Breaking Down a Motorcycle Crash Claim in Texas
Automotive design and safety has advanced by leaps and bounds since the 1930s. But today’s motorcycles haven’t changed much since Lawrence of Arabia was killed in a motorcycle crash in 1935. Today’s four-wheel vehicles have seat belts, airbags, and other advanced safety features. Today’s motorcycle is still a frame, handlebars, a seat, and a motor. Since today’s cars and trucks are also much bigger and faster, motorcycle riders have little chance of surviving a high-speed collision.
Since motorcycle riders sustain such serious injuries, and also since tortfeasors (negligent drivers) often dismiss these wrecks or blame riders for them, a Sugar Land motorcycle accident lawyer can obtain substantial compensation in these matters. This compensation usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. Additional punitive damages may be available as well, in some extreme cases.
Motorcycle Crash Injuries
Motorcycle safety hasn’t advanced much, but motorcycle engineering has improved significantly. These vehicles are almost as fast as cars and trucks today. If a high-speed collision occurs, riders are almost completely exposed to danger. Some serious injuries in motorcycle crashes include:
- Internal Injuries: The aftermath of a crash, as opposed to the crash itself, usually causes severe internal bleeding. The force of a wreck causes internal organs to grind and bump against each other. This friction causes tiny lacerations that bleed very badly. Internal bleeding is hard to detect and even harder to stop.
- Broken Bones: A broken pelvis could be a life-threatening injury. Bone fragments pierce vital organs, and these organs are unprotected in the latter stages of a crash. Other broken bones, such as broken leg bones, are permanent. Frequently, a cyclist’s unprotected leg is jammed between two vehicles. Surgeons must delicately reconstruct these shattered bones, and even then, some loss of use is almost inevitable.
- Brain Injuries: The aforementioned motion of a crash also causes the brain to slam against the inside of the skull. Motorcycle helmets don’t prevent these kinds of injuries. In fact, if anything, they make them worse, since they increase the skull’s volume and density. Brain injuries, like broken bones, are permanent.
The medical bills in a catastrophic (life-threatening) motorcycle accident usually exceed $100,000. A Missouri City personal injury lawyer can obtain the financial compensation these victims need to pay these bills and move on with their lives.
Liability Issues
Driver error causes about 98 percent of motorcycle crashes in Texas. This driver error is usually negligence, or a lack of care.
Under the duty of reasonable care, which applies to most drivers in most cases, drivers must be at their best, physically, mentally, and otherwise, when they get behind the wheel. People who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs aren’t at their best. Neither are drivers who are dangerously fatigued or struggling with a moderate or serious illness.
This duty also requires drivers to obey the formal and informal rules of the road. Aggressive driving, like turning illegally or speeding, violates this portion of the duty of care.
Frequently, a third party, like a commercial alcohol provider or an employer, is financially responsible for damages. Vicarious liability is very important in motorcycle wreck claims. The aforementioned medical bills are so high that, in many cases, individual tortfeasors don’t have enough insurance to cover these losses. Third-party liability provides these victims with an additional recovery source.
Count on a Dedicated Fort Bend County Attorney
Injury victims are entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Missouri City, contact the Henrietta Ezeoke Law Firm. We routinely handle matters throughout the Lone Star State.
