Dallas Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

Dallas is an exciting place to live and consistently marked as having one of the fastest growing populations in the country. For those who enjoy driving their motorcycles to commute, or just for fun, however, the traffic associated with that growth can be a nightmare. Some drivers in Dallas can be particularly inattentive, or even aggressive, and this poses a significantly increased risk for motorcycle accidents.

If you or a loved one were hurt while riding your motorcycle, call a law firm that knows how to bring you the justice you deserve. The experienced motorcycle accident attorneys with Stewart J. Guss, Attorney at Law, have been helping clients deal with their motorcycle accident claims in Texas for more than 20 years. More than that – they are dedicated to doing whatever it takes to get you the compensation you deserve! We are open and available for your free consultation, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-898-4877, or you may contact us now by CLICKING HERE. Call us right now to learn how we can help.

Motorcycle Safety and Awareness

While you may feel tempted to ride out on a beautiful day without any preplanning or thought about where the road will take you, preparation is one of the best ways that you can avoid an accident. Some considerations to take before you head out for the day or for an extended trip include:

• Look at the 24-hour weather forecast – Sure, it might be sunny and beautiful right now, but what is the prediction for this afternoon? Is rain or wind in the forecast? We all know that in Texas, the weather can change quickly and without warning. Being aware of how the day might progress can help you stay out of a potentially dangerous storm.
• Make yourself visible to other drivers – One of the best ways to stay safe on the road is to increase your chances of other drivers seeing you. Motorcycles are often the smallest vehicles on the road, so other motor vehicle drivers might easily overlook a motorcycle that is attempting to pass them. By wearing a helmet and bright colors while on your motorcycle, you increase the possibility that drivers will see you on the road and avoid making a dangerous error that results in an accident.
• Stay sober – This one goes without saying, but is still worth repeating—never drive a motorcycle after you have consumed alcohol. Driving drunk is illegal, but more importantly, it is incredibly dangerous to you and everyone else on the road. If you are intoxicated after an accident, even if the crash was not actually your fault, you will make your case difficult to argue.
• Stay in your lane and always observe the speed limit – Yes, you may feel tempted to weave in and out of traffic without regard for the speed limit when you’re on a motorcycle. Avoid this behavior at all costs. Other larger motor vehicles are not able to react as quickly, and when a motorcycle weaves in and out of a lane, car drivers often become confused and attempt to overcorrect by getting out of the way. When other drivers cannot predict your actions, they might change lanes and cut you off, resulting in a dangerous accident and serious injuries to all involved. Always drive the speed limit and keep up with traffic to avoid a serious accident.

How to Recognize Dangerous Drivers on the Road

Other drivers on the road owe you a duty of reasonable care—they are obligated to drive in a safe way that prevents injury to others. While this duty of care is meant to protect people from dangerous drivers, it’s still common to see drivers who fail to obey traffic signs, aren’t driving the speed limit, and generally drive dangerously. Since you only have control over your own motorcycle, learn to recognize the signs of dangerous drivers so you can avoid them. These include:

• Speeding and tailgating – It’s likely that drivers who don’t observe the speed limit are either in a hurry, not paying attention to their surroundings or both. Speeding and tailgating are especially dangerous to those who ride motorcycles. These are symptoms of aggressive and unaware drivers who are more concerned with getting to a destination quickly rather than the safety of those around them.
• Swerving in and out of a lane – If you see a vehicle drifting in and out of a lane for no apparent reason, watch out. These behaviors often indicate that a driver is intoxicated, drowsy, or distracted. These drivers are especially dangerous around motorcycles because if they aren’t paying attention to the simple act of staying in their lane, they may fail to notice a motorcycle riding next to them.
• Failing to use turn signals before changing lanes or turning at a traffic light or stop sign – A driver who doesn’t use a turn signal before switching lanes or turning is incredibly dangerous for those on motorcycles. When you’re riding with traffic, you need to accurately predict the actions of the cars around you since your motorcycle is usually the smallest vehicle on the road. This means that drivers in cars and trucks may not see you. They will switch lanes or turn without signaling with disastrous consequences if they collide with your motorcycle.

By looking for these three common behaviors that indicate a dangerous driver, you might prevent an accident. If you believe that someone is driving in an unsafe manner, pull over to the side of the road or exit as soon as you can. Then, call the police or highway traffic patrol to report the dangerous driver. By doing so, you not only remove your own risk of harm, but you could potentially help others on the road as well.

The Importance of a Medical Evaluation After an Accident

After an accident, you may feel tempted to simply walk away if you think you didn’t incur any serious injuries. Unfortunately, those who don’t seek immediate medical attention after an accident greatly reduce their chances of gaining fair compensation for their damages if symptoms emerge in the days after the crash. It’s not uncommon for accident victims to try to monitor their injuries and assume that they can just wait to see a doctor a week later if they aren’t improving. Waiting is a mistake that the insurance companies will attempt to take advantage of.

Let’s say that you are in a motorcycle accident and walk away feeling a bit out of sorts, but are able to stand up and go home. Maybe you have a few scrapes and bruises, but as far as you know, you don’t have any serious injuries. Then, a few days after your accident, you develop a pounding headache and have a difficult time remembering things. You go to get checked out by the doctor and find out that you’re showing all the signs of a traumatic brain injury.

A TBI is a common injury after a motorcycle accident, even for those who wear a helmet. It is also incredibly dangerous and will probably need close monitoring and possibly lead to a permanent condition.

That you waited for a checkup can hurt your insurance claim. The insurance adjuster assigned to your case will look for any way to reduce the compensation you deserve. If you waited to see a medical professional, there is a good chance that the insurance company will argue that you were not seriously injured after the accident. It might even attempt to claim that since you waited a week to get checked out, something else caused your TBI.

Don’t risk your health, let alone your case—see a doctor right away after you’re in an accident!

In addition to seeking immediate medical attention after an accident, follow your doctor’s prescribed treatment plan. By failing to do so, the insurance companies can argue that your injuries either were not that severe or that they already healed since you are no longer treating them. If you think that your treatment plan isn’t working, talk to your doctor or consider getting a second opinion.

To lock down your best possible chance to fight against the manipulation tactics of the insurance company, you must call an experienced law firm that you trust to talk about your options. Your motorcycle accident legal team can manage all communications with the insurance company so that you don’t have to worry about saying something that might hurt your case. The team of motorcycle accident attorneys and legal professionals at Stewart J. Guss, Attorney at Law, have many years of experience dealing directly with insurance companies, and we understand what you’re going through after your motorcycle accident.

How to Select a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

While you might recognize that working with an attorney can help your motorcycle accident claim, choosing the right attorney is not always easy.

This is one piece in the process that you have total control over. You will work closely with your legal team, so make sure that you hire a firm that you trust and feel like you can have a positive working relationship with.

At Stewart J. Guss, Attorney at Law, our team of legal professionals offers free case consultations. This helps us get to know you and helps you learn more about us. We encourage you to prepare for this meeting so that after our conversation, you will have a clear and confident idea of how we can help with your claim.

Here are a few questions that you might want to ask during your initial consultation:

• Can you tell me about your experience working with motorcycle accident cases?
• What is your success rate on this type of case?
• What are your legal fees and when will I be expected to pay these?
• How long would you predict it will take to resolve my claim?
• What happens if the insurance company or liable party can’t agree on a settlement?

These are some common questions our clients have asked us in the past, and we encourage you to think about your own case and generate a few of your own questions as well. The more prepared you are going into your consultation, the more confident you will feel during it.

Speak With a Dallas Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today

The aftermath of a motorcycle accident can leave victims devastated and confused. If you sustained an injury, you can face the severe challenge of focusing on anything beyond the day-to-day efforts of your recovery. Medical bills, ongoing physical therapy, and future economic and non-economic damages can quickly add up, putting a financial strain on an already difficult situation.

If you were hurt while riding your motorcycle and believe another party was responsible, contact an experienced law firm that can review the details of your case. Between calls from the insurance company, frequent doctors checkups, and reduced wages due to time off work, the impact of an accident can overwhelm anybody. While you focus on rest and recovery, get a legal advocate in your corner that can handle the details of your claim.

Stewart J. Guss and his team of personal injury attorneys and legal professionals are dedicated to a client-first philosophy. We remain committed to protecting the rights of our clients and are determined to maximize the value of your claim. For more than 20 years, we have protected the rights of motorcycle accident victims. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, call our office right now for your free consultation! Because we take all of our personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, you will not owe us a DIME unless we win your case. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so contact us today at 800-898-4877 or contact us now by CLICKING HERE.

Don’t Take Chances – Let Us Help You!

See what past clients have to say:

Review: 5/5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

“As a relatively new resident of Houston, I did not know of an attorney to contact for a personal injury suit. I randomly went through the yellow pages contacting two attorneys that had rejected my case prior to me contacting Stewart Guss. Stewart took my case on and settled for far more than I had anticipated. The silver lining of this is that I will now have enough money to go back to school for retraining, so I will be able to reenter the workforce in a new capacity. The paralegal, Angela, was kind and supportive throughout the process. If I did not understand the legal jargon, I did not hesitate to ask, and was never once made to feel that I was incompetent. Thank you Stewart and Angela for giving me a new lease on live.”

-Sally T.