Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Providing Compassionate Legal Representation to Victims in Houston, Texas

Unfortunately, motorcycles are known as dangerous machines and have earned a bad reputation in the eyes of insurance companies and the courts. While an individual motorcycle rider may be the safest driver on the road at any given time, they likely pay higher premiums than almost any other driver they share the road with. This is partly because of an undeserved stigma that motorcyclists are risk-takers and that they are to blame if they’re ever within spitting distance of a motor vehicle collision. But it’s also partly based on the sad fact that like bicyclists and pedestrians, motorcyclists have a lower chance of surviving an automobile accident if they should ever have the misfortune of being in one.

But motorcyclists have rights just like any other drivers on the road. And if their accident was the fault of other negligent drivers, then the bikers should not be the ones responsible for paying for the costly medical expenses and additional financial burdens that follow such an accident. And in worst cases, where a bike accident resulted in the wrongful death of the motorcyclist, their family should be allowed to grieve without concern for the costs of funeral expenses and other unexpected bills.

While you may file an insurance claim and hope you can recover fair compensation for your injuries, most motorcycle accident victims find that insurance companies rarely offer an adequate sum for their medical bills, lost income, and mental anguish. If you wish to pursue a financial recovery beyond the initial insurance company settlement, consider hiring an experienced motorcycle accident attorney to represent your personal injury lawsuit.

At the Houston-based law offices of The Shariff Law Firm, PLLC, our experienced legal team prides itself on providing clients with comprehensive legal care with a compassionate heart. We understand that, for the client, this is no mere legal case. This accident was a traumatic experience and a potentially life-altering event. We will do our best to remain respectful of your wishes as we pursue the most satisfactory outcome to your case in hopes that you will be able to return to some level of normalcy after the dust has cleared and your wounds have healed.

To speak with our lawyers about your case, please call our law firm at (713) 881-9739 to schedule a free case review at any time.

What Should You Do if You Have Been in a Motorcycle Accident?

Like any other motor vehicle accident, the first thing you should do after a motorcycle crash is assess the state of your own injuries. If you are well enough, you may check on the injuries of other people involved in the accident. However, if you are badly hurt or feel ‘weird’ in any way, please remain in place.

Regardless of how minor your injuries appear to be at first glance, your first concern should be reaching medical aid and calling 911. Do not attempt to just ‘walk it off’ and do not reassure other drivers or eyewitnesses that you are fine. Not only could these words be used against you later on, but some injuries take hours, days, or even weeks to fully manifest. It’s important to see medical professionals before claiming to be unhurt in the accident.

While awaiting emergency paramedics and law enforcement to arrive, you may exchange insurance information. If an insurance adjuster for the other party’s insurance company arrives on-site, you do not have to speak with them.

If you have time, attempt to document the scene of the crash and talk to eyewitnesses to get their accounts. Witness accounts, as well as your own, will grow fuzzier with time, so it is essential to document what you can early while the accident is still fresh in everyone’s memory.

Only after you have received medical treatment should you consider contacting the law offices of a personal injury attorney.

How Frequent Are Motorcyclist Fatalities in Texas?

In the year 2020, the US had 5,579 recorded motorcycle fatalities. Motorcycles make up a disproportionate number of traffic fatalities annually across the country. This makes sense when you think about it for a moment, as motorcyclists are relatively unprotected by comparison to other motorists who have airbags, seatbelts, and other safety measures to keep them safe.

However, other facts are more puzzling. Did you know that 30% of fatal motorcycle accidents involved bikers riding without valid motorcycle licenses? Or that driving under the influence of alcohol was more common for motorcyclists than any other drivers? In states without universal helmet laws, more than half of injured motorcyclist fatalities were bikers who did not wear helmets. Please note that Texas is one such state without a statewide helmet requirement. Helmet usage continues to decline nationwide while motorcycle fatalities continue to rise.

While Texas is the most dangerous state for traffic fatalities of any kind, when it comes to motorcycle accidents, they fall out of the worst spot. Statistically, based on how many motorcycles are registered in each state, we can determine which state is the most dangerous for bikers. Recent figures place Mississippi as the most dangerous state for motorcycle accidents, with Texas right behind. Following Texas are Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina. California also has a high number of motorcycle deaths, but they also have more motorcycle riders than any other state in the nation.

What Are Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries?

Motorcycle accident injuries are typically more severe and life-threatening than injuries sustained by those riding in cars or trucks. A rear-end collision might only give a car’s passenger whiplash, but it could send a motorcycle rider flying through the windshield.

In a motorcycle wreck, the rider may suffer injuries such as:

• Amputation.
• Broken bones.
• Burns.
• Concussions.
• Cuts.
• Facial disfigurement.
• Inability to walk again.
• Internal bleeding.
• Loss of sight or loss of hearing.
• Organ damage.
• Paralysis.
• Road rash.
• Soft tissue injuries.
• Spinal cord injuries.
• Traumatic brain injury.
• Whiplash.

If you or a loved one have experienced an injury in a motorcycle accident, please seek medical aid immediately. Regardless of how minor your injuries may be, the cost of ignoring the pain can be extreme both for your long-term health and for your bank account. Please contact our law firm to discuss possibly recovering maximum compensation for your injuries and suffering today.

What Causes Motorcyclists to Crash?

As we study traffic accidents, we make changes to how we build our roads, how we design our vehicles, and how we craft our laws. Despite these advancements, traffic accidents and fatalities continue and often create sad new statistical records.

If there is any one cause that we can point to and say is a new factor in the cause of accidents on America’s roadways, it is cell phones and those who text and drive. Distracted driving is an increasingly common danger in the age of personal handheld technology, and when drivers take their eyes off the roads, mistakes happen, sometimes with catastrophic consequences.

Common causes of motorcyclist accidents include:

• Dangerous weather conditions.
• Defective motorcycle, for which the manufacturer may be to blame.
• Distracted driving.
• Door accidents, in which a car door opens in a motorcycle’s path.
• Driver fatigue.
• Driving under the influence of drugs.
• Drunk driving.
• Failure to yield.
• Inexperienced drivers.
• Missing or incorrect traffic signage.
• Motorcycles driving in between lanes, aka ‘lane-splitting.’
• Motorcycles get lost in the blind spots of other drivers.
• Road rage.
• Roadway disrepair.
• Sudden stops by motorists ahead of the motorcyclists.
• Unsafe lane changes.

Is Texas a No-Fault State?

Texas is an at-fault state. This means that blame is assigned to the party deemed responsible for the accident. If the at-fault party cannot pay the settlement for the accident, then it will fall to the driver’s insurance company to pick up the bill.

To make matters more complicated, the Lone Star State operates under a modified model of comparative fault, wherein more than one party can be held accountable for the accident. For example, if it is determined that two parties were at fault, one having 70% of the blame while the other is responsible for the remaining 30%, then the settlement’s payment will accordingly be split 70/30.

Winning or losing a case can come down to establishing negligence on the part of the other driver or drivers. This may sound straightforward, but it’s often not. For this reason, it is advisable to hire professional legal counsel to investigate the motorcycle accident claim and build a strong case.

As your attorneys, we will review all documented evidence from the scene of the crash, examine the police reports, seek out eyewitness testimonies, speak with experts in the field of traffic accident reconstruction, and review your relevant medical records in an attempt to build the most robust case possible.

What Sort of Damages Could Motorcycle Accident Victims Receive in Compensation?

Your motorcycle accident lawyer will attempt to recover a fair settlement for your accident and any related injuries. This settlement may take the form of economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages may include:

• Lost ability to earn future income.
• Lost wages.
• Medical bills.
• Physical therapy.
• Property damage.
• Wrongful death.

Non-economic damages may include:

• Disfigurement.
• Emotional pain.
• Lost companionship or lost consortium.
• Lost quality of life.
• Mental anguish, pain, and suffering.
• PTSD.

Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with Experienced Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Today

If you have suffered a catastrophic injury in a motorcycle accident on the streets of Houston, you have the legal right to pursue compensation from any negligent parties. However, this may be no easy task, and it could be made all the more difficult by your injuries and state of recovery.

We’re here to help.

The Shariff Law Firm represents accident victims hoping to make things right, recover fair compensation for their troubles, and help them get back to daily life without worrying about the financial burden of their injuries.

Contact our Houston law offices to schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced legal team member. This is a risk-free, zero-obligation consult.

We would be proud to serve you and your family as we attempt to help you through this difficult time.

Please call us at (713) 881-9739.