At the Francis Firm, we can help you navigate any sort of personal injury claim you have. Injuries caused by motorcycle accidents are no exception. If you need help with a Grapevine motorcycle accident claim, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a Grapevine motorcycle accident lawyer from The Francis Firm.
There are no two ways about it: riding a motorcycle is just plain fun. You can maneuver in a much more agile way than in other motor vehicles, feel at one with your motorcycle, and access all that the great state of Texas has to offer.
Still, like other motor vehicles, motorcycles are dangerous. Even if you ride as carefully as possible, you are at the mercy of both the elements and the other drivers on the road—neither of which you can control.
Luckily, the law offers motorcycle riders the same protections as drivers of other vehicles. Thus, if you’re not at fault for an accident, you can recover your damages.
The most surefire way to do so is filing a legal claim with the help of a skilled Grapevine motorcycle accident attorney.
Motorcycle Accidents Pose Significant Risks
As noted, motorcycle accidents are dangerous. But so are all car accidents. Even low-speed accidents can cause significant injuries and other complications.
Despite this fact, motorcycle accidents are even more dangerous than car accidents.
To illustrate, consider the following statistics on motorcycle accident fatality rates from 2017.
The 2017 fatality rate for passenger car accidents was 10.05 per 100,000 registered vehicles. The motorcyclist fatality rate for 2017 was 59.34 fatalities per 100,000 registered vehicles, making a fatality almost six (6x) times more likely in a motorcycle crash!
There are a few things working against you when you get into a motorcycle accident with a car. First, the car weighs a lot more than your motorcycle.
Thus, the amount of force your motorcycle is hit with is exceptionally high. Second, unlike a typical car, you don’t have the extra layers of protection that the body or shell of a car typically offers.
As a result, your body absorbs more energy. Generally, more energy absorption means more significant injuries. Also as a result of the lack of a protective shell, you can fly off your motorcycle when you are hit, which can cause further injury.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries That Occur In Fort Worth
Our team of Grapevine personal injury attorneys can help you recover from any and all of your motorcycle accident injuries. Over the years, we have seen just about any sort of motorcycle accident injury you can imagine.
Still, there are some motorcycle accident injuries that are much more common than others. Here are some of the injuries we help our motorcyclist clients recover from most frequently:
- Head and brain injuries including traumatic brain injuries (TBI);
- Spinal and neck injuries;
- Skin abrasions (road rash);
- Foot, leg, and shin injuries; and
- Broken bones.
While these are the most common injuries we see, just about any injury is possible to sustain in a motorcycle accident. We can help with all of them. Not only can we help you recover the damages you need, but we can connect you with the right medical specialists for your specific injuries.
We know that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t always work when it comes to healing.
Liability for Grapevine Motorcycle Accidents
One of the most important things to know in your motorcycle accident claim is the answer to the question, Who is liable for what percentage of damages?
A Grapevine motorcycle accident lawyer from Francis Firm can help you figure out who is liable for what in your claim, but here we will explain the gist of it.
Different states use different rules to make this determination. Texas uses a system known as “modified comparative fault.” Under this system, a party can claim compensation from another only if they bear 50% or less fault for the accident.
Furthermore, their compensation is reduced in accordance with their share of the blame.
The following example illustrates Texas modified comparative fault rule in practice: Person A and Person B are in a motorcycle accident.
Person A, driving a car, is 70% to blame for the accident. Person B, on a motorcycle, is 30% to blame for the accident. Because Person A is responsible for more than 50% of the accident, they cannot claim any compensation from Person B. Conversely, Person B can recover damages from Person A. However, Person B, with 30% of the blame, can recover only 70% of the total damages they suffered in the claim.
Keep the Statute of Limitations In Mind
One thing you should always keep in mind when you are filing any sort of legal claim is the relevant statute of limitations. Statutes of limitations limit the amount of time that a party has to act on a given legal dispute.
In criminal law, once the statute of limitations elapses, the state can no longer prosecute the alleged perpetrator for that crime.
The same applies to civil claims.
After the statute of limitations elapses, the courts will not accept your claim.
The statute of limitations for a motorcycle accident in Texas is from the date the injury occurred. If you are seeking compensation in a wrongful death claim following the death of a loved one in a motorcycle accident, you have two years from the date of their death.
When these time limits expire, the courts will not accept your claim. That’s why it’s important to act as soon as possible.
Let the Francis Firm Help You File Your Claim Today
A Grapevine motorcycle accident lawyer from the Francis Firm is standing by to help you get the most out of your claim. Every day we help clients throughout the State of Texas get the compensation that they deserve. Why? Because that’s what justice is. We serve clients in Fort Worth, Dallas, and surrounding areas.
No one should bear responsibility for an accident they didn’t cause, and neither should you. We will work hand in hand with you from the outset of the legal claims process to ensure that all your case’s individual needs are met.
Consultations are always free at the Francis Firm, so don’t wait to give us a call. We’ll let you know how we can help and what your options are.
Let us fight for you. Call us today to book your motorcycle accident consultation: (817) 409-7982