In 2020 alone, there were almost 2,000 motorcycle accidents in Texas that resulted in serious rider injuries. When you are involved in one, you need a motorcycle accident lawyer to fight for you.
No matter how straightforward a motorcycle accident seems, it gets complicated very quickly. Even motorcycle riders who are not at fault face fights with insurance companies, compensation underpayment and litigation. Here’s how Walker Texas Lawyer, a team of motorcycle accident lawyers in Houston, levels the playing field.
You May Have Life-altering Injuries to Recover From
It’s simple physics — motorcycle riders and passengers are 30 times more likely than their car-driving counterparts to die in a traffic accident. Even with proper safety equipment, they may suffer life-changing injuries such as:
- Paralysis
- Amputation
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Road rash
- Severe burns
The therapy and medical procedures needed to recover from motorcycle accident injuries can be difficult physically and emotionally. A person in that situation doesn’t need the added stress of dealing with insurance companies, police and other drivers. That’s where a motorcycle injury lawyer comes in.
From start to finish, they act on your behalf. While your cooperation and testimony will be required, a lawyer can handle all the confusing paperwork and other difficult circumstances. After all, that’s what they’ve worked their entire lives to do.
Walker’s Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Deal With Insurance Companies
Speaking of insurance companies, as soon as you file a motorcycle collision claim, their people get to work. The insurance adjuster will:
- Investigate and determine who’s at fault
- Determine who gets compensation
- Establish how much compensation parties should be paid
However, you should understand all that will be done favoring the insurance company.
If another driver is at-fault, it should be an open-and-shut case, right? Unfortunately, it’s not that easy.
It’s not a simple case of one person being at fault while the other isn’t. Typically, drivers share a certain percentage of the blame. If you’re deemed to be at fault but not totally at fault, that could still affect your insurance claim and future premiums.
At Walker Texas Lawyer, dealing with insurance companies is one of our specialties. An insurance company may try to pin more blame on you for a motorcycle accident than is appropriate. Our lawyers can help prevent that. We hold insurance companies to task after motorcycle accidents, so all insurance claims are fair and balanced.
Fight for Better Compensation
In an accident situation insurance companies always look for the cheapest way out. That is, insurance may cover some of the costs, but not all of them. An experienced motorcycle lawyer can tip the odds of receiving better compensation in your favor.
We’re well-versed in the real costs of a motorcycle accident. If you’re handling it on your own, you may be tempted to accept initial compensation offers from insurance companies and other parties. However, your treatment may be more complicated than that. Future costs might include:
- Physical rehab
- Therapy
- Lost wages
- Emergency surgical care
Determining the true monetary value of your injuries may also include pain and suffering. Pain and suffering is a complicated legal matter, but it basically means your motorcycle accident has somehow made you less whole. You may have emotional scars, not be able to complete every-day tasks or lose certain opportunities.
You don’t need a huge financial burden on top of physical ones. With a motorcycle accident lawyer, a trained professional crunches those numbers and fights to get you the compensation you deserve.
Your Motorcycle Collision Case May Go to Court
A motorcycle accident may go to court if the involved parties or their insurance companies can’t agree on terms. It may also be because the other driver sues to keep the blame on you. While that’s not ideal for anyone involved in a traffic accident, it can be especially troublesome for motorcycle riders.
If you don’t settle out of court, you may have to sit in front of a judge and jury. Unfortunately, society has a skewed view of the average motorcyclist. People associate them with gangs, criminal activity and careless adrenaline junkies. Even though those descriptions are the total opposite of you, they can still hurt your chances of success at trial.
A motorcycle accident lawyer is prepared to fight those battles. They’ve seen all the tactics people use in court and may prevent you from falling victim to them. When your future is on the line, you need every tool at your disposal. At Walker Texas Lawyer, you don’t pay unless you win your motorcycle collision court case.
A Lawyer Can Help You Settle Out of Court
That being said, if you get sued following a motorcycle accident, it doesn’t have to go to a judge or jury. Of the about 9 million lawsuits filed in Texas in the last decade, many of them have been settled out of court. But when your life and well-being are on the line, isn’t settling a bad thing?
The simplest answer is it depends. Settling a motorcycle accident out of court may mean less monetary compensation, but it saves you valuable time and money. Also, going to court can be unpredictable. After a long case, you may lose and not get any compensation at all.
With a motorcycle accident lawyer, you can balance the pros and cons of your particular case. Their experience means they’ve seen potentially hundreds of cases play out. That experience is instrumental in deciding how to approach your case.
Hire an Experienced Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Houston
Houston lawyer James S. Walker has represented over 25,000 clients in his career. With multiple experienced Texas motorcycle accident lawyers on his team, you need them in your corner following a motorcycle collision. From fighting it out in court to out-of-court settlements as well as negotiating with insurance companies, they’re here to help you. For a fighting chance, contact Walker Texas Lawyer today.