Motorcyclists enjoy the freedom and speed of their vehicles but are often at higher risk for injuries and death if they are involved in a crash. When other drivers fail to share the road or watch out for motorcycle riders, they can change the life of a biker in an instant. Dealing with insurance claims and lawsuits when you are trying to heal after a crash is a headache you do not need.
If you have been hurt on a bike, contact Houston motorcycle accident attorney Steve Lee for experienced and aggressive legal representation. Our team will investigate your claim, determine all liable parties, and hold them accountable for their negligence and carelessness. Contact us now for a free consultation to learn more about how to proceed.
Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Motorcycle riders are at high risk for serious injuries during a crash because they have less protection than drivers in other vehicles. They can only rely on their riding skills, helmet, and clothing to avoid harm. When a careless driver fails to watch for motorcycles, the biker can be hit directly or thrown from their bikes into traffic.
Motorcyclists suffer severe injuries from three kinds of trauma:
- Blunt force trauma: This happens when objects strike your body, or your body is thrown against an object, such as a guardrail, another vehicle, or the road. The impact can cause broken bones, internal organ damage, and traumatic brain injury.
- Decelerating trauma: Stopping suddenly, such as slamming into a car that braked unexpectedly in front of your bike, can force your brain to bounce back and force in your skull, causing a coup-contrecoup injury.
- Penetrating trauma: Often the most damaging, this involves foreign objects entering your head, torso, or limbs. Even with full protective clothing, vehicle parts or items from the roadway can slice blood vessels, damage your brain, or pierce internal organs.
In a serious crash, you could experience all of these at once. A rider can be rear-ended or hit head-on, sideswiped, or forced to swerve. All these can result in loss of control and being thrown from the bike. Motorcycle accident injuries we commonly see include:
- Amputation
- Bleeding and fluid in the lungs
- Burns from flames or explosions
- Chemical burns
- Cuts, lacerations, scrapes, and bruises
- Damage to blood vessels
- Head injury, including damage to eyes, nose, ears, and mouth
- Internal bleeding
- Internal organ damage
- Hemorrhaging inside the skull
- Injury to reproductive organs
- Lung collapse
- Road rash
- Spinal cord injuries
Motorcyclists also face a high chance of dying due to the crash. They may be killed instantly or succumb to their injuries later. Regardless of when a loved one passes away after a bike wreck, the surviving family members can file a wrongful death claim against the liable parties, as long as it’s done within the legal statute of limitations. Our law firm has many years of experience helping families recover compensation after they experience motorcycle fatalities.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcycles make up only 3% of registered vehicles in the U.S. but account for 14% of traffic fatalities. Their rarity and smaller size are part of why they are involved in so many crashes. Most bike accidents are caused by other drivers in passenger or commercial vehicles.
Contributing factors to motorcycle accidents include:
- Driver inattention: Drivers who are distracted or daydreaming fail to pay attention to the road and vehicles around them. They can ignore or overlook a motorcycle entering traffic or ride too closely to a bike.
- Lane splitting: When riders drive between cars on the lane dividing line, they are breaking Texas law against this practice. However, it also puts them at risk of an accident when other drivers decide to change lanes without warning or lash out against a rider because of road rage.
- Failing to obey traffic laws: Drivers who roll through stoplights or stop signs, speed, drive recklessly, or are under the influence of alcohol put everyone at risk, especially motorcyclists.
- Failing to check blind spots: Smaller bikes can “sneak up” on a driver who does not check their mirrors before changing lanes. The resulting sideswipe collision can seriously injure or kill the biker.
- Weather conditions: When roads are slick with heavy rain, oil, or ice, all drivers must increase their distance between vehicles. Motorcycles are especially prone to accidents when other drivers are not cautious.
- Vehicle malfunction: Whether on a motorcycle or other vehicle, if a faulty part or poor repair contributed to your crash, you could hold the manufacturer or repair shop partially or fully liable for your injuries.
Working with a skilled Houston motorcycle accident lawyer means you can concentrate on getting better while Steve Lee and his team investigate your case. We determine who is responsible and how, gather the evidence needed to hold a negligent driver accountable and work to secure the maximum compensation available for you. You can rest easy knowing we are working tirelessly to manage your claim.
How Our Houston Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Can Help Injured Motorcyclists
You need guidance to understand your legal options when you are injured and facing medical bills and other losses after a Houston motorcycle accident. Texas is an at-fault state for automobile crashes, allowing you to file an insurance claim against the at-fault driver’s policy for your medical expenses and property damage. You have the right to seek fair compensation when a driver is found liable.
However, negotiating with an insurance adjuster can be confusing, frustrating, and maddening. They are interested in reducing what they pay and will use tactics to make a lowball offer. They hope you will take the money to pay your bills and close the claim. Our motorcycle accident attorneys in Houston will not let them take advantage of you.
Steve Lee and his can help you by:
- Filing your insurance claim on time and handling all communications with the insurance company
- Connecting you with specialists who can assess your injuries and provide appropriate medical treatment
- Creating an estimate of your damages, including property loss and medical care, along with other losses
- Calculating your projected need for medical attention such as therapy, rehabilitation, surgery, and other costs so you do not face a future financial crisis
- Preparing your case for a personal injury lawsuit if the insurance company does not meet our demands
- Filing a wrongful death claim against the responsible parties if a loved one passes away from their injuries after a motorcycle accident
Each step of your claim can be more straightforward when you work with a legal professional who is on your side and listens to your story with compassion. You do not have to worry about how to seek justice because we put our entire staff to work on every case, making you a priority, not just a number. Attorney Steve Lee leads a law firm offering more than four decades of experience in successfully resolving motorcycle accident claims. We have secured over millions of dollars in settlements and jury awards for our clients, and we will work hard to obtain compensation for you.
Understanding Motorcycle Accident Cases in Texas
After a bike accident, you are likely healing from significant injuries that require all your focus and energy. Your recovery could be lengthy, leaving you with little time to research how to hold the liable party accountable for their actions. This is when you need the services of an experienced Houston motorcycle accident lawyer like Steve Lee.
Without professional legal representation, insurance companies will do their best to minimize or deny your claim. The insurance policy covering the at-fault party may only pay for medical bills and property damage, but your losses could be higher than the policy limits. You might also experience substantial subjective damages, such as pain and suffering.
For example, as a biker, you probably spend a lot of time on your motorcycle. Losing the ability to ride again can leave you with depression or PTSD. You deserve to have every penny of loss repaid to you through insurance or a personal injury lawsuit. When the driver at fault engaged in grossly negligent behavior, such as drunk or reckless driving, the judge for your case may elect to award punitive damages to make an example of the driver.
Insurance Companies and Personal Injury Claims
You may wonder if you can simply file a personal injury lawsuit against those who harmed you instead of bothering with an insurance claim. The first course of action in Texas is to file a claim against the liable party’s insurance coverage. This should pay for your medical bills and bike damage. However, there are several problems that could arise that force you to file a lawsuit.
The insurance adjuster may want to reduce your settlement offer if they believe you were partly at fault, such as failing to wear a helmet or engaging in risky behavior. Every motorcycle accident victim faces this kind of bias, and our experienced personal injury attorneys will fight against it for you. Texas allows modified comparative negligence arguments, which can be used against but also for you when more than one party is at fault for your injuries.
Insurance companies often refuse to cover non-economic losses, such as chronic pain or mental anguish. These are an essential part of your damages and must be repaid. When an insurance claim does not pay for these expenses or your medical bills are so high they exceed the policy limits, it is time to file a motorcycle accident lawsuit. This action allows you to secure the maximum compensation from the defendant and their insurance provider.
Other damages you can claim include financial relief for:
- Anxiety
- Disability, scarring, and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of income and benefits
- Loss of personal and professional reputation
- Medications, medical aids, and mobility devices
- Pain and suffering
- Property replacement or repair
- Prosthetic limbs
- PTSD
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Travel expenses for medical treatment
Modified Comparative Negligence in Houston Motorcycle Accident Cases
Texas allows modified comparative negligence arguments, meaning that more than one party can be found liable in a crash. This can be useful if your attorney learns that other drivers or entities played a part in your wreck. However, insurance companies and defense lawyers will try to use it against you to reduce the amount of damages they must pay.
In Texas, if the plaintiff (you) is found to be more than 51% liable for their crash, they cannot collect compensation. Insurance companies will fight very hard to argue that your injuries are not as severe as you claim or that you are predominantly at fault. The same is true in the courtroom, which is why you need a skilled motorcycle accident attorney in Houston who can present evidence against these claims.
Steve Lee and his team will collect, analyze, and show materials that demonstrate how the liable party owed you a duty of care and failed in that duty. They will also prove how your injuries are directly related to that failure and that your related expenses must be repaid. We fight to use the law to your best advantage and push back against claims that make you look negligent.
Contact Houston Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Steve Lee Today for a Free Consultation
Recovering from a motorcycle crash in Houston can take a long time. You may need weeks or months before you can return to work or adjust to a new way of life if you have been disabled by the accident. As the days pass, you could lose the chance to seek compensation through the courts if you fail to file your claim before the statute of limitations expires. In Texas, this is only two years from the date of your crash.
Instead of adding to your troubles by trying to manage your claim alone, turn to Houston motorcycle accident attorney Steve Lee and his accomplished team. You do not need to worry about more bills during this stressful time because we start by offering you a free initial case evaluation. From there, we negotiate our fees as a percentage of your settlement amount.
With this contingency fee structure, you do not pay a large retainer upfront. In fact, you do not pay us at all until we secure a settlement for you. This allows you to access the superior legal representation you need without increasing your financial burden. We can put our skills and experience to work for you, ensuring your claim is filed correctly and on time. Contact us to schedule your free consultation today.