Beaumont Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Motorcycles can be a fun, fuel-efficient alternative to driving passenger cars or trucks. Motorcycles are incredibly popular in Texas; there are currently 443,856 registered motorcycles in the state. Texas, in fact, has the third-most registered motorcycles in the country, behind only Florida and California in terms of the number of motorcycle registrations. Motorcycles are, however, inherently more dangerous than passenger cars. Motorcycles are directly exposed to hazards and other cars on the road without protective casing, and riders must make constant split-second decisions to avoid collisions. Moreover, many motorcyclists feel empowered to engage in aggressive and potentially dangerous tactics such as white lining or lane-splitting, even though such practices are not technically legal in Texas.

For these reasons, motorcycle accidents are much more likely to be fatal when they occur; data show that motorcyclists are 28 times more likely to die in a crash than people in passenger cars in terms of crashes per vehicle mile traveled. Gilbert Adams Law Offices has years of experience advocating for people injured or killed in motorcycle accidents, whether they are the riders themselves or other pedestrians or motorists on the road who crash with a motorcycle. We represent families of motorcyclists or other drivers killed in motorcycle accidents, and we fight to maximize recovery for people injured or killed in motorcycle crashes when someone else was at fault.

Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcyclists are subject to the same hazards on the road as are other drivers, from road hazards to other reckless motorists to inclement weather conditions. For motorcyclists, these hazards that motorcyclists face more frequently result in severe injuries and death as opposed to other types of traffic accidents. Some of the more common causes of motorcycle accidents include the following:

• Unexpected left turns. One of the main causes of motorcycle accidents is other drivers on the road making unexpected or unsignaled turns or other movements. When another car makes an unexpected left turn, perhaps not realizing there is a motorcycle rider behind them, motorcycle riders often end up crashing into the passenger vehicle.
• Unexpected lane shifts. Cars and motorcycles are expected to signal before shifting lanes, but often passenger vehicle drivers feel comfortable shifting without signaling. Motorcyclists are likely to end up in a rear-end collision as a result. Drivers who fail to properly signal or commit other traffic violations should be held liable for their failure to obey important traffic safety laws for the damages caused.
• Riding while intoxicated. Motorcycle riders, like other drivers, are just as susceptible to temptation in terms of drinking or consuming drugs prior to riding. On a motorcycle, even more than in a passenger car, the smallest mistake or delayed reaction can lead to severe injury or death.
• Aggressive riding tactics. Motorcyclists tend to love their speed, and they love their aggressive maneuvers like lane-splitting or riding on the shoulder to skip heavy traffic. These behaviors are highly correlated with motorcycle crashes, particularly single-vehicle crashes.
• Inexperienced or untrained riders. Motorcycle riders need to operate at a much higher level of competency than do other drivers on the road. Inexperienced riders make mistakes, and those mistakes cost lives.
• Helmetless riding. Texas does not require riders over age 21 to wear a helmet if they complete a training course or have adequate medical insurance. However, failing to wear a helmet significantly increases the chances that an accident will turn serious or fatal. In 2017, over half of all motorcycle riders who were killed in an accident were not wearing a helmet.

Texas Motorcycle Accident Facts

Motorcycle riders are 28 times more likely to have a fatal accident than are passenger vehicle drivers or passengers. Even minor fender-benders can be serious for motorcyclists, who lack the benefit of a car body to protect them. Motorcyclists face road hazards directly, and any accident has the potential to turn serious or fatal. According to data from the Texas Department of Transportation, in 2018, there were 418 motorcyclists killed in the State of Texas in traffic accidents. The same year, 1,927 motorcyclists suffered a serious or incapacitating injury as a result of a motorcycle accident, and thousands more suffered less serious injuries in motorcycle accidents.

Get Help After Your Texas Motorcycle Accident

Legal recourse is available if you were riding your motorcycle and injured by a reckless or negligent driver, or if you were a pedestrian or other driver and were hit by an aggressive motorcycle rider. Gilbert Adams Law Offices can investigate your case, determine the cause of the accident, gather the appropriate evidence, and maximize your recovery. You may be entitled to damages arising from medical costs, including future care, lost wages, pain and suffering, bike repairs/replacement, loss of functionality, disability, tattoo repair, and more.

If you’ve been hit by a motorcycle in Texas, call us at the Gilbert Adams Law Offices. Since 1930, we’ve helped auto accident victims in Texas assert their rights against insurance companies, drivers, and other responsible parties, and we look forward to helping you and your family too.