Motorcycle crashes can be severe and result in serious injuries. For example, injured riders can suffer from broken bones, head trauma, lacerations, internal bleeding, and other wounds resulting in costly medical bills.
Our law firm is dedicated to helping you hold negligent parties accountable and win financial compensation for your losses. Our Corpus Christi personal injury attorneys have over 50 years of combined experience obtaining the best possible recovery for injured motorcyclists throughout Texas. Call us today.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Corpus Christi Motorcycle Accidents?
Motorcycles provide riders with a sense of freedom and excitement, unlike any other vehicle on the road. However, this thrill comes with risks, as motorcyclists are more vulnerable to accidents than drivers of enclosed motor vehicles.
Many avoidable deaths occur yearly due to distracted drivers and their failure to check for motorcycles properly.
The following are the most common causes of motorcycle accidents are:
- Lack of visibility: Car design blind spots can contribute to motorcycle accidents, as they often restrict the driver’s visibility and ability to see motorcycles in the surrounding area. This can result in the driver making a sudden and unexpected maneuver, which can cause a motorcycle crash.
- Distracted driving: This is a leading cause of motorcycle accidents, as drivers who are texting, eating, or engaging in other activities while driving are more likely to fail to notice a motorcyclist on the road. This lack of attention can lead to collisions, resulting in minor injuries, serious injuries, or even fatalities for motorcyclists.
- Speeding: According to 2020 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly 34% of fatal motorcycle accidents resulted from speeding, making it one of the leading causes of motorcycle accidents.
- Failure to check for approaching traffic: Drivers making left turns in front of oncoming motorcycles is a major cause of motorcycle accidents, as it often results from failing to check for approaching traffic. Drivers can avoid this by taking the time to properly check the intersection for oncoming traffic before turning.
- Lane positioning: The lane positioning of a motorcycle can have a significant impact on its safety. If the motorcycle is positioned too close to the edge of the lane, it can reduce the sight distance for the rider and potentially cause a crash. This is especially true for motorcyclists on highways, where the speed and size of other vehicles can make it difficult for them to react quickly and safely to any changes in the road.
- Poor weather conditions: Rain and darkness can reduce visibility and make it difficult for drivers to see motorcycles. Additionally, insufficient road lighting can make it difficult for drivers to see motorcycles and make them more susceptible to crashes.
- Road Rage: Aggressive driving behavior and breaking traffic laws, such as tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic, and speeding, are among the primary causes of road rage crashes. These wrecks are particularly dangerous for motorcycle riders because they are unprotected and can be thrown from the motorcycle, leading to severe injuries or death.
Determining the Cause of Your Accident
Our motorcycle accident attorneys in Corpus Christi, TX, can help you determine the cause of your crash based on evidence such as medical records, police reports, photos and videos of the crash, traffic cam footage, and witness testimonies.
We also rely on possible surveillance camera footage that might have captured the crash on video and on witnesses who may have snapped a picture of the license plate or vehicle.
After determining the cause, we can help you identify the appropriate liable parties.
We have offices in Houston, Corpus Christi, and Victoria; and will travel to any corner of Texas if we are capable of preventing an injustice.
Texas Motorcycle Statistics
Every day in Texas, at least one person dies in a motorcycle accident. Altogether, there were 519 fatalities and 2,318 serious injuries among cyclists in crashes in 2021, according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
TxDOT also reports that most motorcycle fatalities occur in accidents involving other vehicles. This is because motorists either fail to notice the motorcycle operator or incorrectly estimate the rider’s speed and distance.
In addition, the report states motorcyclists may appear further away than they are due to their vehicle’s small size.
Corpus Christi Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Near Me 361-884-4437
What Parties Could Be Liable in a Motorcycle Accident?
When you get into a bike crash in Corpus Christi, our team of personal injury attorneys will next determine the responsible parties liable for your pain. We can hold the following parties accountable:
A Negligent Driver
Every driver on the road has a duty of care to avoid causing harm to other drivers. Unfortunately, many drivers don’t give motorcycle riders the space they need. If another motorist on the road is inattentive, drunk driving, or a careless driver, this could result in a severe motorcycle accident.
For example, if a motorcycle stops at a red light and the person driving behind the rider is texting while driving, or under the influence of alcohol, both parties could suffer life-threatening injuries. Still, the other driver would be at fault for the accident.
Motorcycle Manufacturer
A Corpus Christi, TX, motorcycle injury lawyer can also help you hold the company that made your bike accountable if you’ve suffered crash injuries. Sometimes accidents involving motorcycles aren’t the fault of another driver but a defective motorcycle.
Many things could go wrong during a motorcycle’s production, such as engine problems, a faulty bike frame, brake errors, or even the bike’s overall design, which could be what led to your crash.
If our motorcycle accident lawyers in Corpus Christi discover your accident resulted from a defective bike, we can help you pursue fair compensation from the manufacturer.
Government Agencies
The government agency responsible for maintaining the road is the final party on which we could place liability after your crash. Whether it be a highway road surface responsible for your injuries or a main road lacking a guard rail, you could file a claim against the agency responsible for road maintenance.
Government agencies must keep up with road maintenance regardless of the type of road and its location. They must do so to keep the public safe; when they don’t, it’s time for our team to step in.
If one or more parties above contributed to your motorcycle accident, our motorcycle accident attorney in Corpus Christi, TX, can help you hold every party accountable. Holding multiple parties accountable increases your chance of being awarded a larger settlement to cover your financial burdens.
Representing the injured in all areas of Texas that extends back over 40 years
What Are the Most Common Injuries in a Corpus Christi Motorcycle Accident?
Unlike people who drive passenger vehicles, motorcyclists do not have barriers between them and the road. Due to the lack of protection, you could suffer much more severe injuries, some even life-threatening. Common injuries you could suffer in a Corpus Christi motorcycle accident are:
- Facial injuries
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Accidental amputation
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck injuries
- Paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Internal injuries
- Road Rash
It is critical to seek medical attention immediately following a motorcycle accident. Even if there are no signs of injury, you should see a doctor to ensure you don’t have invisible injuries like internal bleeding.
Delays in medical attention can result in serious complications or even death. Therefore, after you receive medical care, you should contact a personal injury lawyer in Corpus Christi to help you determine if you are eligible for compensation.
You need a skilled advocate to protect your legal rights and present your claim in such a way as to maximize your recovery.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Motorcycle Crash in Texas?
As a motorcycle rider in Corpus Christi, you have two years to take legal action against the responsible parties. After that, our legal team can walk you through the filing process and answer any questions you have about the process.
Filing your personal injury claim is one of the most important steps of the legal process, so you should do it as soon as possible after receiving medical treatment. If you wait too long and let two years pass, you cannot recover rightful compensation for your injuries and losses.
A Corpus Christi motorcycle crash attorney can help determine how long you have to submit a claim. Depending on the details of your accident, you could have a longer time to file or much less time. Whatever your situation is, we can help ensure you file your personal injury lawsuit on time.
What Damages Can You Recover After You Suffer Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
The aftermath of a motorcycle accident can be overwhelming. But our attorneys in Corpus Christi, TX, can help you identify every loss you’ve suffered due to the accident and help you recover them. We can help you recover damages such as:
- Property damage
- Loss of earning capacity
- Medical expenses
- Loss of quality of life
- Punitive damages, if the other party intentionally caused you harm
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of income
An experienced attorney in Corpus Christi can review your situation and tell you what damages your injuries qualify you for. Then, we are ready to help you recover from your accident with sufficient funds to return to your everyday life.
How Should You Negotiate With the Insurance Company After the Accident?
After suffering severe or catastrophic injuries in a Corpus Christi motorcycle crash, you must meet with the insurance company. But you should never meet or communicate with the insurance adjuster without a personal injury attorney.
Without one of our Corpus Christi motorcycle accident attorneys, you are vulnerable to accepting a low settlement from the insurance company that won’t even cover your medical expenses. Insurance providers know this and will try to persuade you to think your injuries aren’t severe or even get you to admit fault.
We can help you dodge their tactics and fight for every dollar you qualify for. We know how Corpus Christi insurance negotiations work, and we can help you get the maximum compensation so you can afford medical treatment and your everyday costs after you’re injured.
Contact Us to Talk to Our Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Today
If you were in a motorcycle accident and suffered serious injuries, contact us or fill out our form for a free case review. We can advise you on your case, including who is responsible for the accident and how much compensation you may be entitled to.
Our Corpus Christi motorcycle accident lawyers will handle the process and paperwork and deal with insurance companies while you focus entirely on recovering from your motorcycle injuries.
Our knowledgeable Corpus Christi motorcycle accident attorneys at Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC are ready to answer all of your questions. Call today for a free initial consultation.
At Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC we can talk to you about your options and rights.
