Austin is a beautiful city with a lot to offer. Austin is home to many, many parks, provides plenty of opportunities for energetic outdoor fun, has a world-class music scene, and packs in mile after mile of scenic roadways. With all that goodness, however, comes traffic and, unfortunately, traffic accidents, including motorcycle accidents. Motorcycle accidents are exceptionally dangerous.
When you’re on your bike, you have the speed of a much larger vehicle but absolutely none of a car’s built-in protections from the impact of an accident. If someone else’s negligence has left you injured in a motorcycle accident, you need an experienced Austin motorcycle accident lawyer and should not hesitate to contact George Salinas Injury Lawyers as soon as possible.
Austin Motorcycle Accident Statistics
Motorcycles are more difficult to see in traffic than are cars. They’re also less stable and don’t offer the same physical protections. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) shares the federal government’s estimate that the number of motorcycle fatalities is 29 times that of car fatalities—per mile traveled in 2015. IIHS forwards several significant statistics related to motorcycle accidents:
- In 2016, motorcycle fatalities made up 13 percent of all vehicular fatalities.
- The number of motorcycle fatalities in 2016 is more than twice the number that occurred in 1997.
- Sixty percent of motorcycle fatalities in 2016 were caused by accidents involving more than one vehicle.
- The engine size of motorcycles involved in fatal crashes has risen dramatically over the years.
If you’ve been injured in an Austin motorcycle accident that was caused by another driver’s negligence, you’re likely overwhelmed and may not know where to turn. You aren’t, however, alone; the dedicated Austin motorcycle accident attorney at George Salinas Injury Lawyers is here to help. While every motorcycle accident claim is unique to its own set of circumstances, our experienced personal injury attorneys in Austin have the skill, knowledge, and determination to help guide your claim toward its most positive resolution.
Helmets Save Lives
While you’re not specifically required to wear a helmet when you ride in Texas (if you’re at least 21 and you meet certain health insurance specifications), wearing a helmet is always the safest option. Motorcycle accidents are closely associated with serious injuries, including serious head injuries, and a well-fitting helmet that meets federal safety regulations offers you some protection from these often-devastating injuries.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) aren’t uncommon in motorcycle accidents, and the consequences of a TBI are often exceedingly disruptive and damaging. TBIs are usually caused by a significant blow to the head or by the violent shaking of the head, and motorcycle accidents frequently lead to these serious injuries. Even if a motorcycle accident takes place at lower speeds, the resulting injury (including a TBI) can be significant.
Traumatic brain injuries can be especially bedeviling because they don’t always immediately present with symptoms. This makes these injuries more difficult to accurately diagnose and treat, which also makes their prognosis less positive. TBIs are closely associated with extensive physical, financial, and emotional damages and should never be discounted.
Low Visibility
When you ride, you have the obvious disadvantage of being less visible than other vehicles are. Some motorists don’t pay enough attention to traffic in their midst and simply don’t see motorcycles. Distracted drivers are even more likely to endanger motorcyclists on the road.
Distracted Drivers
Distracted driving is reaching epidemic proportions, and the advent of the smartphone has led the charge. Distracted driving is dangerous driving, and distracted drivers put everyone with whom they share the roadway at risk. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines distracted driving as any driving in which the driver’s attention is focused on anything other than the primary task of driving safely.
While there are many types of distractions out there, texting is among the most serious and the most common. Reading or writing a text takes about 5 seconds on average. This means that, if you engage while you’re driving 55 miles per hour, you drive blind for the entire length of a football field. That’s a scary proposition and it is no wonder that distracted drivers harm motorcyclists.
The Insurance Company
If you’ve been injured by another motorist’s negligence in a motorcycle accident, you’re going to be dealing with an insurance company. As such, it’s important that you understand how these companies work. Insurance companies are in the business of making money, and many aren’t above pushing the boundaries of what’s acceptable to ensure that they maximize their profits. You need an experienced attorney’s help with every step of your insurance claim.
If someone else’s negligence has left you injured in a motorcycle accident, regaining your health should be your primary focus. Your experienced motorcycle accident attorney will deal with the insurance company on your behalf. You are not required to provide the negligent party’s insurance representative with a statement about the accident, and you are well advised not to do so. Your attorney will provide them with everything necessary. While you attend to recovering your health, your motorcycle accident lawyer will help ensure that your claim adequately represents the totality of your damages.
Motorcycle accidents are especially dangerous accidents that often lead to extreme physical, financial, and emotional damages. In addition to the physical injuries you sustain and the medical costs associated, you are likely to lose time and wages on the job. Further, if your injuries are serious, your career path could be altered and your earning potential diminished. Due to their violent nature, motorcycle accidents often lead to extensive emotional and psychological damages as well.
Contact An Austin Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today
Motorcycle accident claims are complicated. If another motorist has left you injured in a motorcycle accident, you need experienced personal injury lawyer. The dedicated legal team at George Salinas Injury Lawyers in Austin is here to aggressively advocate for the compensation to which you are entitled.
Our knowledgeable Austin motorcycle accident lawyers have the experience, commitment, and skill to help guide your claim toward its most positive resolution, so please contact or call us at (210)-225-0909 to schedule an appointment today.