Houston Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

• Road rash — Because there is no metal frame surrounding motorcyclists, a rider will likely make contact with the road if they crash. Road rash occurs when a rider’s body slides along the pavement. The pavement cuts through clothing and can remove the topmost layers of skin. In mild cases, road rash will expose you to infection and can increase skin sensitivity once healed. In more severe cases, it can cause superficial nerve damage. Wearing sturdy protective gear designed for motorcycle riding can reduce or prevent road rash.
• Head injuries — Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)frequently occur in motorcycle accidents, especially if the rider is not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. If you are over 21 and have either (a) completed a Motorcycle Operation Training Course or (b) have proof of at least $10,000 medical insurance coverage, Texas law does not require you to wear a helmet while riding. However, it’s good practice to do so, as helmet use dramatically decreases the likelihood of a TBI if you are involved in a crash. TBIs can have a serious and long-lasting impact on your life, including memory issues, impaired thinking and executive function, and seizures.
• Spinal Cord Injuries (SCIs). Depending on their severity, SCIs can result in numbness, impaired movement, and paralysis.
• Broken bones. Similar to road rash, it’s common for motorcyclists to break bones upon impact, especially ribs, legs, arms, the skull, and the collarbone.
• Traumatic muscle injuries (soft tissue injuries). These injuries are either direct results of impact during the crash or manifest indirectly due to other injuries. For example, severe road rash can damage upper muscle layers, and broken bones can injure surrounding muscle tissue when they shatter.

Do’s

If you are conscious and able, do:

• Exchange contact and insurance information with any other individuals involved in the accident;
• Document as much as possible before leaving the scene, including taking pictures of the vehicles, the surrounding area, and your injuries;
• Tell the police officer exactly what happened without assuming fault of any kind, and
• Take yourself to the nearest emergency room to receive medical attention, even if you feel fine. Internal injuries are serious, and it can take hours or even days for someone to realize they are injured after an accident.

Don’t’s

Regardless of the circumstances, you should never:

• Leave the scene until the police officer responding to the accident instructs you to do so unless you require immediate medical attention;
• Admit fault to the police, any other involved party, or your insurance company; and
• File an official report with your insurance company before going to a doctor.

Economic

Personal injuries often come with financial burdens. By suing the at-fault party, you can seek damages to address various costs.  For example, medical bills and treatments for injuries, lost wages due to incapacitation and inability to work, and expenses related to vehicle repairs.

Non-economic

Non-economic damages, while still quantifiable, are often more challenging to assess. These damages stem from intangible harms typically associated with personal injury or wrongful death cases. Among the most common types of non-economic damages are pain and suffering, mental anguish, impairment, disfigurement, and trauma resulting from surviving a severe accident.

In cases of wrongful death, individuals who lose their spouse in an accident may pursue damages for loss of consortium, encompassing the deprivation of companionship, affection, and comfort typically provided by a life partner. Loss of consortium may also be sought in personal injury cases.

For instance, if a motorcycle accident renders someone paralyzed from the waist down, resulting in the inability to engage in sexual activity with their spouse, they may seek damages for loss of consortium.