Motorcycles are both fun and deadly. In the past decade, Texas has had one the highest rates of motorcycle crash fatalities in the country. Many of the collisions resulting in serious injury or death can be attributed to negligence on the part of other drivers. Therefore, it is important to speak with a Dallas-Fort Worth motorcycle attorney immediately following a crash. A lawyer can help you understand your legal options and receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Motorcycle riders who are involved in accidents have a high chance of serious long-term injury or death because most motorcycle crashes are caused by the collision of a biker with an automobile driver. Many occur when the car is changing lanes or making a left turn and fails to see a bike occupying its proper lane. If at the time of impact the speed at which both parties are moving is high, it can be deadly for the motorcycle rider. Riders have very little protection when compared to a driver in a car, and they are likely to be flung from the motorcycle.
Dallas Motorcycle Crash Injuries
These factors, unique to motorcycle crashes, result in injuries sustained by the biker that are often extremely serious. For example:
- Amputations
- Internal organ damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Neck and back injuries
- Road burn
- Severe lacerations
- Scatting
- Head trauma
- Death
Dealing With the Insurance Company
Hiring an experienced Dallas-Fort Worth motorcycle wreck attorney to handle your case is essential because of the complicated nature of these cases and the insurance companies’ reluctance to offer an adequate settlement amount. The insurer will often try to avoid paying your claim. Whenever a motorcycle is involved in a crash, insurance companies are likely to blame reckless riding, not wearing a proper helmet, or excessive speed. It is fairly typical for an insurer to hold a bias against motorcycle riders, assuming that they have a reckless lifestyle or are thrill seekers.
How Helmet Use Could Affect Your Case
You may be concerned because you weren’t wearing a helmet. It could affect your recovery in these situations:
- If you were wearing a helmet and still sustained head or neck injuries, the helmet is important to your claim because it shows that your injuries were not made worse by your own actions. It also is evidence of how much worse your injuries could have been, considering the driver’s dangerous behavior, if you had not been wearing a helmet.
- If you were not wearing a helmet and did not suffer an injury to your head or neck, the fact that you did not wear a helmet is irrelevant.
Contributory Negligence: When You Were Partially at Fault
In Dallas, Fort Worth, and other areas of Texas, even if you are partially to blame for the crash, you can still recover compensation, but it will be reduced by your percentage of fault. Your attorney will work to minimize the percentage of blame attributed to you to allow you a greater recovery award.
Don’t Go it Alone
Trying to handle insurance companies without an experienced Texas personal injury attorney is an uphill battle. A victim attempting to recover compensation usually has very little idea of the true value of the case. The insurance adjuster will often attempt to dispose of a case quickly with a low payout. Insurance companies rely on the fact that a motorcycle rider doesn’t know the law or what constitutes a reasonable settlement amount.
Don’t give a recorded statement or sign a medical authorization if the adjuster requests them unless your attorney tells you to. It could work against you and lessen the value of your claim.
What a Texas Motorcycle Attorney Will Do for You
When you hire a skilled personal injury attorney at Samples Ames PLLC to represent you, he will investigate the accident, often with the assistance of various experts, such as traffic safety engineers and crash reconstruction specialists to collect the evidence to demonstrate the other driver’s liability.
He will also gather evidence to prove your damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages or earnings
- Long-term disability or hardship
- Damage to your quality of life as compared to how it was before the accident
- Mental trauma and anguish
Call for a Complimentary Consultation
Call Samples Ames PLLC today for expert representation by a skilled personal injury lawyer. Regain your peace of mind by letting him help you win the recovery that will help you get your life back on track after a serious motorcycle injury.
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