Questions About Motorcycle Accidents

Call 911, check for injuries, and get medical care right away. If you can do so safely, take photos of the crash scene, motorcycle, other vehicles, road conditions, skid marks, traffic signs, visible injuries, and insurance information. You should also get witness names and avoid admitting fault.

Yes. A police report can help document the crash, identify the drivers involved, list insurance information, and preserve important facts. This is especially important if you were injured or the other driver is blaming you.

Yes. Motorcycle crashes often cause serious injuries, and symptoms may not appear right away. A medical evaluation helps protect your health and creates a record connecting your injuries to the accident.

Try to collect the other driver’s name, phone number, insurance information, license plate number, driver’s license information, witness names, police report number, photos, videos, and medical records.

Take photos of your motorcycle, other vehicles, license plates, vehicle damage, road debris, skid marks, lane markings, traffic lights, stop signs, weather conditions, your helmet, riding gear, and visible injuries.

Motorcycle accident cases are different because riders have less protection, injuries are often more serious, and insurance companies may unfairly blame the motorcyclist. These cases often require strong evidence to show what really happened.

Possibly. If another driver, company, property owner, government entity, or defective product caused or contributed to the crash, you may have a personal injury claim.

Possible responsible parties may include another driver, commercial vehicle company, trucking company, delivery company, motorcycle manufacturer, parts manufacturer, road contractor, property owner, or government entity.

Common causes include distracted driving, speeding, failure to yield, unsafe lane changes, drunk driving, following too closely, left-turn crashes, poor road conditions, defective parts, and drivers failing to see motorcycles.

Drivers still have a duty to watch for motorcycles. “I did not see them” does not automatically excuse careless driving. A full investigation can look at visibility, traffic signals, witness statements, vehicle position, and driver behavior.

Left-turn crashes are common and often serious. A driver may be responsible if they failed to yield, misjudged your speed, turned without looking, or violated traffic laws.

A driver may be responsible for failing to check blind spots, signal properly, maintain a safe lookout, or yield before changing lanes. Photos, witness statements, dash camera footage, and vehicle damage can help prove what happened.

Distracted driving may involve texting, phone use, GPS, eating, grooming, or other distractions. Cell phone records, witness statements, dash camera footage, and vehicle data may help prove distraction.

A drunk driving motorcycle crash may support a personal injury claim. Evidence may include the police report, arrest records, blood alcohol testing, witness statements, and crash evidence.

Speeding can increase the severity of a motorcycle crash. Speed may be proven through witness statements, police reports, dash camera footage, traffic cameras, skid marks, and crash reconstruction.

Commercial vehicle crashes may involve both the driver and the company. The company may be responsible for unsafe hiring, poor training, bad maintenance, distracted driving, unsafe scheduling, or allowing unsafe driving.

Possibly. Motorcycle crashes involving 18-wheelers can be catastrophic and may involve the truck driver, trucking company, trailer owner, cargo company, maintenance provider, or another responsible party.

Yes, depending on the facts. Delivery truck cases may involve a driver, delivery company, contractor, vehicle owner, insurance carrier, or app-based delivery company.

Poor road conditions can be especially dangerous for motorcyclists. Potholes, loose gravel, uneven pavement, missing signs, construction debris, slick surfaces, and unsafe traffic control may support a claim, depending on who was responsible.

Possibly, but these cases can involve special notice rules and shorter deadlines. If a dangerous road condition contributed to your motorcycle crash, you should speak with an attorney quickly.

If a defective tire, brake system, throttle, steering component, helmet, or other part caused or worsened the crash, a product liability claim may be possible.

A tire failure may involve a defective tire, poor maintenance, improper installation, road debris, or another cause. The motorcycle and tire should be preserved if possible.

Brake failure may point to defective parts, negligent repair, poor maintenance, or improper installation. Repair records, inspection records, and the motorcycle itself may be important evidence.

Texas does not clearly authorize lane splitting the way some riders may understand it. Fault will depend on the facts, including traffic conditions, driver behavior, speed, visibility, and whether others also acted negligently.

You may still have a claim. Not wearing a helmet does not automatically mean you caused the crash. However, the insurance company may try to argue that helmet use affected the severity of certain injuries.

Texas law generally requires motorcycle helmets, but there are exceptions for certain riders who are 21 or older and meet legal requirements. Even when a rider was not required to wear a helmet, insurance companies may still try to use helmet issues against them.

Possibly. Lack of protective gear does not automatically prevent recovery. The key questions include who caused the crash, what injuries were caused by the collision, and whether any gear issue actually affected the injuries claimed.

Common injuries include road rash, broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, neck injuries, back injuries, internal injuries, burns, amputations, facial injuries, nerve damage, scarring, and emotional trauma.

Yes, depending on the facts. Road rash can be serious and may involve infection, nerve damage, scarring, skin grafts, and long-term pain.

Possibly. A traumatic brain injury can happen even if you were wearing a helmet and even if you did not lose consciousness. Symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, confusion, memory problems, mood changes, nausea, and trouble concentrating.

Yes, if another person or company caused the crash. Broken bones may require surgery, hardware, therapy, time away from work, and long-term medical care.

Possibly. Spinal cord injuries can cause paralysis, weakness, numbness, chronic pain, mobility problems, and permanent disability. These cases require careful medical and financial evaluation.

Possibly. Motorcycle crashes can cause scars from road rash, burns, surgery, glass, metal, or impact injuries. Scarring and disfigurement may be part of the damages in a personal injury claim.

Possibly. Serious motorcycle crashes can cause anxiety, nightmares, fear of riding, depression, sleep problems, and post-traumatic stress. These damages should be documented with medical or mental health evidence when possible.

Delayed symptoms are common. Get medical care as soon as symptoms appear and tell your doctor you were involved in a motorcycle accident. Waiting too long may give the insurance company an excuse to question your claim.

A pre-existing condition does not automatically prevent a claim. If the crash made an old injury worse or caused new symptoms, you may still have legal rights.

Depending on the case, damages may include medical bills, future medical care, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain, mental anguish, physical impairment, disfigurement, motorcycle damage, and other legally recoverable losses.

Possibly. If your injuries caused you to miss work, lose overtime, reduce your hours, or lose income, those losses may be part of your claim. Pay stubs, tax records, employer letters, and medical restrictions can help prove lost wages.

Possibly. Serious injuries may require surgery, therapy, medication, injections, rehabilitation, prosthetics, counseling, or long-term care. Future medical expenses usually require medical support and documentation.

Yes, if another person or company caused the crash. Property damage may include repairs, replacement value, towing, storage, custom parts, riding gear, helmet damage, and related losses.

You may have options through your own uninsured motorist coverage if you purchased it. A lawyer can review your policy and explain whether coverage may apply.

You may have an underinsured motorist claim through your own policy if your damages exceed the at-fault driver’s insurance limits and you purchased that coverage.

Texas motorcycle insurance requirements are generally treated like car insurance requirements. Minimum liability coverage is commonly described as 30/60/25, meaning $30,000 for bodily injury per person, $60,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.

You may still have a claim depending on your percentage of fault. Texas proportionate responsibility rules may reduce or prevent recovery depending on how fault is assigned.

Be careful. Early settlement offers may not include future medical care, lost income, permanent pain, disability, scarring, or long-term complications. Once you sign a release, you may not be able to ask for more later.

The value depends on the severity of your injuries, medical bills, future care, lost income, pain, impairment, fault, available insurance, motorcycle damage, and evidence. No attorney should promise a specific result without reviewing the facts.

The Law Office of Don McClure offers a free consultation. In many injury cases, there are no upfront attorney’s fees, and no attorney’s fees unless money is recovered for you. The exact fee terms are explained in the written agreement.

A contingency fee means the attorney’s fee is based on the recovery in your case. Instead of paying attorney’s fees upfront, the fee is paid from the settlement or verdict if money is recovered.

The Law Office of Don McClure serves motorcycle accident victims in Houston, Harris County, Greater Houston, and Southeast Texas, including Pasadena, Baytown, Deer Park, La Porte, Pearland, Friendswood, League City, Missouri City, Stafford, Katy, Tomball, Webster, and surrounding communities.

The Law Office of Don McClure helps injured riders and families understand their rights after serious motorcycle crashes involving negligent drivers, commercial vehicles, delivery trucks, 18-wheelers, dangerous roads, defective parts, and insurance disputes. The firm offers free consultations and handles many injury cases with no attorney’s fees unless money is recovered.