This Blog was brought to you by the Carabin Shaw Law Firm, Principal Office in San Antonio

MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT LAW

If You Were Hurt in a Motorcycle Accident, You Can Discuss Your Case With Our Local Lawyers.

Passenger cars and trucks represent the most significant number of vehicle accidents in Texas by far; mishaps involving motorcycles on highways and streets regularly occur here in Texas. The accident attorneys at our Law Office have over 20 years of experience negotiating settlements and trying cases for people who have been injured in accidents involving motorcycles on our streets. We have the know-how to devise a strategy from the unique circumstances that surround your case and win fair compensation for damages from the accident that left you with a severe injury and produced a pile of bills, the possible need for long-term care to assure recovery, lost wages, pain, suffering, even wrongful death. To that end, we hope this information page will help you better appreciate the legal options available to you and their value in helping you win your liability case or rightful insurance settlement. If you are like most motorcycle accident victims, you are probably not sure if you need an attorney, OR you have reached a point where you are tired of dealing with the insurance company and are ready to move on to take the next step. Either way, our experienced team of motorcycle accident injury lawyers here at our Law Office is here to help you understand how to make the most of your legal rights. More on this webpage

The Inherent Biases A Texas Motorcycle Accident Victim Must Deal With on the Road to Fair Injury Compensation
The difference between motorcycle and car accidents goes much deeper than the obvious ones. Aside from the significant differences in the amount, and degree, of injuries, a motorcyclist must deal with after an accident at 30 miles an hour, as opposed to passengers in a car or pickup at that same speed, motorcycle accidents are falsely believed to be the same as car accidents in legal terms when this is not the case. Many in our industry believe, and reasonably so that a motorcycle rider who is injured in an accident starts with a massive disadvantage because the insurance companies have a negative bias toward motorcyclists by default. This bias quickly becomes apparent the moment an injured biker files a claim. This inflexible thinking can cloud motorcycle accident cases and make settling them with an insurance company or litigating them in civil court much more complex than passenger car accidents. Because you can be confident that if they end up in a trial, the lawyers for that insurance company will make sure they hammer this bias home to a receptive jury.

Our clients are family at our Law Office, and we empathize with your struggles. Contact us (toll-free) for a free consultation and find out how we can help you and your family fight for your legal rights.

Tractor-Trailer Underride Accident Attorney

Truck underride accidents occur when a passenger car, usually its front, collides with a large truck or the trailer of a tractor-trailer and runs under the truck or trailer. An underride accident is also called an underrun accident. The space between the bottom of the semi-truck and the ground is called the undercarriage. The undercarriage also specifies the space between the road surface and the bottom of any vehicle. The space between the undercarriage of a passenger car is typically only inches to a foot or more from the ground. Sports cars often have an even smaller undercarriage. On the other hand, the bed of a tractor-trailer is often almost four feet above the ground. In an underride accident, the passenger car can go under the trailer, sometimes tearing off the roof and killing the occupants inside. Annually, there are thousands of fatal accidents in rear underride, and about 500 people are killed in side underride collisions.

Unfortunately, dirt on trucks often covers the reflective tape, and the requirement for underride guards applies only to new trucks, so many trucks on our roads have not been retrofitted with them. In some cases, underride guards are not strong enough to stop passenger cars’ engine blocks, preventing cars from under-riding in rear collisions. There is still no requirement for side underride guards, and trucking companies do not appear willing to place them on tractor-trailers voluntarily. There are many reasons why underride accidents continue to occur. Conditions that increase the chance that an underride accident will occur include:
a poorly marked truck parked on the side of the road
slowing to exit the road
moving slowly as it enters the road
slowing for a railroad crossing

A slow-moving truck creates less contrast than a faster-moving truck and will be hard to perceive as an obstruction. One car could sideswipe or rear-end another vehicle, temporarily causing it to lose control and strike the truck underride. Other causes:
The truck driver failed to use reflective triangles when broken down or parked on or near the road.
The truck driver fails to use emergency flashers when exiting or entering the highway at slow speeds.
Broken, dim, or dirty taillights
Taillights that are very close together

Poor road lighting can make it difficult to see the outline of a trailer, especially if it is dark-colored. Reduced visibility, such as heavy rain or fog slick road conditions, increases the stopping distance for a car approaching a tractor-trailer. Additionally, a truck driver that tries to back across traffic, make a u-turn, or cross onto a street or highway increases the danger of a potential side underride truck accident. The truck driver may incorrectly assume that the truck is visible to oncoming drivers as the truck crosses the road. An underride truck accident or underrun truck accident is often a fatal accident. If not fatal, the traffic crash often leads to catastrophic personal injury, including head injury, brain injury, spinal cord injury, and/or paralysis.

If you or a family member was involved in an underride collision or underrun collision, contact our experienced personal injury attorneys. Motor vehicle accident cases involving trucks can be a complex and prompt investigation, and legal action is often required to protect consumer rights and position the case to achieve justice. Contact our accident attorneys today.