the eye even at just 30 miles per hour. When the head stops abruptly at a high-speed impact, the eye can come out of the socket. Other injuries can cause damage around the orbital socket.

Hearing Damage

Those who ride noisy bikes, particularly those without a muffler, expose themselves to volumes in excess 95dB. At this level, irreparable damage occurs in just one hour. Tinnitus and reduced ability to hear high frequencies which often lead to problems understanding and conversations.

Insurance Companies Make Motorcycle Injury Claims Difficult

A common question that injured victims Google on the internet is “why should I hire a motorcycle accident lawyer?” You should hire a motorcycle accident lawyer because the insurance company will do everything in its power to deny your claim. As a result, these claims are generally difficult to file alone or with an inexperienced lawyer. If you were injured in a crash, an attorney can help you understand your legal options. You are entitled to recovering money for the losses and damages you suffered after your crash.

Riders injured in a bike crash often have to file a lawsuit to claim compensation. You cannot do this alone and expect to get the maximum amount you deserve. A Carlson Law Firm Motorcycle Accident Lawyer has the experience, skills and in-house resources to help you navigate a insurance claim, litigation and potential lawsuit.

Why do insurance companies want cases to go to trial?

Insurance companies often drag out the claims and negotiations process in hopes that you will settle. During this process, they will often offer settlements that are unfair and do not compensate you justly for your injuries. If this happens, it is extremely important that you have an injury lawyer on your side who has argued a case before a judge.

What Can I Recover in a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit?

In negotiations or litigation against an insurance company or negligent party, the attorneys in our office may be able to help you recover compensation for the following:

Past and Future Medical Expenses: Victims can file to receive compensation for emergency visits, hospital care, surgery etc. if the injuries were directly related to the accident.
Lost Wages: Motorcycle accident victims can claim compensation for wages they could have earned if the accidents hadn’t taken place. Victims can recover compensation for the period of time they had to be away from work to recover.
Pain and Suffering: As motorcyclists may not be offered PIP insurance, they may file a lawsuit to claim compensation to combat their pain and suffering after the accident. To determine whether the victim requires compensation, courts will consider factors such as the nature of the injury, along with the duration and extent of pain.
Mental Anguish: Victims and families may also be provided compensation for the emotional pain they had to face after the incident. Emotional suffering includes feelings of fright, embarrassment, nervousness, worry, and grief.
Loss of Consortium: The surviving spouse may receive compensation for the loss of services, assistance, aid, society, and companionship of his or her loved one in the case of a wrongful death caused by a motorcycle accident. Surviving parents may receive compensation for the loss of love, affection and companionship of their minor children as a result of their wrongful death. Likewise, minor children may receive compensation for the loss of services, assistance, aid, society and companionship of their parents as a result of their wrongful death.

Contact a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Contact a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer at 800-359-5690 or fill out a contact form to get started on your road to recovery. We accept personal injury clients statewide and are available 24/7.

Injured? Hire a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer from one of our 16 office locations:

Austin
Baytown
Bryan
Corpus Christi
Killeen
Kerrville
Laredo
Lubbock
Midland
Round Rock
San Antonio
Temple
Waco
Wichita Falls

Our Killeen Motorcycle Accident Lawyers have a close ties with the Combat Veteran Motorycle Association. If you are a veteran and biker, schedule a free consultation with a member of our injury team. We can help at all 16 of our locations.

Why Hire a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?

Recovering from a motorcycle crash requires both physical recovery and, in many cases, financial recovery. It is your constitutional right to pursue the negligent party or parties who are responsible for your injuries. When you contact a lawyer, you are taking a step toward protecting your rights. Our injury lawyers will work to ensure that you have the best chance at recovering the money you are owed for your injuries. Our Motorcycle accident lawyers will immediately begin working to build your claim by assisting with the following:

Gathering evidence from the scene
Scrutinizing police reports
Witness statements
Investigating the driving history of the at-fault party
Crash scene reconstruction
Review of your medical records
Expert consultation
Communicate with the at-fault driver’s insurance company
Handle lien holds

What sets The Carlson Law Firm Firm apart from other law firms is that we have more than 40 trial attorneys on our staff. In other words, we are unafraid to fight for your rights when the insurance company is offering an unfair settlement. Speak with a qualified legal representation at no charge.

We care. We can help.

There's a Carlson Law Firm Near You

With 16 locations throughout Texas, there’s a Carlson Law Firm near you. We have law offices located in Killeen, Temple, Waco, Round Rock, Austin, San Antonio, Laredo, Bryan, Lubbock, Midland, Kerrville and Corpus Christi.

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Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

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