Injured in a Pearland Motorcycle Accident? Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers Can Help.
After a Pearland motorcycle accident, you need the confidence that comes from having an experienced attorney on your side: someone who will fight to help you recover the compensation you deserve for the often-serious injuries that can come from a severe motorcycle accident. With more than 20 years of handling catastrophic injury claims in Texas and across the nation, Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers can provide the experience you need.Reliable legal guidance.
Dealing with a Pearland motorcycle accident claim can mean navigating a variety of potential legal snarls, especially as you deal with the insurance company. Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers can provide you with critical legal advice and support as you navigate those challenging paths to compensation.Determined representation.
Sometimes, you may find yourself having to deal with substantial challenges as you negotiate with the insurance company for the compensation you deserve. You might have a hard time showing which driver caused your accident or proving that your negligence did not injure you. You might have a hard time showing exactly what injuries you suffered and what compensation you might deserve. Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers can represent you in your interactions with the insurance company, whether you need assistance with the negotiation process or you need to go to court to fight for compensation following a serious motorcycle accident in Pearland.Better outcomes.
Many past clients of Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers have discovered that having an experienced lawyer on their side makes a huge difference as they fight for compensation for their injuries. Instead of worrying about immense medical bills, they can focus on their recovery and feel confident that our associates will negotiate on their behalf, often securing a better overall outcome for their motorcycle accident claims.Reasons for Pearland Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents may occur because of:1. Rainy days and poor weather conditions.
Pearland sees an estimated 52 inches of rain each year, with precipitation on around 163 days per year. That may mean slippery roads, which can prove more dangerous to motorcycle riders. Since motorcycles only have two wheels to hold the pavement, it can prove much more difficult for them to navigate wet roads and potential slides. During rain, other drivers may also have more trouble preventing slides and accidents. Poor visibility from heavy rainfall can make it difficult to see everything that happens on the road, which can make it more likely that the driver will miss the presence of a motorcycle rider altogether.2. Blind spot accidents.
Most vehicles have small blind spots: areas where the driver cannot see from his position in the car. Those blind spots can mean a significant danger for motorcycle riders, since they may fit into that small area with ease. When drivers do not pay attention to what happens around them, including what might happen in their blind spots, they can inadvertently change lanes on top of a motorcycle.3. Failing to look adequately before turning.
Some drivers do not follow the “look twice” policy before completing a turn out on the road. Unfortunately, failure to carefully observe what happens around them can mean that drivers miss the presence of motorcycles on the road. Motorcycles simply do not fit the same visual profile as larger passenger vehicles. As a result, since most drivers look out for those passenger vehicles when on the road, they may completely miss the motorcycle, leading to accidents with severe injuries.4. Speeding.
Many motorcycle riders love the increased freedom that comes from traveling at high rates of speed. They may feel, in general, more maneuverable out on the road, which means they feel confident at those higher speeds. Unfortunately, speeding not only increases the risk of motorcycle accidents, it may increase their severity. At high speeds, accidents involve more force, which can mean substantial injury for everyone involved in the collision. Furthermore, motorcycle riders typically suffer more severe injuries in those accidents than the passengers in larger vehicles, since they have comparatively little protection from the road around them.5. Rear-end accidents.
Their size and weight make it much easier for motorcycles to maneuver, and riders may feel more confident performing those tight maneuvers, including making abrupt stops or slowing down quickly before a turn. The passenger vehicles behind them, however, may have a much harder time stopping. Motorcycle riders may get rear-ended, which, due to the lack of protection afforded by the motorcycle, can result in substantial injuries.6. Opening vehicle doors.
Sometimes, people in passenger vehicles do not look around them even after they park. They may open their doors straight into the road without realizing that a motorcycle rider has moved into that space. An opening car door can throw a motorcycle rider from his vehicle and lead to serious injury.Pearland Motorcycle Accident Injuries and the Challenges They Pose
Any accident can result in injuries that may make your life very complicated very quickly. In the case of motorcycle accidents, victims often sustain severe injuries that impact their ability to work normally after the accident. Motorcycles offer no protection to the rider. While wearing protective gear, including a helmet, can reduce the risk of many types of injuries, motorcycle riders may still face substantial risk in the event of a collision.#1. Head Injuries/TBI
Many motorcycle accident victims, even those who wear helmets routinely when out on the road, suffer from traumatic brain injury in their accidents. TBI can make it incredibly difficult for victims to take care of themselves, engage in their usual activities, or go back to work. Depending on the severity of TBI, for example, it may make it impossible for victims to focus on the task in front of them. They might have a hard time keeping their attention on what they need to complete. They might have memory deficits, including challenges with short-term memory, that make it very difficult for them to engage in their usual pursuits: video games, work assignments, and even conversations can all prove very difficult with short-term memory loss. In addition, traumatic brain injury may impact the victim’s emotional regulation. Some victims go to extremes with their emotional reactions, which may make it more difficult for them to interact with people, either in their personal lives or as part of their job duties.#2. Back and Neck Injuries
Motorcycle accident victims in Pearland can suffer significant complications from back and neck injuries. Back and neck injuries often make it impossible for victims to get around normally immediately after the accident. They may have a hard time standing or sitting for long periods, or they might struggle to take care of any lifting or bending as part of their usual job tasks. That lack of ability to take on those tasks can prove particularly difficult for patients who usually work in warehouse environments or who take care of a great deal of heavy lifting as part of their jobs. Sometimes, Pearland motorcycle accident victims may suffer from spinal cord injuries, which can cause complete paralysis below the injury. Spinal cord injury victims often, in many circumstances, lose some function in the organs below the injury, which can cause a variety of health complications and the need for ongoing treatment.#3. Amputations
When motorcycle accidents lead to limb amputations, motorcycle accident victims may have to relearn how to perform many of the activities they once took for granted. While some amputees choose prosthetics to maintain a more normal appearance or improve mobility, especially in the case of prosthetic legs, those devices can prove extremely expensive, and it may take time for the patient to fully adapt to them. Limb amputations can mean a long road to recovery, including considerable time in physical therapy.#4. Broken Bones
Motorcycle accidents frequently involve multiple broken bones due to crushing damage or impact damage. Even a single broken bone may, in many cases, mean a long road to recovery, including decreased overall activity levels and difficulty engaging in the activities that normally make up the victim’s daily life. Multiple broken bones may make it impossible for the victim to work or lead to the need for multiple medical procedures. In some cases, victims with multiple broken bones may require considerable assistance with basic self-care and other tasks of daily living.#5. Road Rash
When a motorcycle rider’s skin scrapes across the pavement, it can strip that skin away, leaving friction burns, also known as road rash, behind. Patients with severe road rash may have many of the same symptoms as burn patients, including a high risk of infection both due to the loss of that protective layer of skin and any foreign matter in the wound. Road rash can also cause permanent scarring, which may mean psychological difficulty for some victims.Determining Liability Following a Pearland Motorcycle Accident
Determining liability can prove extremely important following a Pearland motorcycle accident. To seek compensation for your injuries, you must work with a lawyer to identify the party that caused the accident and your injuries. That may mean a negligent driver who checked his phone instead of his blind spot or a driver who simply failed to note the presence of a motorcycle before he changed lanes. It could mean a speeding driver who did not have adequate time to stop when he realized that you filled the lane in front of him. Because motorcycle riders have to learn to remain vigilant on the road to decrease the risk of accident when another driver engages in negligent behavior, liability often rests with the other driver, though you may find yourself fighting the insurance company’s intrinsic bias to prove it. However, other entities may also share liability for your motorcycle accident and your injuries:- The other driver’s employer. If you had an accident with a driver on the clock, your lawyer may want to evaluate the driver’s employer’s policies and procedures, which could show that the company negligently pushed its drivers to engage in dangerous activities.
- The vehicle manufacturer. If a mechanical error caused the crash, the manufacturer of the defective vehicle either yours or the other driver’s may share liability for the crash.
- A mechanic that did work on those vehicles recently. Mechanics who cause damage to a vehicle during repairs that result in an accident, or who claim that they completed work on a vehicle that they did not complete, may bear liability for accidents caused by those negligent behaviors.
Pearland Motorcycle Accident FAQs
You suffered severe injuries in a Pearland motorcycle accident. Now, you have questions about your next steps or your right to compensation. Contact Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, today to learn more about your rights.1. What should I do to protect myself after a Pearland motorcycle accident?
Many people do not realize how much their actions, including their immediate actions after a Pearland motorcycle accident, can impact their ability to pursue compensation for their injuries. However, by following the right steps, you can protect yourself both financially and physically.Report the accident to the Pearland Police Department.
Any time you have an accident that involves an injury or significant property damage, you should contact the Pearland Police Department to report the accident The police will arrive at the scene, take statements from both drivers (or, in the case of single-vehicle accidents, from the driver involved in the accident), and offer a basic assessment, through the police report, of what caused the accident. That police report can help establish exactly when the accident took place and which drivers suffered property damage. That police report can make it much easier to prove the immediate details of the accident. The police report will also serve as the first indication of who caused the accident. While not every police report always contains accurate information, that report can serve as vital evidence in a motorcycle accident claim.Make sure you receive medical attention for any injuries.
You have several options for pursuing medical attention in and around Pearland, including Pearland Medical center and Memorial Hermann Pearland Hospital. You can also choose to pursue treatment at HCA Houston Healthcare Pearland. Furthermore, you may have access to urgent care centers throughout the area. Take advantage of medical care. Do not forgo medical attention, even if you think that you may have escaped serious injury. Having a medical professional look you over ensures that you do not miss critical injuries and that you have an accurate record of exactly when those injuries occurred, which can make it easier for you to file your claim after a Pearland motorcycle accident.Contact an attorney to make sure you know your rights.
Any time you suffer injuries in an accident, an attorney can help you learn more about your rights, including your right to compensation. If you wait to contact an attorney, you may find yourself wrestling with the insurance company and struggling to get the full compensation you deserve for your motorcycle accident injuries. With an attorney on your side, on the other hand, you may feel much more confident about your ability to secure the compensation you deserve.2. When do I need to contact a motorcycle accident lawyer in Pearland?
If you suffered injuries in your motorcycle accident, you likely need an attorney on your side. Ideally, you should contact a motorcycle accident lawyer as soon after your accident as possible. You may find that having a lawyer on your side early on makes it much easier for you to handle many of the challenges that could come your way. An attorney can even help you navigate things like the initial settlement offer from the other driver’s insurance company or questions you might have about how to put together a report of what led to your accident. If you chose not to get in touch with a lawyer immediately after the accident, you may need to get in touch with a lawyer when:- You discover that the insurance company plans to dispute liability, trying to prove that you caused or contributed to the accident.
- You have trouble getting the insurance company to acknowledge the full extent of your injuries and the compensation you deserve as a result.
- You have questions about your right to compensation.
- You get a fast and often low settlement offer from the other driver’s insurance company.
- The insurance company pressures you to respond fast to any offer. That pressure could indicate that the insurance company has issued an unfair offer that does not actually reflect your needs.
3. How much compensation should I expect from my Pearland motorcycle accident claim?
No lawyer can promise you the exact compensation you will recover from your motorcycle accident. The compensation you ultimately recover can depend on the insurance policy that covers the liable party. However, Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers can calculate the compensation you might expect for your motorcycle accident injuries, including the basic elements that often make up that compensation.What injuries did you sustain, and what did your medical costs look like as a result?
Your medical costs serve as a vital foundation that helps determine how much compensation you will generally recover for your motorcycle accident injuries. They often include the greatest financial losses you find yourself contending with after the accident. You may have costs for emergency medical care, long-term hospitalization, or future anticipated medical care that can grow to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars after your motorcycle accident. To determine how much compensation you may deserve, a lawyer will look at those medical bills. Your medical bills may also indicate the severity of your injuries, which can serve as a factor as you move forward with your claim.How much time did your Pearland motorcycle accident cause you to miss at work?
When you suffer severe injuries, you will likely face considerable missed time at work afterward. Some injuries simply prevent you from working. You may need to spend time entirely focused on your recovery. If you have to remain in the hospital, for example, you might not have the capacity to complete any work at all. Even if you do not spend considerable time in the hospital after your accident, you may have to spend time at home, recovering. Your employer may encourage you to remain there until you can safely and competently come back to work. Those lost hours at work can mean a major financial burden. The more time you spend out of work, the less income you have coming in. Worse, your income may not simply go back to normal as soon as you can set foot back in the office. You may have to miss time at work because of your ongoing medical needs, because you do not have the stamina to work a full shift the way you did before your accident, or because you cannot complete the same job duties you did before the accident. Most motorcycle accident claims will include compensation for the wages you lost due to your injuries.What kind of suffering did your motorcycle accident injuries cause?
Serious injuries not only mean significant physical suffering, but they can mean immense emotional anguish, too. Due to your injuries, you may have a hard time taking care of yourself, which can leave you suffering from the loss of independence. Your injuries may cause you to miss out on much-anticipated events and activities, or you may have a hard time with the loss of certain tasks you could normally perform with ease. Sometimes, motorcycle accident injuries can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and PTSD. All of those impacts may not add up financially, but they can certainly mean a significant loss. A lawyer can help you determine how to include those non-financial elements as the critical parts of your claim that they represent.4. What should I do about my medical bills after a Pearland motorcycle accident?
You may know that the party that caused your accident bears some liability when it comes to taking care of your expenses after an accident, but who has to pay those bills? As the injured party, you will need to pay your medical bills following a Pearland motorcycle accident. However, you do have options to make your life easier.Use your PIP insurance.
If you have a motor vehicle, including a motorcycle, in Texas, you likely have PIP insurance alongside the rest of your policy. Texas law requires you to sign a waiver to forego PIP coverage, which must offer a minimum of $2,500 in compensation for medical expenses and lost wages following an accident. Your PIP insurance can take effect regardless of which driver caused the motorcycle accident. That means you can use PIP coverage even if you caused the accident, or if the insurance company slows down the process by disputing liability. Contact your insurance provider and ask about what coverage you have under your policy, particularly if you need to use your PIP coverage to cover some of the cost of lost wages following your accident.Utilize your health insurance.
If you carry health insurance, it can offer vital protection following any type of accident, including a motorcycle accident. Your medical insurance provider can let you know what coverage you have for the essentials of your care, including potential in-home care costs or the ongoing cost of physical therapy following your accident. Knowing what your medical insurance will cover can also help you shape your treatments according to the coverage offered by your specific provider.File a motorcycle accident claim.
A personal injury claim will not require the party that caused your accident, or that driver’s insurance company, to cover the cost of your medical bills directly. Rather, a personal injury claim will put the money you deserve in compensation for your injuries back in your hands. You can then use those funds to cover the cost of medical care associated with your accident, which may make it easier for you to manage a full recovery without having to worry about your medical expenses.5. Can I file a motorcycle accident claim in Pearland if I did not have a motorcycle helmet on at the time of my accident?
Texas law requires drivers and riders under the age of 21 to wear a helmet any time they get on a motorcycle, but riders over the age of 21, according to Texas law, can forego helmet use if they have the right certification and/or insurance coverage. However, that does not make riding without a helmet safe or practical. If you fail to wear a motorcycle helmet while riding, you may substantially increase your risk of suffering a traumatic brain injury. However, the increased risk does not mean that you do not have the right to file a motorcycle accident claim. If another driver’s negligent actions caused your motorcycle accident, even if you suffered a traumatic brain injury due in part to a lack of helmet use, you may have the right to compensation for those injuries. Contact an attorney to ask more questions about your rights and how to move forward with a claim if you did not wear a helmet.6. How long does it take to file a motorcycle accident claim in Pearland?
You should not expect a motorcycle accident claim to move quickly, no matter how much you might like to have those funds in hand. First, both sides will need to investigate the accident. In cases of disputed liability, the insurance company and your lawyer may need more time to conduct an in-depth investigation. The insurance company may also want to investigate the extent of your injuries, while your lawyer may recommend waiting until you have had time to recover from those injuries and get a better idea of what your future medical bills might look like, before moving forward with your claim. Finally, you will need to go through negotiation to arrive at a settlement agreement, which can take considerable time. If you have to take your claim to court, it may take even longer to get compensation for your motorcycle accident injuries. Having a lawyer on your side can help streamline the claim process.Contact Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers for Help With Your Pearland Motorcycle Accident Claim
If you suffered severe injuries in a Pearland motorcycle accident, you need a lawyer to help guide you through the claim process and fight for your best interests, not the insurance company’s. The legal team of Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, is nationally recognized for protecting the rights of injured victims for more than 20 years. If you were injured in a Pearland motorcycle accident, call our office right now for a free consultation! Because we take all of our motorcycle accident 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 call us today at 800-898-4877 or contact us now by clicking here. Let us help you get your life back.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.