We Take Your Personal Injury Personally

Let Us Handle All Aspects of Your Case and Fight To Get You The Maximum Compensation You Truly Need and Deserve.

We Take Your Personal Injury Personally

Let Us Handle All Aspects of Your Case and Fight To Get You The Maximum Compensation You Truly Need and Deserve.

Houston Motorcycle & Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Motorcyclists and bicyclists on a roadway are much more likely than car occupants to get injured in accidents. Unfortunately, cyclists themselves are often blamed for the crashes and it’s not uncommon for a rider to get denied the compensation he or she deserves.

If you or someone in your family was seriously hurt in a cycling accident that you believe was someone else’s fault, you need to have a competent lawyer fighting for you. In Texas, Cook Law Firm has the experience, skills, and aggressiveness to successfully handle your case.

Common Causes of Bike & Motorcycle Accidents

Compared to regular passenger cars, bicycles and motorcycles are smaller, less visible on the road, and provide much less protection to riders. It can be easy for these smaller vehicles to get involved in injury crashes, but that does not always mean the rider is at fault. Take a look at some of the most common causes of bike and motorcycle accidents:

Car making a left turn

This is considered the single most dangerous situation for bikers and motorcyclists. Almost always, the vehicle that hits the bike while making a left-hand turn will be found liable.

Car making a right turn

This scenario often involves the vehicle cutting off the bike or motorcycle to its right.

Overtaking

When a larger vehicle tries to overtake a bike or motorcycle, a rear-end crash could occur.

Lane-Splitting

This is when a bike or motorcycle gets between two lanes of stopped cars, typically in a traffic jam. In Texas, this is currently a legal gray area, but as of 2017, there are two bills being pushed that could make lane-splitting officially legal in the state.

Road Hazards

Gravel on the pavement, potholes, and puddles are some examples of road conditions that are risky for bikers. In some cases, a government body or public agency may be held liable for not keeping the road safe.

"Dooring"

This is when a bike or motorcycle passes by a stopped car, just as a car door opens in that direction.

Texas Cycling Accident Facts and Figures

Across the United States, hundreds of thousands of bicycle and motorcycle riders are hurt in crashes each year. In 2015 alone, a total of 88,000 motorcyclists and 70,000 pedalcyclists were injured, while 4,976 motorcyclists and 818 pedalcyclists died in accidents, reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Zooming in to Texas, the state’s Department of Transportation recorded 459 motorcyclist fatalities and 51 pedalcyclist fatalities in 2015.

The state has consistently had some of the highest numbers in cycling accidents – in 2011, Texas was even number 1 in the nation in terms of motorcyclist fatalities, with 441 motorcycle rider deaths. Another study shows that the state has the 16th highest bicyclist fatality rate in the U.S., with an average of 1.9 bike rider deaths per million residents or an average annual death count of 48.

Experts emphasize that the risk of cyclist injuries and deaths can greatly be reduced with the use of body protection such as helmets. Texas law on helmets is not as universal as in other states – in Texas, riders over 21 are exempted from the helmet requirement as long as they have taken a required safety course.

Still, even responsible cyclists who observe all safety rules can become victims of negligent drivers and other parties. In such a devastating case, it is best for the victim or the victim’s family to seek the help of a Houston motorcycle accident attorney. One with both competence and compassion for their situation.

Let an Experienced Accident Lawyer Help

It is not easy to establish liability in a bike or motorcycle accident, much less to claim compensation for an injured rider. However, Cook Law Firm is equipped and ready to do this for you. Andrew Cook has been winning cases like yours for more than a decade, helping accident victims get back on track with their lives.

Your consultation with us is completely free and confidential.

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