When you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, you need a legal advocate who understands the unique challenges riders face on Texas roads. Our San Antonio motorcycle accident lawyers at Singh Ahluwalia Attorneys at Law combine extensive trial experience with a deep understanding of motorcycle culture and the specific legal issues that arise after a crash.
Why You Need a San Antonio Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Motorcycle accident victims face unique challenges that other accident victims don’t encounter. Insurance companies often harbor bias against riders, assuming they were speeding or driving recklessly.
The severity of motorcycle injuries typically means higher medical bills and longer recovery times, leading insurers to fight even harder to minimize payouts. Additionally, the technical aspects of motorcycle accidents, from road hazard issues to visibility factors, require specialized knowledge that general personal injury lawyers may lack.
Hiring a San Antonio-based attorney who is familiar with Bexar County courts, local law enforcement procedures, and Texas motorcycle laws gives you a significant advantage. Local attorneys understand the tendencies of local judges, know the reputation of insurance adjusters in the area, and have established relationships with accident reconstruction experts and medical professionals who can strengthen your case.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in San Antonio
Understanding how your accident happened is crucial to building a strong case:
- Left-Turn Collisions: The most common type of motorcycle accident occurs when a driver turns left in front of an oncoming motorcycle. These drivers often claim they didn’t see any motorcycle, but this excuse doesn’t absolve them of their duty to yield.
- Distracted or Drunk Drivers: Texting drivers, drunk drivers, and otherwise impaired motorists cause devastating motorcycle crashes. When intoxication or distraction is involved, punitive damages may be available.
- Road Hazards and Poor Maintenance: Potholes, loose gravel, uneven pavement, and debris pose far greater dangers to motorcyclists than to car drivers. When poor road maintenance causes your crash, the city, county, or state may be liable.
- Visibility Issues: Drivers frequently fail to see motorcycles in blind spots or misjudge their speed and distance. While the “I didn’t see them” claim isn’t a legal defense, this clearly explains why a thorough investigation of sight lines and lighting conditions is essential.
- Manufacturer Defects: Defective tires, brakes, or other motorcycle components can cause accidents. When a product defect is involved, the manufacturer may be held liable through product liability claims.
Typical Injuries in a Motorcycle Accident and Their Long-Term Impact
Motorcycle accidents often result in severe, life-altering injuries:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries: Even when wearing a helmet, riders can suffer concussions, skull fractures, and brain bleeding. TBIs can cause cognitive impairment, personality changes, and permanent disability.
- Spinal Cord and Back Injuries: Paralysis, nerve damage, and chronic pain are common after motorcycle crashes. These injuries often require extensive surgery, rehabilitation, and lifelong medical care.
- Road Rash and Infections: What may seem like just scrapes can require skin grafts and lead to serious infections. Severe road rash causes permanent scarring and disfigurement.
- Fractures and Amputations: Broken bones, crushed limbs, and traumatic amputations are tragically common. Multiple surgeries and extensive physical therapy are often necessary.
- Emotional Trauma and PTSD: The psychological impact of a motorcycle crash can be as debilitating as physical injuries. Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder may prevent you from riding again or even driving.
We work with trusted local physicians, surgeons, and rehabilitation centers to ensure you receive proper medical treatment while documenting every aspect of your injuries for your claim.
Determining Liability in a San Antonio Motorcycle Crash
Texas law requires proving four elements of negligence:
- The at-fault party owed you a duty of care
- They breached that duty through careless or reckless conduct
- Their breach directly caused the accident
- You suffered actual damages as a result
Texas follows a “modified comparative fault” rule with a 51% bar. This means you can recover compensation even if you were partially at fault for the accident, as long as you were less than 51% responsible.
However, your recovery will be reduced depending on your percentage of fault. For example, if you’re found 20% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you would receive $80,000.
Liability may extend beyond the driver who hit you. Municipal entities can be liable for dangerous road conditions, manufacturers for defective motorcycle parts, and bars or restaurants for over-serving drunk drivers.
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim in San Antonio, TX?
In Texas, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims, including motorcycle accidents, is two years from the date of the accident. This means you have a two-year window to file a lawsuit in court, or you will likely lose your right to pursue compensation forever.
Exceptions to the Two-Year Rule
While the two-year statute of limitations applies in most motorcycle accident cases, certain circumstances can extend or modify this deadline:
- Minor Victims: If the injured motorcyclist was under 18 at the time of the accident, the two-year clock typically doesn’t start until they turn 18. This means minors generally have until their 20th birthday to file a lawsuit.
- Discovery Rule: In rare cases where injuries or their connection to the accident weren’t immediately discoverable through reasonable diligence, the statute of limitations may begin when the injury was discovered or should have been discovered, rather than the accident date.
- Defendant Absence: If the at-fault party leaves Texas or goes into hiding after the accident, the time they’re absent from the state may not count toward the two-year limit.
- Mental Incapacity: If the accident left you legally incapacitated or mentally incompetent, the statute of limitations may be tolled (paused) until you regain capacity or a legal guardian is appointed.
- Government Entities: Claims against city, county, or state government entities have much shorter notice requirements—often just six months. These claims require filing a formal notice of claim before you can sue, with strict procedural requirements that differ from standard personal injury cases.
San Antonio Motorcycle Accident FAQ
Do I need a lawyer for a minor motorcycle accident?
Even seemingly minor motorcycle accidents can have serious consequences that aren’t immediately apparent. Insurance companies often use early settlements to close cases before the full extent of injuries becomes clear.
A motorcycle accident lawyer can handle communications with insurers while you focus on recovery, ensure you’re not accepting a settlement that undervalues your claim, and protect you from making statements that could be used against you later. Most motorcycle accident attorneys offer free consultations, so there’s no risk in getting professional advice about whether your case warrants legal representation.
What if I wasn’t wearing a helmet?
Texas law only requires helmets for riders under 21 or those without proper insurance or safety training. If you’re over 21 and meet the legal exemptions, not wearing a helmet cannot be used to deny your claim entirely.
However, insurance companies may argue that your injuries would have been less severe with a helmet, potentially reducing your compensation under comparative fault rules. This is where an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer becomes invaluable—we work with medical experts who can distinguish between injuries that would have occurred regardless of helmet use and those potentially affected by it.
Even if you weren’t wearing a helmet, you still have legal rights and may be entitled to substantial compensation.
What damages are available in a motorcycle accident case?
Victims of motorcycle accidents may be eligible to recover various types of damages, including:
- Economic Damages: These cover the quantifiable financial losses, such as but not limited to medical expenses (past and future), lost wages, loss of earning capacity, property damage, and rehabilitation costs.
- Non-Economic Damages: These compensate for subjective, non-monetary losses, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement, impairment, and loss of enjoyment of life.
- Punitive Damages: In cases involving extreme negligence, recklessness, or malicious intent (such as drunk driving), a court may award punitive damages to punish the at-fault party and deter similar conduct in the future, though these are capped to the greater of $200,000 or two times economic damages plus non-economic damages
Work With Our San Antonio Motorcycle Accident Law Firm Today
Don’t face the insurance companies alone. Contact Singh Ahluwalia Attorneys at Law today at (210) 293-7517 for a free, no-obligation consultation.
We’ll review your case, explain your legal options, and answer all your questions.
Call us 24/7 or schedule your consultation online. Our San Antonio personal injury lawyers are proud to serve all of Bexar County and surrounding communities.
The clock is ticking — Texas law gives you only two years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Don’t wait until it’s too late to protect your rights and secure the compensation that you deserve.
