When two vehicles get into an accident, compensation typically hinges on who is at fault. However, it’s not always so straightforward when an accident involves a motorcycle—especially on Austin’s busy roads. Motorcycle accident cases often involve more severe injuries, complex insurance issues, and bias against motorcycle riders. These factors can make recovering full compensation harder than in a standard car crash. An experienced motorcycle accident lawyer from Lorenz & Lorenz Accident & Injury Lawyers PLLC understands why motorcycle accidents are more complicated than car accidents in Austin.
If you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident in Austin because of someone else’s negligence, we understand how overwhelming the physical, emotional, and financial fallout can be. Our legal team has handled many cases involving motorcycle crashes and can help you get the compensation you deserve if you've been injured.
We are here to help you navigate the complexities, protect your rights, and hold liable parties accountable for the serious injury you suffered. Working with an experienced attorney can make a difference in your recovery journey.
Why Are Motorcycle Accident Cases More Complicated?
Several factors come into play when seeking motorcycle accident damages, making these cases trickier to pursue. First of all, the damage from a motorcycle accident is almost always more catastrophic.
Consider that a car has four walls and a roof, while a motorcycle offers no external protection. For that reason, motorcycles are viewed as a riskier transportation option. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcyclists are 29 times as likely to be killed in an accident. This elevated risk comes up in nearly all motorcycle cases.
When reviewing your claim, insurance companies will try to use all of a motorcycle's risk factors against you. These could include how motorcycles are less visible to cars, more susceptible to road hazards, and ride on less stable platforms—factors that are particularly relevant on high-traffic Austin roads.
Also, since motorcycles can perform more high-risk maneuvers than other vehicles, such as passing between cars during congested rush-hour traffic, adjusters will almost always try accusing you of engaging in risky behavior, even if you weren’t.
By working with our Austin motorcycle accident attorneys, you can counter these strategies with solid evidence and expert testimony that paint the full picture of what really happened. We understand how motorcycle accidents occur and have experience demonstrating how another driver’s negligence—like distracted driving or failing to yield—was the true cause of a motorcycle crash.
Injuries and Compensation
As mentioned above, motorcycle accidents often result in more complex legal and medical situations than car accidents. The lack of protective barriers around riders means that even relatively minor collisions can lead to devastating injuries like traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, or loss of limbs. These catastrophic injuries typically require extensive long-term medical care, multiple surgeries, and comprehensive rehabilitation programs.
The complexity also extends to determining damages. While car accident claims often focus primarily on vehicle repair and immediate medical costs, motorcycle accident cases frequently need to account for lifetime medical expenses, permanent disability accommodations, lost wages and earning capacity, and significant changes to quality of life. The severity of injuries often pushes costs well beyond standard insurance policy limits.
Additionally, motorcycle accidents frequently involve unique factors like road hazards that might be minor for cars but dangerous for bikes, or visibility issues where other drivers claim they didn't see the motorcycle. These elements can complicate both the investigation and the process of establishing liability.
Proving Negligence
Proving negligence in motorcycle cases can be very challenging and another reason why they can be more complicated. Since a motorcycle’s design already makes it a riskier form of transportation, it’s easier for insurance companies to argue that an accident was not a result of negligence but due to motorcycle-related factors.
For example, the other side could claim that your motorcycle’s smaller size made it impossible to see, or its unstable platform caused it to lose control on Austin’s winding roads or near construction zones.
Our legal team at Lorenz & Lorenz Accident & Injury Lawyers PLLC knows how to collect the right evidence—such as witness statements, police reports, and accident reconstruction data—to show that the other driver’s careless actions caused the collision.
We’re familiar with the specific challenges motorcyclists face in Austin and across Central Texas, and we use that knowledge to build a strong case for our clients.
Understanding Duty of Care
Motorcycle accident cases often come down to proving that the other driver somehow violated their “duty of care.” All drivers in Texas must abide by a duty of care law, which holds them responsible for operating their vehicles safely and not putting other drivers on the road in unnecessary danger.
To prove negligence, you must show that the other driver violated their duty of care, that their violation led directly (or indirectly) to your accident, and that the accident caused your injury.
In Austin, where traffic congestion and road construction are common, it’s crucial to demonstrate exactly how the at-fault driver’s behavior created an unsafe situation. Attorneys draw on local knowledge, traffic camera footage, and detailed accident investigation methods to illustrate how the other driver’s breach of duty caused or contributed to your crash.
Shared Fault
How much of a role you played in causing your accident further complicates motorcycle cases. Texas law uses "modified comparative fault" to determine compensation for damages, meaning the total compensation you’re eligible for depends on how much of the accident was your fault.
Additionally, if you are 51% or more responsible for your accident, you’re not eligible for any compensation at all. A personal injury attorney familiar with handling motorcycle accident cases will work to reduce your liability to ensure you receive maximum compensation.
Knowledge of Local, State, and Federal Laws
Handling a motorcycle accident claim in Austin requires a deep understanding of multiple layers of law and regulation. A lawyer experienced in handling motorcycle crashes understands that these cases often center on how other motorists failed to properly share the road with bikers.
At the federal level, safety standards help establish baselines for how vehicles should operate safely together on roadways. This becomes particularly important when commercial vehicles are involved, as federal regulations place specific obligations on truck drivers regarding awareness of smaller vehicles like motorcycles.
Texas state law provides important protections for motorcyclists, giving them the same rights as other vehicles on the road. Here in Austin, local traffic ordinances create additional obligations for drivers to be aware of and yield to motorcycles. The city's Vision Zero initiatives and infrastructure standards can be relevant when road conditions or design play a role in the accident.
An attorney familiar with Travis County courts understands how local judges typically handle motorcycle cases and what evidence resonates with local juries. Their familiarity with Austin-Travis County EMS protocols and police reporting procedures can also help in documenting the full extent of injuries and establishing how other drivers failed to share the road properly with the motorcyclist.
This local knowledge, combined with an understanding of state and federal regulations, helps ensure motorcyclists receive full compensation when injured by negligent drivers.
Why You Need a Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Navigating the motorcycle accident claims process can be challenging on your own, especially if you’re seriously injured. That’s when you need an experienced motorcycle accident attorney to take on the fight for you. Our team of motorcycle accident experts at Lorenz & Lorenz Accident & Injury Lawyers PLLC will handle your entire case—from negotiating with insurance companies to gathering medical records—so you can concentrate on recovering from your injuries.
Whether you live in Downtown Austin or another part of Travis County, we’re committed to helping local riders seek justice after a devastating motorcycle crash. Don’t let the complexities of insurance claims or legal procedures stand in your way. Get your free case review from us today. We're on top of it!
