Attorneys For Houston Motorcycle Accidents During Poor Weather Conditions

If another driver’s reckless actions during adverse weather caused you to be injured while riding your motorcycle, you should reach out to a Houston personal injury attorney at Gibson Hill Personal Injury right now. You might be entitled to compensation for your injuries and resulting expenses. The medical treatment you need to recover should not be your financial responsibility. The at-fault driver should be held liable and suffer the consequences of their actions.

Bad weather can occur at any time in Houston. Rain, strong winds, and thunderstorms could make driving safely extremely difficult for motorists. When you’re on a motorcycle, you’re not only at the mercy of the weather conditions but also at risk of harm if another driver’s error leads to a collision.

Drivers should always take great care in poor weather by adjusting the speed of their vehicles and paying close attention to the road ahead. If they become distracted or disobey a traffic signal, they could end up on a collision course with a motorcyclist. The bike rider will likely suffer more severe injuries than the occupants of a car or truck. If the accident is severe, the motorcyclist could suffer fatal injuries.

If you or someone you love was hurt in a motorcycle accident and you want to learn more about our legal services, call the Houston motorcycle accident lawyers of Gibson Hill Personal Injury at (713) 659-4000 for a free consultation.

Poor Weather Conditions That Could Result In An Accident

Some motorists are cautious during rain, snow, and other hazardous weather conditions. They might put down their cell phone and pay closer attention to the vehicles around them. These are necessary measures to prevent an accident from occurring. However, there are other drivers that continue to operate their vehicles recklessly despite the potential dangers they face.

Rain could cause flooding on the roads, making it difficult for someone to control their car. Hydroplaning can cause someone to drift into another lane or into oncoming traffic. Strong winds might not seem that dangerous, but they can easily push a car or truck off the road or cause it to overturn.

The most common weather conditions that can lead to an accident involving a motorcycle include:

• Snow – Although snow doesn’t commonly fall in Houston, it does happen. Texas drivers are unused to these conditions and typically have difficulty with the poor visibility and slippery roads caused by this type of precipitation. Without taking the necessary precautions, a motorist could lose control and slide into a bike rider.
• Wind – High winds can shift a vehicle’s direction and create issues for the driver. It’s crucial to hold the wheel steady and even slow down a bit if the wind is especially strong. Since drivers can’t see wind, they tend to think it’s not much of a hazard. However, significant gusts could cause collisions between multiple vehicles if someone isn’t paying attention to the task at hand.
• Fog – Fog can prevent motorists from seeing what’s happening in the road in front of them. Drivers must turn on their headlights, adjust their speed, and pay attention to where they’re driving. Failing to proceed with caution could result in rear-ending a motorcyclist ahead or straying into other lanes of traffic.
• Rain – Rain could cause slippery roads. A large amount of rain could lead to flooding. When you’re riding on your bike, and it starts to rain, you must remain aware of the vehicles around you. Another motorist might not see you and choose to quickly change lanes, sideswiping your bike.

A driver that doesn’t take poor weather conditions seriously and adjust how they’re operating their vehicle to maneuver around others safely should be held liable if they cause an accident. Common behaviors that could result in motorcyclists’ injuries are:

• Speeding
• Tailgating
• Fatigued or drowsy driving
• Failing to yield the right of way
• Failing to obey traffic signals and signs
• Unsafe lane changes
• Turning too fast
• Distracted driving
• Driving under the influence

The bottom line is this: another driver was reckless behind the wheel and caused you physical harm. The expenses you incurred should not be your responsibility. The at-fault driver should be the one to pay for your medical treatment and other costs. When you hire Gibson Hill Personal Injury, we can file an insurance claim or lawsuit to pursue the compensation you need to cover your losses.

How To Determine Where To Recover Compensation

Texas follows a traditional fault system following any type of motor vehicle accident. That means whoever is at fault for someone else’s injuries becomes financially responsible for that person’s losses. Typically, the accident victim can file an insurance claim with the at-fault motorist’s auto insurance company.

All drivers must purchase liability insurance with a minimum of $30,000 for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage. These limits could compensate for your past and future losses, including:

• Mental anguish
• Lost wages
• Lost earning capacity
• Property damage
• Medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Physical impairment
• Disability
• Loss of household services

If you require ongoing medical care or assistance with routine tasks, you should receive a settlement amount that adequately covers your future costs for these services. Gibson Hill Personal Injury can review various factors to determine the complete monetary value of your case.

Some of the factors we might consider when deciding upon the target dollar amount for negotiating a fair settlement with the insurance company are:

• Total past and estimated future medical expenses
• Type and extent of the injury
• Amount of insurance coverage available on the policy
• Statements made by people who witnessed the accident
• Emotional or mental effects of the accident
• Availability of evidence proving another driver’s actions resulted in your injuries
• Duration of necessary medical treatment
• Disability or impairment resulting from the accident
• Amount of time you were unable to work and lost wages
• Impact of the injury on your routine and quality of life

Your Houston motorcycle accident lawyer from Gibson Hill Personal Injury will fight hard for the maximum settlement you need and deserve. We want to ensure you’re not forced to pay out of pocket for the costs associated with the crash.

If the auto insurance company refuses to negotiate a fair settlement amount, we have the necessary resources to move forward with a lawsuit against the at-fault driver.

Deadline For Filing A Lawsuit

A “statute of limitations” is the amount of time an accident victim has to initiate a lawsuit against another person. If you want to sue the other driver for the injuries they caused, you must observe a two-year statute of limitations. That basically means there is a two-year period between the accident date and when your opportunity to file suit expires. If the statute passes and you attempt to file your lawsuit anyway, the court would likely dismiss your case, and you would lose your chance of pursuing compensation in the legal system.

Don’t accept any responsibility for the accident when talking to anyone. Texas uses a modified comparative negligence law to determine how much compensation an injured party deserves. If a jury decides you share blame for the crash, they could diminish your monetary award by your percentage of assigned fault.

For example, if the other driver was 100% responsible for the accident and you suffered $20,000 in losses, you could seek the entire $20,000 in compensation. However, if the jury assigns you with 20% fault, you could only pursue up to $16,000 in compensation during a lawsuit.

What You Can Do If the At-Fault Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance

If you sustain injuries in an accident caused by an uninsured driver, you might still have options for filing an insurance claim. You won’t be able to seek a settlement from a liability claim, but you could turn to your own insurance company.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) insurance is optional coverage in Texas. If you opted to add it to your policy, it could compensate you for various losses. It’s available to accident victims when the at-fault driver doesn’t have liability insurance or high enough coverage to cover all losses. Every policy is different, but yours should cover the following:

• Medical bills
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• Lost wages
• Lost future earnings

Gibson Hill Personal Injury can request a copy of your policy and review the coverage amounts. If it’s adequate to compensate you for your total or remaining losses after a liability settlement, we can move forward with filing the claim.

Contact Us

The team of Houston personal injury lawyers from Gibson Hill Personal Injury will be your advocate during this challenging time in your life and fight by your side until the end of your case. After investigating the motorcycle accident, we will create a legal strategy that meets your needs and reaches your goals. We want to make this process as seamless and stress-free as possible. While you’re focusing on healing your injuries, you can depend on us to aggressively seek the maximum compensation possible.

Your Houston motorcycle accident lawyer will work tirelessly and exhaust all resources in the pursuit of justice. We will not rest until we hold the at-fault driver liable for their misconduct and recover the financial award necessary to pay for your medical treatment. We care about our clients and will always protect them from the wrongdoings of others. You can expect us to treat you with compassion, respect, and professionalism at all times.

If you are a motorcyclist who was injured in an accident and poor weather conditions contributed to the crash, call Gibson Hill Personal Injury for a free consultation at (713) 659-4000 if you want to pursue compensation from the other driver.