Motorcycles are inherently dangerous. Of course, riders can take every possible precaution to keep them safe while riding, but there’s only so much they can do when other drivers on the road aren’t as attentive. This could result in collisions that cause motorcyclists more injuries than their counterparts inside a vehicle. When you’ve been hurt on your motorcycle from someone else’s negligence, you could use the help of our Plano, TX motorcycle accident lawyer.
An attorney from Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm will help you prove the other party was negligent and that they caused your injuries and other damages. Just because you’re choosing to ride your motorcycle doesn’t mean you’re responsible for the damages caused by someone else crashing into you when you didn’t do anything wrong. We’ll get you justice for what you’ve suffered.
Texas Motorcycle Wreck Statistics
Statewide, motorcyclists are in danger any time they get on their bikes and share the road with other drivers. Unfortunately, many drivers aren’t looking out for smaller vehicles, like motorcycles, when they’re on the road. Typically, they’re scanning the area for vehicles of the same size or larger, and not paying attention to the smaller motorists who also share the roads.
In total, there were 8,173 motorcyclists and passengers killed, injured, or involved in a motorcycle wreck in Texas in 2020, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Here are the other statistics of injured motorcyclists and their passengers, and the levels of injuries they sustained within that same year:
- 1,222 non-injuries
- 1,704 possible injuries
- 2,687 non-incapacitating injuries
- 1,856 suspected serious injuries
- 482 fatalities
When looking at these numbers of people who are injured in collisions while riding motorcycles, you can see why accidents are so much more dangerous for people on motorbikes. The number of people who were injured in any way, including fatalities, is over 5 times larger than the number of people who weren’t injured at all in the crash.
This shows that you are far more likely to be injured when you’re in a crash on a motorcycle than you are to not be injured at all. When the wreck wasn’t your fault, you shouldn’t be responsible for the costs associated with your injuries and property damage. Our Plano, TX motorcycle accident attorney is prepared to fight for you to get justice for your damages.
Helmet Laws for Motorcyclists in Plano, TX
Knowing the helmet laws in Plano is essential for anyone who plans on mounting a motorcycle, whether driving or riding as a passenger. Not only should you follow helmet laws so that you’re riding legally on your motorbike, but you should also wear one for safety, regardless of if you’re legally required to. In many cases, wearing a helmet can be the difference between life or death in a motorcycle accident.
While helmets can’t always prevent a serious injury or death, most of the time, they can at least lessen the blow when the head strikes the ground or an object. If a sharp object is involved, it could also stop it from piercing your head and deflect it off the helmet.
In Texas, it is legally required for all riders, motorcyclists and their passengers, to wear a helmet if they are under the age of 21. However, age isn’t the only stipulation. In order to legally ride a motorcycle without a protective helmet, you also need to complete a motorcycle safety course that makes you eligible to be exempt. As mentioned above, though, it’s in your best interests to keep wearing a helmet whether you’re legally exempt or not.
Following our state’s helmet laws also ensures that you cannot be held liable for the injuries that you suffer when you’re in an accident. If you break the law by not wearing a helmet, then you could be seen as partially liable because you were negligent in that way. When you were following all the rules, though, then you could use the help of a Plano, TX motorcycle accident lawyer to represent you through your claim.
What’s Included in Damages You Could Recover
Other than getting justice, you might be interested in filing a motorcycle accident claim so that you can recover financially from your damages. Physical and emotional recovery can be incredibly difficult, but that gets even harder when you’re struggling financially because of those injuries and damages that you’re trying to heal from. That’s where a legal claim can help.
Your lawyer will have to look at many different facets of your damages in order to determine how much you should recover in compensation. Here are some of the costs that will be factored into your claim to figure out how much you’re owed:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Any other medical treatments or equipment you’ll need for the rest of your life
- Out-of-pocket costs, like gas money to get to and from medical appointments
- Repair costs
- Current and future lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Other costs you incurred because of your damages, like childcare during your appointments
- Regular bills that you’re unable to pay because of the cost of your injuries
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional turmoil
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
The costs listed above fall into the economic and noneconomic damages categories. These are the physical and abstract costs that you incur, respectively. Additionally, you could recover punitive damages to punish the negligent party if gross negligence was involved. Those are rarer and less likely, though.
All of this might seem confusing, and you might not know what all will apply to your case and what you’re owed in damages for all that you’ve suffered. That’s why it’s important to have a lawyer on your side. Our Plano, TX motorcycle accident attorney is here to guide you through the process and calculate exactly what you deserve so that you don’t settle for less.
You Deserve to Have an Experienced Lawyer on Your Side
Motorcycle crashes can be devastating, which makes the legal claim following the crash a complicated matter. You don’t have to navigate that process on your own. Having an experienced Plano, TX motorcycle accident attorney on your side can give you the peace of mind you need to get through your claim.
At Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm, we’re prepared to fight for your rights so that you can feel fully supported, both legally and emotionally. We understand that this is a vulnerable time for you and your family, which is why we want to help you. Reach out to us today so we can get started on your claim right away.
