Houston Lawyers For Motorcycle Accidents Caused By Defective Roadways

If you were involved in a motorcycle accident due to a defective roadway, you should have an opportunity to seek compensation for your injuries. The Houston personal injury lawyers of Gibson Hill Personal Injury has experience representing accident victims in Houston and helping them hold the appropriate parties liable for the devastation they caused. We understand the trauma you may have experienced following the crash and want to ensure you’re able to recover and move forward with your life.

Defective roadways are often the result of poor design, insufficient maintenance, or lack of repairs. The entity responsible for maintaining a safe road for drivers could be to blame for your motorcycle accident. If so, they should be accountable for your injuries and the resulting cost of necessary medical treatment. At Gibson Hill Personal Injury, our dedicated team can handle your case from start to finish and fight for the justice you rightfully deserve.

For your free consultation to discuss the details of your case, call the Houston motorcycle accident attorneys of Gibson Hill Personal Injury at (713) 659-4000 right now.

Common Causes Of Defective Roadways

Dangerous roadways put drivers at risk and could result in significant injuries to vehicle occupants and motorcyclists when there’s an accident. The three major causes of defective roadways are:

Poor Maintenance

Specific entities are responsible for maintaining roads throughout a city. They must routinely inspect every street and promptly repair the damage that they find. Potholes, hazards or obstructions, and other dangerous conditions could result in a severe accident. If a motorcycle is the vehicle that crashes, the rider could suffer debilitating or even fatal injuries.

The most common examples of poor maintenance are:

• Hazards or debris in the road
• Potholes
• Cracked pavement
• Malfunctioning traffic signals and lights
• Faded paint markings
• Structural damage
• Damaged or missing signage

Construction Zones

Construction is necessary to build new roads in growing cities and fix the problems with existing roads. However, construction workers and their employers must take safety precautions to prevent causing motor vehicle accidents while working at the job sites. Common hazards found in construction areas that can result in motorcycle collisions include:

• Missing warning signs
• Lack of traffic cones and barriers
• Inadequate lighting
• Vehicles and equipment outside the specified work area
• Inadequate signage at sharp turns or lane shifts

Defective Design

Engineers, planners, and others are responsible for designing roadways to facilitate the flow of traffic. A flaw in the design could result in inherently dangerous roads that drivers can’t navigate safely. Common design defects include:

• Inadequate lighting
• Blind curves
• Obstructed or confusing traffic signals and signs
• Narrow lanes
• Lack of guardrails
• Insufficient shoulder
• Lack of warning signs before steep hills, sharp turns, or other dangerous areas

Gibson Hill Personal Injury is familiar with the many types of defective roadways that put drivers at risk every day. If any of these or another defect resulted in your injuries in a motorcycle accident, you should contact us immediately. We can investigate the cause of the crash and determine the party that should be held liable for your losses.

How To Determine Liability Following A Motorcycle Accident

It can often be a challenge to determine who’s at fault when an accident occurs on a defective roadway. You might think the entity responsible for maintaining the road should be held accountable, but another driver could be just as much to blame.

The parties that might be on the hook for providing you with financial compensation are below.

Another driver – Motorists should always proceed with caution when encountering road defects. If there’s a pothole or blind curve, they should adjust their speed and safely maneuver past or around the hazardous condition. A negligent driver could be liable for an accident if they speed or are otherwise careless, causing a collision with a motorcyclist.

Property and business owners – People and companies responsible for maintaining the exterior property around retail stores, restaurants, and other businesses should take precautions to ensure motorists’ safety. They should repair potholes in parking lots and other defects that could result in an accident. Failure to properly maintain the property could mean they are at fault for a motorcyclist’s injuries.

Government entities – Sovereign immunity typically prevents citizens from filing claims against the government for injuries. However, the Texas Tort Claims Act allows an accident victim to pursue compensation from a governmental entity if the at-fault employee:

• Was performing their job duties at the time of the crash; and
• They would be liable for the injured party’s losses if they were a private individual.

Companies hired by government entities – The government might employ a construction company to design new roadways and maintain existing ones. Any accidents that arise could become that company’s financial responsibility if they were at fault for the defects.

Common Injuries Sustained In Motorcycle Accidents

Defective roadways are dangerous to any vehicle driver. They’re especially hazardous to motorcyclists. Without the same protection afforded to vehicle occupants, a person riding their motorcycle could suffer severe injuries if an accident occurs. The result could be catastrophic if they collide with a car or truck.

The most common injuries motorcyclists sustain in accidents are:

• Loss of limb
• Paralysis
• Traumatic brain injury and other head and brain injuries
• Road rash
• Burns
• Lacerations
• Crush injuries, such as broken bones
• Back injuries
• Psychological damage
• Disability
• Death

Some injuries never heal and could lead to a permanent disability. You might continue to incur expenses while treating chronic pain or ongoing medical problems resulting from the crash. Medical bills often cause debt, and many people struggle to make ends meet while recovering from injuries.

At Gibson Hill Personal Injury, our legal team understands the hardships you might face and will fight to secure an amount of compensation that adequately covers your losses.

Your Case Begins Immediately After The Accident

One of the best ways to protect your rights after getting hurt in a motorcycle crash is to hire an experienced lawyer from Gibson Hill Personal Injury to represent you in your case. We can investigate the cause of the accident and locate crucial evidence to prove someone else was at fault for your injuries.

You’re likely unable to get up and walk around following the accident, so you might not have the capability to gather evidence at the scene. We can take on that responsibility. You should focus on medical treatment. Go to the hospital immediately so a doctor can evaluate your condition. Follow their instructions and seek ongoing medical care until you recover and your physicians release you.

You should forward any document you receive that’s related to your case to us. We will maintain your records and gather all necessary evidence to submit to the insurance company during your claim. We will need this documentation to prove another party caused the accident and should be liable for your resulting losses.

Compensating You For Your Losses Following A Motorcycle Accident

Texas allows accident victims to pursue compensation for their past and future losses from an accident if someone else was at fault. You could file a claim with the at-fault party’s liability insurance company.

If another driver is to blame for your injuries, you could seek a settlement from their auto insurer. State law requires minimum liability limits of $30,000 for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage.

When you file a liability claim, you could pursue the following losses:

• Lost wages
• Lost future earnings
• Medical bills
• Mental anguish
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Physical impairment or disfigurement
• Loss of household services
• Disability

However, if you discover that the other motorist doesn’t carry liability insurance, you might be entitled to compensation from your uninsured motorist (UM) insurance carrier. UM coverage is also available if the at-fault driver’s liability coverage doesn’t adequately compensate for your total losses. The losses to be recovered could include:

• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• Medical expenses
• Lost wages and earning capacity

If a government entity or another party was at fault for the defective roadway, you could file a claim with their general liability insurance company. Government agencies and businesses typically have some form of coverage that protects them when someone gets hurt due to their actions or negligence. Some entities are so large, however, that they self-insure, which means there will be no insurance company.

It can be confusing determining whether an insurance policy exists and how much coverage there is for an accident victim’s losses. Gibson Hill Personal Injury can assist you with this step of the process to ensure you receive the maximum available compensation you deserve.

Contact Gibson Hill Personal Injury For A Free Consultation

The legal team from Gibson Hill Personal Injury is proud of the reputation we have built over the years. When you hire us, you can expect quality legal services. You will never feel abandoned or ignored during your case. Our Houston personal injury attorneys believe in one-on-one attention and will never pass you off to a case manager or another staff member. We will always speak with you directly.

We are available 24/7 to discuss your case. We also have three office locations for your convenience. Gibson Hill Personal Injury will treat you with the respect you deserve and provide transparent communication from start to finish. You can depend on us to be your advocate during this traumatic experience and fight by your side until the very end.

If a defective roadway caused your injuries in a motorcycle accident in Houston, call the Houston motorcycle accident lawyers of Gibson Hill Personal Injury now at (713) 659-4000. We will meet you for a free consultation and advise you about your legal options for recovering compensation from the at-fault party.