Royse City Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

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Motorcycle accidents can cause serious injuries. Even when motorcyclists are careful, wear helmets, and are equipped with the right gear, a distracted driver or a mechanical error can lead to a terrible collision. The trauma sustained could cause lingering injuries and even permanent disabilities that seriously affect job opportunities and quality of life.

Smith & Lee is here to help people recover after a major motorcycle wreck. We’ll hold negligent drivers and other parties accountable if they caused or contributed to a crash. To get a free case review with experienced motorcycle accident lawyers near Royse City, TX, contact our Rockwall County law firm today. You can also reach our attorneys by phone at (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 claim. Once that two-year statute of limitations has expired, you will no longer be able to pursue legal action.

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

It’s in your best interests to contact our Royse City motorcycle accident attorneys as soon as possible after a crash. Our law firm can assess your case and start seeking compensation so you aren’t deep in debt from medical and repair bills.

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 to blame in the crash.

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 at fault. 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 20% at fault. You would still receive $80,000.

Do not admit any responsibility to insurance companies or the other parties involved in the motorcycle crash. Get in touch with our law firm ASAP so you can maximize the amount of compensation you receive.

Why Choose Smith & Lee for Your Motorcycle Crash Lawsuit

There are many good law firms near Royse City, but the motorcycle accident lawyers at Smith & Lee are trusted in the region because of our strong reputation and results.

  • Accountability and Personal Responsibility: We believe in personal responsibility. Our law firm holds negligent people accountable when their actions injure 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 Connections to Northeast Texas: We have deep roots in the area, with personal and professional connections throughout Royse City and 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 Royse City Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

If you or a loved one got seriously hurt in a motorcycle crash, Smith & Lee is here to help. Your case evaluation is free. To speak with our skilled Royse City motorcycle accident attorneys, contact our law firm today. You can also set up a free consultation by calling (972) 771-2579.

Texas Motorcycle Crash Numbers

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

Potential Dangers for Royse City Motorcyclists

Interstate 30 passes right through the city and can be dangerous for motorcyclists because of the amount of traffic heading into and out of the Metroplex. There are also many large trucks heading to and from Arkansas to contend with. These big rigs can cause severe crashes with motorcyclists if the trucker is not paying attention to the people sharing the road.

Common Causes of Motorcycle Collisions

Motorcycle accidents have different potential causes. Many times, these wrecks are due to errors in judgment by another driver or by motorcyclists themselves. There are also situations in which other parties are to blame for what happened.

Below are some of the most common causes of motorcycle crashes in Royse City and nearby communities around Northeast Texas.

Speeding and Reckless Driving

When someone exceeds the speed limit, they put others in danger. Excessive speed makes rear-end accidents and other serious types of motorcycle collisions more likely. It’s no surprise that speeding is a leading cause of crashes throughout the country.

Speeding isn’t the only dangerous behavior on the road. There are other aggressive and reckless actions that 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

Motorcyclists often get lost in a vehicle’s blind spot. If a driver checks their rearview and side mirrors but doesn’t check their blind spot, they run the risk of running a motorcyclist off the road or sideswiping them.

While 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 18-wheelers or delivery vehicles.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving covers a range of behaviors that involve removing hands from the steering wheel or diverting attention away from the road. Examples of driver distraction include texting while driving, eating while driving, rubbernecking, looking up directions, and making a call without a hands-free kit. 

If a driver is preoccupied with something, they probably will not check their blind spot for a nearby or approaching motorcycle. Our accident attorneys can hold distracted drivers accountable when their inattention leads to serious injuries.

Driver Fatigue

Driving while you’re exhausted or drowsy is more dangerous than you might realize. Driver fatigue can cause slower reaction times, poor decision-making, and can even cause someone to fall asleep while they’re behind the wheel.

Driver fatigue is often associated with commercial truckers, delivery drivers, and rideshare drivers for Uber and Lyft. When these drivers skip mandatory breaks or ignore their need for sleep and rest, their poor decisions could cause major crashes that injure motorcyclists.

Inexperience on a Motorcycle

We’ve focused on issues involving other drivers, but we should point out that inexperienced motorcyclists can sometimes cause or contribute to crashes. New motorcyclists or young riders may take risks or might not know how to react to adverse road conditions.

Our accident attorneys encourage you to exercise caution whenever you’re on your motorcycle. It will keep you safe and can protect other people on the road here in Northeast Texas.

Lane Splitting and Filtering

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

In Texas, lane splitting is not legal. Motorcyclists who travel between vehicles are in danger of getting doored, striking side mirrors, or sideswiping slower vehicles. If done at highway speeds, lane splitting could lead to serious and potentially deadly accidents.

Drunk or Intoxicated Driving

Anyone who operates a vehicle while drunk or under the influence of drugs puts countless others at risk while they’re on the road. This applies to commuters in cars and pickups, truckers and other commercial drivers, and motorcyclists.

If you were hit by someone who was driving while intoxicated, our law firm can help you seek compensation. Legal damages after a DWI accident will help ensure your bills are covered and the drunk or intoxicated driver is held responsible for their actions.

Mechanical Failure

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.

In these kinds of motorcycle accident cases, our lawyers can hold negligent automakers or the makers of auto parts liable for their negligence. We’re ready to hold companies accountable when they put the people of Texas in danger.

Poor Road and Weather Conditions

Potholes, blind turns, bad lighting, and broken traffic lights can all lead to hazardous driving conditions. The same is true of wind, rain, ice, and snow. Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable to these kinds of hazards while on the road.

There’s not always a liable party when bad weather or a road in disrepair leads to an auto wreck. However, local road authorities in or around Royse City could be held liable if their negligence worsened road conditions and contributed to a motorcycle collision.

Serious Injuries After a Motorcycle Wreck

Even while wearing a helmet, protective body armor, and other riding gear, motorcyclists can be seriously harmed in a motorcycle wreck. Severe injuries from a crash include:

    • Road Rash: Road rash refers to skin abrasions 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 fractures are likely if someone is thrown off a motorcycle.
  • Internal Injuries: The impact of a serious motorcycle wreck can cause severe injuries to the internal organs.
  • Neck and Spine Injuries: The neck, back, and spinal cord can be harmed during a collision, which can lead to different degrees of paralysis.
  • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Concussions and other serious head wounds can occur in a wreck, affecting mood, 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.

Remember that these injuries can have long-lasting effects on your mobility, comfort, earning potential, and overall quality of life. That’s why it’s so important to consult with trusted motorcycle accident lawyers about your injuries.

Damages After a Motorcycle Crash

Damages in a motorcycle accident case are meant to compensate crash survivors for the economic and non-economic losses associated with the collision. The Royse City motorcycle wreck attorneys at Smith & Lee can review what happened 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

When a motorcycle crash leads to the death of a family member, the team at Smith & Lee can help you file a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent party. Wrongful death claims allow the family members of someone killed in a crash to seek compensation.

Damages in fatal motorcycle accident claims can compensate for funeral or burial expenses, grief counseling, lost future earnings to the household, and the loss of your loved one’s companionship. While this compensation will not bring a loved one back, it can provide a cushion to help with the grieving process and allow families to move forward with some stability and reassurance.

Should I Accept a Settlement After a Motorcycle Wreck?

It depends on what happened during the motorcycle crash. There are some situations in which settling your case out of court is better than seeking damages in a jury trial. If a motorcyclist was partially to blame in a collision, for instance, they could potentially get more money if they accept a settlement rather than go to trial. 

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

Contact Our Experienced Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Near Royse City

Don’t face the aftermath of a major motorcycle wreck alone. The attorneys at Smith & Lee are here to do right by you. We’ll take on insurance companies so they don’t shortchange your settlement, and we’re prepared to go all the way to trial to maximize compensation. To request a free case evaluation from experienced Royse City motorcycle accident lawyers near you, contact our law firm today. You can also reach our Rockwall County office by phone at (972) 771-2579.