Motorcycle Accidents vs. Car Wrecks

Examine a site where a motorcycle accident occurred and you’ll quickly see the difference between that and your normal car wreck. Motorcycle wrecks usually lead to more serious injuries and a greater chance of death. Statistics from the Texas Department of Transportation show that two-thirds of motorcycle wrecks in Texas ended in a critical injury or death of the motorcycle rider. In 2018, there were approximately 418 fatalities, which were 16 percent of all traffic deaths that year in the state. Also that year, a total of 6,913 motorcycle riders or passengers got injured. The catastrophic results of most motorcycle wrecks are due to proper protection for a motorcyclist and other riders. Your normal car, just by the way it’s built, gives its passengers considerably more protection when an accident occurs than a motorcycle does to its riders. Even the first-rate and well-built bikes from Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, Harley-Davidson, Buell, Triumph and other motorcycle companies can’t stop major injuries from happening due to what would be a minor motorcycle accident just because there’s no outer shell to protect those on the motorcycle.

Because of these differences, many people don’t understand that motorcycle accidents also require a different approach in the legal world. Most car accident claims can be dealt with without either party needing legal assistance, but there are few instances when a motorcycle defect claim doesn’t need the help of a veteran Texas defective motorcycle attorney. Because of the increased chances of major injury and possible death, the total financial amount at stake will lead an insurer to aggressively fight any claims filed by the accident victim or grieving family. Without the help of a solid Texas motorcycle defect lawyer, those victims may not be aware of the extent of their claim and may fall prey to take a small settlement. If you don’t have an attorney watching over you constantly, you may be taken advantage of by companies that are concerned with their own interests and could care less about yours.

Texas Motorcycle Injury Accidents

Motorcycle wrecks can lead to all sorts of injuries. Sometimes there are just cuts and bruises, but then are life-threatening injuries including brain trauma or spinal cord injuries. Often you’ll hear about road rash, which is a common, but minor, injury. If it’s gone untreated, though, that can quickly lead to infection and get worse. Like any personal injury lawsuit, it’s critical for those injured to get immediate medical help so their case isn’t damaged because they didn’t take proper steps quick enough. Going back to the road rash – If someone hurt in a motorcycle wreck doesn’t get medical attention for that quick enough and the rash then mutates into a life-threatening infection, the individual or companies that caused the accident can’t face any discipline for that infection.

Serious injuries that also can occur on motorcycles include broken and fractured bones. Because motorcycles have no covering, riders and passengers are thrown from a motorcycle and sent hurling onto the ground. That speed and impact with the ground leads to broken arms, legs, or fractured bones. Those injuries require medical attention (which cost money), but those injured will also financial burdens since the loss of mobility will hinder their ability to earn money. When a Texas personal injury lawsuit is filed, those hurt in a motorcycle accident can get compensated for income lost.

Major motorcycle injuries may also cause disfigurement, spinal cord injuries or brain trauma. Each issue can lead to incurable conditions that also need constant medical assistance. Burn injuries can lead to severe pain and trauma for a victim, along with obvious disfigurement. There can be lasting emotional and psychological trauma left by scars covering the face, hands, legs, neck or back. A person’s overall quality of life can also be severely altered when there’s loss of limbs like arm and leg amputations. If a personal injury lawsuit is filed in Texas, those effected can get compensated for these matters and have a better chance to heal and handle these injuries.

State law also requires that anyone younger than 21 must wear a helmet while on a motorcycle. Those older than 21 can choose not to wear a helmet as long as they’ve completed a Texas motorcycle rider training course or have proof health insurance. Debate has raged for decades about the pros and cons of motorcyclists having helmets, but it’s hard to argue against the positives of wearing helmets. The worst motorcycle injuries – brain trauma and with spinal cords – can be avoided by simply wearing a helmet. Injuries like these can lead to paralysis and often mean the person injured will need constant care for the rest of their life. The degree of such an injury will also mean that medical bills will pile up at an alarming rate. Those who’ve been involved in serious motorcycle accident injuries may be just the people who need wise legal assistance to examine what their choices are so they can get the proper compensation to help them with their soaring medical expenses that come with brain trauma and spinal cord injuries.

When you break down the level of injury that was sustained, those hurt will need help sometimes for just a day, month, years or a lifetime. That care will include medical costs that can be in the thousands and sometimes millions of dollars. Unfortunately, insurance companies will aggressively fight those instances where they have to pay out huge policies to victims who truly need them. Without the help of a qualified Texas motorcycle defect lawyer there to be with you and take charge with protecting your interests, you may end up choosing a settlement far below what your case deserves.

Fatal Motorcycle Accidents in Texas

Every day a fatal motorcycle accident happens in Texas, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Look at this fact from a different perspective: Every day a family in Texas loses a loved one because of a fatal motorcycle crash. If you’ve been among those dealing with the traumatic moments of losing someone in a Texas fatal motorcycle accident, our Texas wrongful death attorneys can help you in gathering facts from an accident scene so everyone who liable can be discovered and held accountable. When an accidental death happens because of someone else’s poor choices, the family members and other loved ones are within their rights to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the business or individuals responsible to get compensation for both wrongful death damages and survival damages.

One family member may pursue survival damages on behalf of the motorcyclist who was killed, but numerous family members may pursue wrongful death damages for the financial losses they’ve been death because of that person’s loss. It should be noted that several wrongful death lawsuits aren’t followed up on for specifically seeking monetary damages. Compensation is a key part of any wrongful death lawsuit and can help hurting families deal with the financial burdens faced during a loss of someone, but wrongful death lawsuits also are a tool used to hold those responsible accountable for their decisions. Prior to issuing a lawsuit, a hurting family can reach out to a fatal motorcycle accident attorney in Texas so they can get an independent investigation done to determine which liable parties were involved in the fatal bike accident. The Texas motorcycle defect lawyers at our Law Offices have 20 years of experience in investigating defects in motorcycles that led to major accidents. We know how to break down and examine difficult vehicle accident scenes and know how to look even closer to totally discover who all is responsible for your loved one’s death. Through our hard work and your assistance, we can make sure all those liable are brought to justice for creating such a painful and traumatic tragedy.