Houston Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

Motorcycle accidents can be devastating. They often result in more severe injuries than typical car crashes because motorcycle drivers do not have the protection of all the safety features present in most other automobiles. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, you are likely experiencing extreme physical pain and emotional distress.

If someone else is to blame for your crash, you do not have to fear the mounting medical costs and the accident’s effect on your income. You can rely on a skilled Houston motorcycle accident lawyer from The Krist Law Firm, P.C. to secure financial compensation from the at fault party or parties. Contact us today to find out how we can help you through the legal process while you focus on your recovery.

The Role of a Personal Injury Lawyer in a Houston Motorcycle Accident Case

When you are recovering from severe injuries, such as those in a motorcycle crash, you should be able to concentrate on getting better. Anything else adds stress and worry that could delay your recovery. That is why you should engage a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after the incident to let them take these burdens off your shoulders.

In your personal injury case, you will seek fair compensation for the bills you must pay, plus your pain and suffering and all other damages and losses that resulted from your Houston motorcycle accident. You can start by filing a claim with the other driver’s insurance provider, but this seemingly simple process can get complicated. You will find that insurance carriers are not very interested in paying you what you are owed. They prefer keeping their profits for themselves.

A highly skilled and compassionate motorcycle accident attorney in Houston will examine your personal injury case, investigate all the evidence, and create a powerful story that shows why you deserve full financial recovery. We will not stop working until your personal injury claim is resolved to your satisfaction.

Why You Should Choose The Krist Law Firm for Your Motorcycle Accident Claim

You need a motorcycle accident lawyer who can manage all aspects of your claim without making you do most of the work. Our team will focus on evaluating your claim and determining the best approach so that you can1 take your time as you heal. We will never make a crucial decision without your input, and we give you all the information you need to make the choice that is right for you.

We focus on tackling the legal complexities and keep you updated so you can understand how your case is going. We meet with you at home, the hospital, or our offices so that you can be fully informed at all times. We offer essential services, such as:

Getting Maximum Compensation

Even when bikers wear All The Gear, All The Time (ATTGAT), they are at much greater risk of catastrophic injuries than other motorists. The bigger the vehicle that hit you, the more likely you are to have serious injuries and the corresponding astronomical medical bills. The at-fault party or parties must be held accountable for their actions that caused you harm.

While you likely received medical attention at the scene, you are probably facing much more medical care as you begin to heal, including surgeries and rehabilitation. The liable party must be made to pay for all your current expenses and your future medical treatment until you are as fully recovered as possible. Any settlement offer from an insurance company must include every penny, including the emotional distress you experience as you get back on your feet.

At The Krist Law Firm, P.C., we do not rest until you receive maximum compensation for your medical expenses and more. We work diligently to identify and pursue all responsible parties. If you are concerned about adding attorneys’ fees on top of your hospital bills, we can put that fear to rest since we work on a contingency fee basis. This means if we do not win money in your case for you, you do not have to pay us anything at all.

Gathering Evidence to File a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit

Robust evidence is crucial to the success of a motorcycle accident insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. At the scene of the accident, there will be many ways to gather evidence, and our legal team can return to the location to collect more. Some motorcycle accident evidence examples include:

• Photos of your injuries, the damage to your bike, skid marks, the weather, road conditions, and road signage
• Videos from security cameras, traffic surveillance cameras, and dashcams of other vehicles
• Bodycam footage from the injured rider or their riding companions
• Police accident reports
• Witness statements
• Testimony from accident reconstruction experts

The Texas Department of Transportation participates in the “Look Twice, Save a Life” nationwide campaign to alert motorists to look out for motorcycle riders. However, negligent drivers will still often ignore smaller, faster motorcycles by not checking their blind spots, making turns without looking twice, and drifting into adjacent lanes.

Failure to follow traffic laws also contributes heavily to motorcycle crash statistics. While Texas forbids lane splitting, riders who are just changing lanes can get caught between passenger vehicles or trucks when those drivers do not signal or drive erratically. Footage from traffic cameras, dashcams, and bodycams can all be critical sources of evidence showing how other motorists contributed to your motorcycle accident.

Negotiating With Insurance Companies

Texas is an at-fault state, meaning that anyone who causes an accident must pay for the injuries and damage they cause to other people. When you are hurt in a motorcycle wreck, your personal injury attorney can file a claim on your behalf while you are recovering. We can start as soon as you are conscious in the hospital so we do not lose valuable time.

Working with an insurance adjuster can be a nightmare when you are feeling well, much less when you are severely hurt. They are inclined to deny your claims and do anything they can to reduce what you receive. Bias against motorcycle riders is very real, and it influences their representatives to fight your insurance claim.

The Houston motorcycle accident attorneys at The Krist Law Firm, P.C. will not let this happen. The minimum required liability insurance coverage in Texas is only $30,000 for injuries (up to a total of $60,000 per accident) and $25,000 for property damage. Your hospital stay alone could exhaust that coverage, so you need a Houston motorcycle accident lawyer who will negotiate aggressively to get you the full amount.

Taking Those Responsible To Court When They Do Not Pay

If the insurance company will not meet our demands or the policy does not cover all of your expenses, we are prepared to take them to court so you can receive maximum compensation. We will present evidence showing the liable parties were negligent because:

1. They had a duty of care to you and all other drivers on the road.
2. They failed to uphold that duty through their action or inaction.
3. You suffered injuries as a direct result of their behavior.
4. You have expenses directly resulting from your injuries that must be repaid.

The burden of proof will be on you and your attorney, but we build a compelling narrative to describe how your life has been turned upside down by the defendant’s carelessness. We hire accident reconstruction experts to testify about how your crash happened. Our network of medical specialists can diagnose and treat your injuries, as well as provide an estimate of your future medical treatment needs for your compensation demand letter.

Your personal injury lawyer will always work to get a satisfactory settlement for you from the beginning of your case, since an out-of-court settlement can save you the time, expense, and stress of a lengthy trial. We demonstrate that we are dedicated to your case and will not back down. With strong evidence showing the at-fault party’s liability, we can secure maximum compensation for you sooner.

Motorcycle Accidents Can Cause Severe Injuries

As of 2021, there were around 8.6 million motorcycles on the road in the United States, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Without the protection of an enclosed vehicle, motorcyclists face a greater risk of serious injury and death than passenger car occupants.

In fact, 80% of all motorcycle accidents result in injury or death, compared to just 20% for car accident victims, according to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA). The agency also estimated that motorcyclists are five times more likely to be injured in a roadway accident than passenger vehicle occupants.

Common motorcycle accidents injuries include:

• Amputation
• Broken bones
• Cuts and bruises
• Disfigurement
• Internal bleeding
• Road rash
• Internal organ injuries
• Mild, moderate, and severe traumatic brain injuries
• Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries
• Severed limbs
• Severe burns

Many riders never make it back onto a bike after an accident. The injuries can be so debilitating that they struggle to care for themselves or hold a job afterward. This must be factored into the calculation for your compensation demands. Claims can climb into thousands or even millions of dollars for a younger person who is permanently disabled in a Houston motorcycle accident.

Fatal Motorcycle Accidents

Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents are 26 times more likely to cause a fatality than other motor vehicle accidents, according to NHTSA. When a loved one is killed in a motorcycle crash, you may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim against those responsible.

Proving fault in these cases can be difficult, and you will be facing teams of lawyers employed by insurance companies. They will work very hard to defend their client, but they are really trying to protect their interest in not paying your claim. You can rely on the experience and resources of The Krist Law Firm to fight for your rights against insurance companies.

A wrongful death claim will seek payment of not only the medical costs your family member incurred before they died, but also all of the funeral and burial costs required to lay them to rest. You can also request restitution for the suffering, grief, and financial burden your family will face without your loved one in your lives moving forward as well.

Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

Compared to cars and trucks, motorcycles are inherently less stable and more difficult to see on the road. They also require more skills and coordination to operate. However, the majority of motorcycle accidents are not the rider’s fault. While motorcyclists are expected to take special precautions on the road, the reality is that a significant portion of motorcycle crashes are caused by inattentive drivers who claim that they did not see the motorcyclist.

Nearly one-third of multi-vehicle motorcycle accidents are the result of drivers turning left into the path of the motorcycle because they did not see it or incorrectly judged the speed of the bike. 

Some leading causes of motorcycle accidents include the following:

• Cars sideswiping motorcycles when they change lanes
• Cars turning left into the paths of motorcycles going straight
• Loose gravel
• Objects or debris in the roadway
• Poor weather conditions
• Uneven road surfaces
• Wet road surfaces

In some cases, you may impact a vehicle that is not the direct cause of the accident. Our knowledgeable and tenacious attorneys will investigate the facts of your case to determine if another car swerved, braked, or otherwise caused the surrounding vehicles to react, leading to your crash. We will hold all responsible parties accountable for their contribution to your injuries.

How to Reduce Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents

In the event of a motorcycle crash, the most important factor in preventing injuries and death is wearing protective gear, which includes a leather jacket, helmet, gloves, eye protection, and appropriate footwear.

Because head trauma is the leading cause of severe brain injuries and death in motorcycle accidents, wearing a helmet is essential. According to a report from the National Institutes of Health, motorcycle helmets can reduce the risk of head injury by approximately 72%.

In addition to wearing proper gear, motorcyclists can follow traffic rules, avoid speeding, and always watch out for other drivers who may not be watching out for them. Motorists can take time to look out for motorcycles and take care to drive safely.

Talk to a Houston Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today

At The Krist Law Firm, P.C., we understand the long-term impact a serious injury can have on your life, and we are here to help guide you through every step of the legal process. If you have been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident or other auto accident because of someone else’s negligence or reckless behavior, you may be entitled to compensation for the following:

• Past and future medical costs
• Loss of earning potential
• Physical pain
• Mental anguish
• Disfigurement
• Physical limitations

We have over four decades of experience helping accident victims obtain maximum compensation for their injuries. Our team of skilled Houston personal injury attorneys will conduct a comprehensive investigation of your motorcycle accident, collect evidence of your injuries, and build the strongest possible argument in your case.

We offer a free initial consultation to discuss your case and explain your legal options. Contact The Krist Law Firm, P.C. today to find out how one of our personal injury attorneys or other Houston car accident lawyers can help you.