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Texas Motorcycle Accident Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do immediately
after I’ve been in a motorcycle crash?
Do I need to hire attorney if I have been
injured in a motorcycle wreck?
If I wasn’t wearing a motorcycle helmet,
will that keep me from recovering damages?
Can I recover anything if I was partially
to blame for causing a motorcycle accident?
Do I have a claim if I was injured while
riding on the back of a motorcycle?
Will I recover nothing if the driver who
hit my motorcycle doesn’t have insurance?
What will my motorcycle accident claim be
worth?
What should I do if I can’t afford to hire
a motorcycle accident attorney?
What should I do immediately after I’ve been in a motorcycle crash?
Motorcycle accidents can be extremely dangerous, especially when another vehicle is involved. Because motorcycles weigh significantly less than cars or trucks and lack the protection of a roof or sides, a motorcyclist is often severely injured in a crash. If you are not immediately transported away from the accident scene, however, there are important steps you can take that will help to protect your rights and interests:
- Get the other driver’s information: This includes the driver’s name, address, phone number, license number and any insurance information. Don’t give any statements to the driver, such as accepting fault for the accident. That determination can’t be made until there has been a thorough investigation of the wreck.
- Get the names and contact information of eyewitnesses: Often, other motorists or pedestrians will stay at the motorcycle accident scene and leave once police or emergency responders arrive. Get their information quickly, if possible. It’s helpful to know not only what they saw but what they heard, such as screeching brakes.
- Take photos: If you have a cell phone camera, take photographs of the damage to your motorcycle and the other vehicle involved in the crash. You should also collect shots of skid marks, stoplights, signs and other evidence at the scene, including shrubbery at an intersection that may have blocked a view of approaching traffic.
- Get the police report number: A police officer will be on the scene, asking questions, taking statements and collecting other information. Get the police report number and the name of the officer filling out the report. You should be able to get a copy of this report within 1-2 days after the accident, and it may be a crucial piece of evidence.
An insurance company adjustor may contact you shortly after your accident – possibly within hours after it occurs. You should avoid speaking to any insurance company representative until after you have consulted with an experienced Texas motorcycle accident attorney.
For more than 30 years, the attorneys of The Bob Richardson Law Firm have assisted Texas motorcycle accident victims and their families in personal injury and wrongful death cases. Drawing on our skill, experience and resources, we have secured favorable verdicts and settlements for our clients throughout Austin, Waco and the surrounding communities of Round Rock, Georgetown, Killeen, Temple, Cedar Park, Lakeway, Taylor and Belton.
To learn how we can help you with your motorcycle accident case, call us today toll-free at (800) 880-5100 or use our online form. We can provide you with a free case evaluation, and we won’t charge you for our services unless we recover for you.
Do I need to hire attorney if I have been injured in a motorcycle wreck?
In any Texas motorcycle accident – even one that involves relatively minor injuries – legal issues will arise. In order to make sure your rights and interests are protected, it’s important to contact a skilled, experienced and dedicated Texas motorcycle accident attorney right away.
The lawyers of The Bob Richardson Law Firm, for instance, will make sure that your accident is thoroughly investigated, and we will consult with highly qualified medical, engineering and accident reconstruction experts to determine what caused your accident and the full extent of your physical, emotional and financial injuries and losses.
Although insurance companies will have a team of attorneys at their disposal, they may contact you soon after an accident and tell you that legal representation isn’t needed. They may try to get you to make a statement or agree to a quick, low-value settlement of your claim. Remember: Insurance companies are out to protect their revenue. A Texas motorcycle accident lawyer, on the other hand, will be out to protect you.
For more than 30 years, the attorneys of The Bob Richardson Law Firm have assisted Texas motorcycle accident victims and their families in personal injury and wrongful death cases. Drawing on our skill, experience and resources, we have secured favorable verdicts and settlements for our clients throughout Austin, Waco and the surrounding communities of Round Rock, Georgetown, Killeen, Temple, Cedar Park, Lakeway, Taylor and Belton.
To learn how we can help you with your motorcycle accident case, call us today toll-free at (800) 880-5100 or use our online form. We can provide you with a free case evaluation, and we won’t charge you for our services unless we recover for you.
If I wasn’t wearing a motorcycle helmet, will that keep me from recovering damages?
The Bob Richardson Law Firm strongly recommends that you wear a helmet if you are riding a motorcycle. Since 1997, only motorcyclists over the age of 21 have been required to wear a helmet, and a recent Southern Medical Journal study found that motorcycle accident fatalities have increased by 30 percent since that time. However, if you were not wearing a helmet at the time of a motorcycle wreck, it will not prevent you from recovering compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.
For more than 30 years, the attorneys of The Bob Richardson Law Firm have assisted Texas motorcycle accident victims and their families in personal injury and wrongful death cases. Drawing on our skill, experience and resources, we have secured favorable verdicts and settlements for our clients throughout Austin, Waco and the surrounding communities of Round Rock, Georgetown, Killeen, Temple, Cedar Park, Lakeway, Taylor and Belton.
To learn how we can help you with your motorcycle accident case, call us today toll-free at (800) 880-5100 or use our online form. We can provide you with a free case evaluation, and we won’t charge you for our services unless we recover for you.
Can I recover anything if I was partially to blame for causing a motorcycle accident?
Texas follows a comparative responsibility rule. This is also commonly called comparative responsibility. Under this rule, the only way you could be barred from recovering anything in your motorcycle crash would be if you were determined to be 51 percent or more at fault. Otherwise, the amount of damages you recover would be reduced in proportion to your degree of fault. For example: If your motorcycle accident results in $100,000 in damages, and you were found to be 25 percent at fault, then your recovery would be limited to $75,000.
comparative responsibility is an issue that arises frequently in Texas motorcycle accident cases. The driver of the other vehicle involved in your wreck may claim that you were driving carelessly. At The Bob Richardson Law Firm, we believe that blame can only be assigned after there has been an exhaustive investigation of an accident. We will work tirelessly to determine fault in your case and make sure that any at-fault parties – and their insurance companies – take responsibility for the harm they’ve caused you.
For more than 30 years, the attorneys of The Bob Richardson Law Firm have assisted Texas motorcycle accident victims and their families in personal injury and wrongful death cases. Drawing on our skill, experience and resources, we have secured favorable verdicts and settlements for our clients throughout Austin, Waco and the surrounding communities of Round Rock, Georgetown, Killeen, Temple, Cedar Park, Lakeway, Taylor and Belton.
To learn how we can help you with your motorcycle accident case, call us today toll-free at (800) 880-5100 or use our online form. We can provide you with a free case evaluation, and we won’t charge you for our services unless we recover for you.
Do I have a claim if I was injured while riding on the back of a motorcycle?
If you were riding on the back of a motorcycle that was involved in a wreck, you have the right to recover for your damages, including medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. Because a passenger rights case can involve complex issues, it is important to contact an experienced Texas motorcycle accident lawyer right away to learn about your legal options.
For instance, if the driver of another vehicle caused the motorcycle crash, you may be able to collect damages from that driver’s liability insurance coverage. If the motorcyclist was at fault for the accident, then you may bring a claim against him or her.
In our experience, we have found that motorcycle passengers are hesitant to file a claim against the person who was at the handlebars of the bike. This is usually because the motorcyclist was a friend. However, keep in mind that you’re seeking compensation from the motorcyclist’s insurance policy, not from your friend. Your friend may have been paying insurance premiums for several years in order to be protected when an accident like this one occurred.
For more than 30 years, the attorneys of The Bob Richardson Law Firm have assisted Texas motorcycle accident victims and their families in personal injury and wrongful death cases. Drawing on our skill, experience and resources, we have secured favorable verdicts and settlements for our clients throughout Austin, Waco and the surrounding communities of Round Rock, Georgetown, Killeen, Temple, Cedar Park, Lakeway, Taylor and Belton.
If you were the passenger in a motorcycle accident, call us today toll-free at (800) 880-5100 or use our online form. We can provide you with a free case evaluation, and we won’t charge you for our services unless we recover for you.
Will I recover nothing if the driver who hit my motorcycle doesn’t have insurance?
Although Texas law requires drivers to obtain liability insurance coverage before they put their car on the road, the truth is that there are thousands of uninsured drivers out there. Even those drivers who have liability insurance may carry only the minimum required to register their car, which rarely is enough to cover the full extent of damages in a motorcycle accident case.
That’s why it’s important to purchase Uninsured Motorist / Underinsured Motorist (UM / UIM) coverage. This policy will cover your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering and repair/replacement loss of your motorcycle when you are involved in a crash with a hit-and-run driver, a driver who has no insurance or a driver who has insurance that won’t adequately cover your damages.
Although you may have been paying premiums for this coverage from your own insurance company, they may try to deny your claim or pay less than what you are entitled to receive. The Texas motorcycle accident lawyers of The Bob Richardson Law Firm, however, will work hard to make sure you receive full and fair compensation for your UM / UIM claim.
For more than 30 years, the attorneys of The Bob Richardson Law Firm have assisted Texas motorcycle accident victims and their families in personal injury and wrongful death cases. Drawing on our skill, experience and resources, we have secured favorable verdicts and settlements for our clients throughout Austin, Waco and the surrounding communities of Round Rock, Georgetown, Killeen, Temple, Cedar Park, Lakeway, Taylor and Belton.
If you have a UM / UIM claim stemming from your motorcycle accident, call us today toll-free at (800) 880-5100 or use our online form. We can provide you with a free case evaluation, and we won’t charge you for our services unless we recover for you.
What will my motorcycle accident claim be worth?
The facts and circumstances surrounding a motorcycle accident differ from case-to-case, which makes it impossible to provide an answer to the question of how much a claim is worth. Only after a thorough investigation, consultation with experts, negotiation and litigation will a Texas motorcycle accident attorney be able to arrive at the final amount of any personal injury or wrongful death claim arising from a motorcycle crash.
In most motorcycle accident personal injury cases, the victim will be entitled to receive compensation for medical expenses, impairment, disfigurement, lost past and future income and pain and suffering. To recover, you must have suffered these damages and be able to prove them.
In some cases, punitive damages may be available. These damages are aimed at punishing wrongdoers and deterring future similar misconduct by that party and others.
In a wrongful death claim, a motorcycle accident victim’s family will be entitled to funeral expenses, loss of the care and companionship of a loved one and compensation for their own unique pain and suffering.
To learn more about the potential damages available in your motorcycle accident case, contact The Bob Richardson Law Firm today. Drawing on our skill, experience and resources, we have secured favorable verdicts and settlements for motorcycle wreck victims and their families throughout Austin, Waco and the surrounding Texas communities of Round Rock, Georgetown, Killeen, Temple, Cedar Park, Lakeway, Taylor and Belton.
Call us toll-free at (800) 880-5100 or use our online form. We can provide you with a free case evaluation, and we won’t charge you for our services unless we recover for you.
What should I do if I can’t afford to hire a motorcycle accident attorney?
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, you will have many questions about what to do next. We don’t believe one of those questions should be whether you can afford legal help.
At The Bob Richardson Law Firm, our primary goal is to make sure that injured and disabled Texans receive the benefits and other compensation they rightfully deserve if they have been in a motorcycle crash. Just because you lack available funds, it shouldn’t keep you from seeking justice. That’s why we handle most of our cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that you won’t have to pay for our legal services unless we recover for you.
For more than 30 years, we have secured favorable verdicts and settlements for motorcycle accident victims and their families throughout Austin, Waco and the surrounding Texas communities of Round Rock, Georgetown, Killeen, Temple, Cedar Park, Lakeway, Taylor and Belton.
To learn how our personal injury and wrongful death attorneys can help you with your Texas motorcycle accident case, call us today toll-free at (800) 880-5100 or use our online form. We can provide you with a free case evaluation.
