Caddo Mills Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Smith & Lee - Right for you. Right by you.

Plenty of people in Hunt County like taking their motorcycle out on the open road. Yet even if you’re an experienced motorcyclist and always ride responsibly, you can still get into a major wreck. These kinds of crashes can cause severe injuries that have lingering effects. Some collisions even cause permanent disabilities, negatively affecting your quality of life, independence, and ability to earn a living.

The attorneys at Smith & Lee can help motorcycle wreck victims and their families in their time of legal need. Our goal is to do right by you. To request a free case evaluation from experienced motorcycle accident lawyers serving Caddo Mills, TX, contact our law firm today. You can also reach our attorneys by calling (972) 771-2579.

How Long Do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Case?

Texas Civil Practice & Protocol Code § 16.003 states that you have two years from the date of the motorcycle wreck to file a lawsuit. You cannot pursue legal action after the two-year statute of limitations has passed.

Note that there are exceptions to the two-year deadline depending on why the motorcycle collision happened and the parties involved.

It’s in your best interests to contact our Caddo Mills motorcycle accident attorneys as soon as possible. Our law firm can review your case and start seeking compensation so you aren’t drowning in medical debt, repair bills, and other out-of-pocket expenses.

Can I File a Claim If I Was Partly Responsible for the Motorcycle Wreck?

Yes, you can still file a motorcycle accident lawsuit and receive compensation even if you were partly at fault in the collision.

Texas is a modified comparative fault state (aka modified comparative negligence). This means that you can collect damages in a claim as long as you are 50% or less to blame. Your percentage of liability is deducted from the final jury award. For example, say you were in a motorcycle wreck. The jury awards you $100,000 in damages, but you were 30% at fault. You would still receive $70,000.

Avoid admitting responsibility for a crash to insurance companies or the other parties involved in the motorcycle accident. Instead, get in touch with our law firm ASAP. Our attorneys can maximize the amount of compensation you receive.

Why Choose Smith & Lee for Your Motorcycle Crash Lawsuit

There are many good law firms near Caddo Mills, but people trust the motorcycle accident lawyers at Smith & Lee because of our reputation and results.

  • Accountability and Personal Responsibility: We believe in personal responsibility. Our law firm holds negligent people accountable when their actions harm others.
  • Client-Focused Approach to Accident Law: We’ll always return your calls as soon as we can. It’s one way we run our firm like a customer service business that practices law.
  • Strong Roots in the Local Community: We have a long history in the local area, with personal ties to the people here and respect from legal colleagues in Northeast Texas.

For anyone who needs to speak with a lawyer about their motorcycle wreck, the attorneys at Smith & Lee are ready to do right by you.

Get a Free Consultation with Our Caddo Mills Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

Following a serious motorcycle crash, you need the lawyers of Smith & Lee on your side. To discuss what happened with our skilled Caddo Mills motorcycle accident attorneys, contact our law firm today. You can also request a free consultation by calling us at (972) 771-2579.

Texas Motorcycle Crash Numbers

According to numbers from the Texas Department of Transportation, there were 9,160 motorcycle crashes in the state in 2024; 2,452 of these motorcycle wrecks caused serious injuries, and 598 motorcycle crashes were fatal.

Potential Dangers for Caddo Mills Motorcyclists

For Caddo Mills motorcyclists, the biggest danger is Interstate 30. There are many people heading to and from the Metroplex, including commuters here in Hunt County. There are also plenty of 18-wheelers traveling between Dallas-Fort Worth and Arkansas. While many truckers are safe drivers, there’s always a risk of fatigue or distraction that could contribute to a serious and possibly even deadly motorcycle crash.

Common Causes of Motorcycle Collisions

Motorcycle collisions have different causes. In many situations, motorcycle accidents are caused by errors in judgment by another driver or by motorcyclists themselves. There are also cases in which other parties are at least partly to blame for what happened.

Below are some of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents in Caddo Mills and nearby Northeast Texas communities.

Speeding and Reckless Driving

Speed limits are in place to protect people and maintain safe driving conditions for everyone sharing the road. When someone exceeds the posted speed limit, they endanger themselves and others. It’s no wonder that speeding remains a leading cause of motorcycle collisions and other auto wrecks.

Speeding isn’t the only dangerous behavior on the road. Other aggressive and reckless actions increase the likelihood of motorcycle crashes. Examples of reckless driving include:

  • Tailgating
  • Blowing through red lights
  • Weaving in and out of traffic
  • Failing to signal
  • Failing to yield

Failure to Check Blind Spots

Given their size, a motorcyclist can get lost in another driver’s blind spot. If that driver checks their rearview and side mirrors but fails to check their blind spot while merging or changing lanes, their vehicle could sideswipe a motorcyclist or run them off the road.

Though it’s important for motorists to check their blind spot when a motorcycle is nearby, our attorneys advise motorcyclists to be vigilant while they’re near any cars, pickups, or SUVs; that goes double while riding near any delivery vehicles or big rigs.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving refers to any situation in which a driver removes their hands from the steering wheel or diverts their attention away from the road. Some common examples of driver distraction include texting while driving, eating while driving, rubbernecking, checking directions, and making a call without a hands-free kit.

When drivers are distracted, they’re unlikely to check their blind spots for any nearby motorcyclists. If you were injured by a distracted driver while riding your motorcycle, our Caddo Mills accident attorneys can help you hold that driver responsible..

Driver Fatigue

Driving while you’re sleepy or extremely tired is more dangerous than you may realize. Driver fatigue leads to sluggish reaction times, poor decision-making, and can even cause someone to fall asleep while they’re on the road.

Driver fatigue is often associated with commercial truckers, parcel delivery drivers, and rideshare drivers for companies like Uber and Lyft. When these drivers ignore mandatory breaks or try to push themselves despite needing sleep, their reckless choices could cause deadly collisions involving motorcyclists.

Inexperience on a Motorcycle

We’ve mostly listed errors by other drivers, but we also have to acknowledge that inexperienced motorcyclists can also cause major wrecks. New motorcyclists (especially young riders) might take unnecessary risks or may not know how to react to adverse situations they encounter on the road.

The attorneys here at Smith & Lee encourage you to be careful anytime that you’re on your motorcycle. This is an easy way to protect yourself and other people who are sharing the road here in Northeast Texas.

Lane Splitting and Filtering

Lane splitting is when a motorcyclist drives between two other vehicles traveling in the same direction. Also known as lane filtering and white lining, lane splitting is usually done to get around slow-moving traffic or stopped vehicles in a traffic jam.

In Texas, lane splitting is illegal. Motorcyclists who ride between vehicles run the risk of getting doored, damaging side mirrors, or sideswiping slower vehicles. If this is done at highway speeds, lane splitting could lead to serious and potentially lethal accidents.

Drunk or Intoxicated Driving

When someone operates a vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they put countless people’s lives in danger. This applies to commuters in cars and pickups, big rig drivers and other commercial drivers, and motorcyclists.

If you were in an accident caused by someone who was driving while intoxicated, our attorneys can help you seek compensation. The legal damages in a DWI accident case will help pay for your bills from the collision and hold the intoxicated driver accountable for their recklessness.

Mechanical Issues

Motorcycles require tune-ups and other kinds of maintenance just like other vehicles. When motorcycle parts don’t work properly or there are serious defects in design or manufacturing, it can lead to mechanical failure while the motorcycle is on the road.

Smith & Lee can hold negligent motorcycle companies and the makers of faulty auto parts responsible if their negligence caused or contributed to a serious motorcycle wreck. Our law firm is prepared to hold companies liable when they harm or endanger the people of Texas.

Poor Road and Weather Conditions

Wind, rain, ice, and snow can make trips on a motorcycle extremely dangerous since they reduce traction and stability. Similarly, potholes, bad lighting, bumpy roads, broken traffic signals, and blind turns present all kinds of hazards for motorcyclists.

Legal claims aren’t always an option when bad weather and poor road conditions cause a motorcycle wreck. However, you could file a lawsuit if negligence by Hunt County road authorities worsened already dangerous driving conditions.

Serious Injuries After a Motorcycle Wreck

Even while wearing a helmet and protective gear, motorcyclists can be catastrophically injured in a motorcycle crash. Major injuries from a wreck include:

    • Road Rash: Road rash refers to friction burns sustained while skidding across the ground.
    • Biker’s Arm: Biker’s arm refers to nerve injuries of the hand, forearm, upper arm, and/or shoulder caused by a hard landing in a crash.
    • Fractured Bones: Broken arms, legs, ribs, and other kinds of fractures can occur after a major motorcycle crash.
  • Internal Injuries: The force from a catastrophic motorcycle crash can cause severe injuries to someone’s internal organs.
  • Neck and Spine Injuries: The neck, back, and spinal cord can be injured during a crash, which can lead to varying degrees of paralysis.
  • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Concussions and other serious head trauma can occur in a collision, affecting memory, motor skills, and mental health.
  • Loss of Limbs: In some motorcycle accidents, the injuries are so severe that they cause the loss of a limb or necessitate amputation of a limb.

The injuries listed above can have lasting effects on your strength, mobility, comfort, future earnings, and overall quality of life. That’s why it’s so crucial to consult our trusted motorcycle accident lawyers about your injuries.

Damages After a Motorcycle Crash

Damages in a motorcycle accident lawsuit help compensate crash survivors for the economic and non-economic losses associated with the collision. The Caddo Mills motorcycle wreck attorneys at Smith & Lee can review the accident and help you understand the true value of your legal claim.

Economic damages refer to quantifiable losses after a serious collision. Examples of economic damages after a motorcycle crash include:

  • Medical bills
  • Physical and occupational therapy
  • Damage to your motorcycle and other property
  • Lost wages
  • Loss of future earning potential
  • Renovations due to a long-term or permanent disability

Non-economic damages tend to refer to losses that are more difficult to quantify. Examples of non-economic damages after a motorcycle crash include:

  • Changes in quality of life
  • Pain and suffering
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Compensation After a Fatal Motorcycle Collision

After losing a loved one in a fatal motorcycle collision, the attorneys at Smith & Lee can help grieving families file a wrongful death claim against the negligent party. Wrongful death lawsuits allow the family members of someone killed in a crash to seek compensation.

Damages in fatal motorcycle accident cases can cover funeral expenses, grief counseling, lost income from the decedent, and the loss of your loved one’s companionship. While no amount of money can fully match your pain, legal damages can provide a cushion to help with the grieving process and allow you to move forward with some sense of stability.

Should I Accept a Settlement After a Motorcycle Wreck?

That depends on a number of different factors. In some cases, it’s a better option to settle out of court instead of seeking damages in a civil trial. If you were partly to blame in a motorcycle crash, for instance, it may be advisable to take the settlement rather than risk losing in a jury trial.

Our motorcycle accident lawyers will counsel you on how to best maximize your compensation based on the evidence in your lawsuit.

Contact Our Experienced Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Serving Caddo Mills

If you or a member of your family got seriously hurt in a motorcycle wreck in Hunt County, Smith & Lee is here to help. Our attorneys are committed to doing right by you, whether that means negotiating a good settlement with the insurance company or taking your case to court for damages. To schedule a free case review with experienced Caddo Mills motorcycle accident lawyers near you, contact our law firm today. You can also reach our office by calling (972) 771-2579.