Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Helping Personal Injury Victims Nationwide and Across Texas including Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio
For many people, the thrill of riding a motorcycle, with its sensation of speed, wind, and freedom, is an extremely pleasurable experience. Still, no one can deny that motorcyclists are more prone to being seriously injured in an accident than other vehicles on the road. Not only are motorcyclists unprotected by the metal cage that surrounds drivers of cars and trucks, but, because of their smaller size, motorcycles are less visible on the road. Because riders of motorcycles, even when wearing helmets and other protective gear, are much more vulnerable to personal injury, it is important for other drivers to be extra cautious when sharing the road with them. Unfortunately, all too often, other drivers are unaware, careless, or negligent instead, resulting in catastrophic injuries to motorcyclists.
If you have suffered serious injuries in a motorcycle accident, you are likely facing mounting medical expenses, as well as severe pain and inability to work. If someone else was responsible for the motorcycle accident, you don’t have to face this overwhelming situation alone. The attorneys at Leger Ketchum & Cohoon, PLLC, a prime personal injury law practice with offices located in The Woodlands, Dallas, and Boerne Texas, is prepared to help. Our well-schooled and highly experienced motorcycle accident attorneys have a track record of obtaining substantial compensation for our clients. Once you check out our outstanding testimonials, you will realize that you are in good hands and will be able to relax and concentrate on healing.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
Many motorcycle accidents are attributable to negligence on the part of other drivers who are inattentive, perhaps even unaware of the smaller vehicles beside them. This is especially true if the motorists are impaired by drugs or alcohol, driving recklessly, or engaging in distracted driving — texting, eating, or reaching for something inside the car.
The Texas Motorcycle Accident Attorneys at Leger Ketchum & Cohoon, PLLC Will Fight to Get You the Compensation You Deserve
You should contact us as promptly as possible after your motorcycle accident so we can take action immediately. There is a 2-year statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits in Texas. Beyond that, the sooner our attorneys begin investigating your case, the more likely we are to find physical evidence, be able to interview witnesses, and examine medical and mechanical data. Also, since the wheels of justice turn slowly, the sooner you consult with us, the sooner you will receive the compensation you deserve for:
- Medical bills
- Surgical, pharmaceutical, and rehabilitative costs
- Psychological therapy to cope with the injury
- Loss of income (present and future)
- Alterations to your home to make it accessible during recovery or permanently
- Household help to perform chores you can no longer do
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Property damage
- Long-term disability
- Necessary long-term healthcare
- Loss of consortium (companionship and intimacy)
- Wrongful death
In some cases in which the other driver’s conduct was particularly egregious, for example, if the other party was impaired by drugs and texting while driving, our tenacious motorcycle accident attorneys may be able to get you punitive damages as well as compensatory ones. Punitive damages are awarded both to punish the offender and to discourage other drivers from similar intolerable behavior.
Comparative Negligence for Motorcycle Accident Injuries in Texas
Texas, like most of the other states, uses the Modified Comparative Fault Rule. This means that the jury will decide which party bears what percent of the fault for the accident. If you bear a portion of the responsibility (50 percent or less) for your own injury, the damages awarded to you will be cut by the percentage of your perceived responsibility. For instance, if you are found to be 20 percent responsible in the accident, you will receive 80 percent of the amount of damages awarded to you. Unfortunately, if you are found to bear more than 50 percent responsibility for your spinal cord injury, you won’t be awarded any compensation at all. You can have full confidence, however, that the savvy personal injury attorneys at Leger Ketchum & Cohoon, PLLC have the tactical skills to navigate the legal system. We will work tirelessly to make sure that you receive reasonable compensation for all you have endured.
Types of Motorcycle Accidents
The most common types of motorcycle accidents are:
- Head-On Collisions – unfortunately, the most fatal type of motorcycle accident is also the most common, occurring 78 percent of the time. Only a small percentage of car accidents are head-on collisions.
- Left-Hand Turns – cars making left-hand turns account for 42 percent of all car-motorcycle accidents. Such collisions typically occur when the motorcycle is crossing the intersection or passing the other car.
- Lane Splitting – although lane splitting or driving between lanes is illegal in Texas, motorcyclists frequently engage in the practice, particularly during traffic jams. Lane splitting is, however, very dangerous because it limits the distance between vehicles and may put the motorcycle in the blind spot of a motorist.
- Single Motorcycle Accidents – a motorcyclist, like any other driver, may have an accident in which another driver is not involved. For example, the cyclist may hit a pothole, skid on slippery pavement, or collide with an animal or debris on the roadway, causing the cyclist to hit a tree or telephone pole, or simply fall on the pavement. It should be remembered, however, that another driver’s dangerous action may cause the motorcycle to veer off the road. In such cases, the driver of the car may be culpable, even if his or her vehicle never made contact with the motorcycle.
- Drug or Alcohol Impairment – motorcycle accidents, like all traffic accidents, occur more frequently when one or both drivers are impaired by alcohol or drugs.
It should be noted that a city, county, or state agency may be held accountable for a single motorcycle accident if that accident is the result of poor road maintenance. Similarly, if the motorcyclist is injured due to a mechanical defect in the motorcycle, a product lawsuit can be brought against the manufacturer or distributor. Because of the complexities of causation, it is essential to have a knowledgeable motorcycle accident attorney evaluate your case. At Leger Ketchum & Cohoon, PLLC, we will be happy to meet with you for a free consultation to determine the parameters of your claim.
Motorcycle Accident Injuries
As noted previously, a motorcyclist is more likely to be seriously injured during an accident than the driver of a larger vehicle. In addition, the fact that motorcycles have two wheels rather than four makes them far less stable than cars and requires more skill and balance on the part of the operator. The risk of suffering one or more of the following injuries if you are riding a motorcycle is much greater than if you are driving a car:
- Road rash
- Head and/or traumatic brain injuries
- Fractures
- Neuromuscular damage
- Internal bleeding
- Spinal cord injuries
As a matter of fact, you are 30 times more likely to die in a vehicular accident if you are riding a motorcycle than if you are driving another vehicle. If someone in your family has been tragically killed in a motorcycle accident in which the other driver was at fault, you may file a lawsuit for wrongful death to hold the other party accountable for the terrible loss. Though nothing can make up for losing a loved one, the attorneys at Leger Ketchum & Cohoon, PLLC will fight hard to get you monetary compensation and regain some sense that justice has been served.
Contact Our Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Serving Across Texas and Nationwide
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed due to the negligence of another driver, get in touch with our office by calling us at 832.764.7200, emailing us directly at info@lkclawfirm.com, or by filling out our online contact form.