Motorcycle Accident Lawyer In Beaumont

Did you suffer severe injuries or was your loved one was killed in a motorcycle accident in Jefferson County? These accidents are tragic and happen far too often in our area. The Beaumont motorcycle accident attorneys of Portner Bond, PLLC fight to protect the rights of bikers and their families, and we are ready to listen to your story and be your voice. We’ve seen firsthand the impact that a crash can have on the victim and their loved ones, often through no fault of their own. Our attorneys will aggressively seek compensation from the negligent motorist, commercial truck driver, government entity, vehicle manufacturer, or any other party whose negligence caused you harm.

Our team has successfully secured vital compensation for motorcycle riders just like you, and we’ve represented the families of those killed in tragic crashes in Beaumont and across Jefferson County. Don’t trust the insurance companies to make things right, and don’t trust your case to a lawyer who has never handled motorcycle cases before. Turn to the team that so many others have trusted to get them the maximum compensation for their motorcycle accident case. Turn to Portner Bond, PLLC for help.

Do I Need a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?

You are going to want an attorney involved in your crash as soon as possible for many reasons. First, the lawyer can immediately begin an independent investigation into your accident to determine the cause, collect evidence, and identify all liable parties.

The second reason you want an attorney is so they can deal with the insurance company. Insurers are in business to make money, and that usually involves paying as little as possible to resolve a motorcycle accident claim.

Most insurance companies will try to find ways to pin the blame on a motorcyclist. One common way to achieve this goal is by getting a victim to admit to negligence during a recorded phone call unknowingly. For this reason, you should always refuse to provide any recorded statement until you have legal representation.

Another insurance company tactic is the lump sum settlement that is usually offered to a motorcyclist before they have even had the opportunity to contact a lawyer. While these offers may seem reasonable to some, it is essential to understand that significant medical costs, later on, may have to be paid out of a victim’s pocket after they have exhausted all of their settlement.

Finally, you’ll want an attorney on your side to protect your case and make sure that you get a fair chance at negotiation and trial if necessary. Motorcycles and those who own them are often unfairly viewed as rebels, outlaws, and irresponsible while on their bikes. This negative stereotype does not reflect the countless people who own and ride motorcycles responsibly and should not be used against them if someone else’s negligence hurt them. An experienced attorney will recognize this and attack that unfair and incorrect bias head-on, and will aggressively seek to build the most robust, most persuasive case on your behalf.

Why Choose Portner Bond, PLLC to Handle My Case?

Chris Portner is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Jefferson County Bar Association, State Bar of Texas, Jefferson County Young Lawyers Association, and American Association for Justice. He has been recognized in Texas Monthly in 2007 and 2008 as a rising star by Texas Super Lawyers (a Thomson Reuters service).

Trent Bond is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction earned by only about 10% of lawyers in Texas. He was recognized in Texas Monthly every year from 2011 to 2018 as a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Super Lawyers. Trent Bond is a former director of the Jefferson County Bar Association and the current vice president of the Jefferson County Bar Association.

The personal injury attorneys of Portner Bond, PLLC represent clients in Beaumont and many other surrounding areas, including Port Arthur, Orange, Port Neches, Groves, Baytown, Pasadena, Friendswood, Bronson, Conroe, Vidor, Galveston, Jasper, Sugar Land, Crystal Beach, Texas City, Humble, Nederland, The Woodlands, and Houston. Our firm also serves communities in Jefferson County, Tyler County, Chambers County, Liberty County, Orange County, Hardin County, Fort Bend County, Jasper County, and Galveston County.

Our firm will attempt to help you receive a full and fair settlement, but we are always preparing to take a case to trial. We do all of this on a contingency fee basis, meaning you do not pay us anything unless you get a monetary award.

Steps to Take After a Motorcycle Accident

If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident in Texas, here are a few steps you should take immediately to protect yourself and your liability:

1. Get to a safe place. If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident, you may be tempted to ignore your own safety to remove your motorcycle from the flow of traffic, even if you are injured or hurt. Take the safer route: leave the scene of the wreck and the damaged vehicle, and get to a safe spot where you can check for injuries and determine your next steps.
2. Get emergency medical attention. Even if you don’t appear to be injured, contact emergency medical services immediately. Give them the location, the apparent details of the accident, and the current condition of anyone involved in the accident. Be sure to be seen by a medical provider to have your condition evaluated.
3. Get insurance information. Get the name, contact information, and policy number of any other insured motorists involved in the accident.
4. Don’t talk about it. Even apologizing to anyone else involved in the accident can be taken as an admission of guilt, so watch what you say to anyone else in the vicinity.
5. Start the documentation process. Start documenting the accident right away. Take photos of the wreck, photos of the surrounding area, photos of your injuries, if you can, and photos of any authorities or medical personnel on-site. If you’re treated for injuries, request a report of the treatment. If police arrive and start a report on the accident, make sure and request a copy. The more documentation you have, the easier it will be for Portner Bond, PLLC to negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf.

What Kind of Damages Can I Receive?

Because each accident is different, it’s nearly impossible to give an accurate dollar amount of what monetary damages might be available to a motorcycle accident victim in Texas without examining the details of your case. The amount of damages you might receive depends on a few different factors:

• Severity of your injuries. The general rule of thumb is the more severe the injury, the more damages can be paid out. More severe injuries mean more medical bills, more lost time, more burdens on our family and loved ones.
• Medical expenses. Not only are you eligible for compensation for the medical expenses for the initial treatment of the injuries you sustained in a motorcycle accident, but you can also obtain money for costs like rehabilitation, hospital stays, treatment for mental stress, or medication.
• Damage to your motorcycle. Again, the greater the physical damage to your bike, the more damages you should try and obtain. This is a common-sense judgment. If your accident involved scraped body work, a broken mirror and a sprained wrist, you’re going to get less monetary damages than you would from an accident that involved several broken bones and a bike that’s been totaled by your insurance company.
• Lost pay/lost opportunity. Monetary damages aren’t just for the real expenses incurred as a result of an accident. They’re also intended to compensate for time lost at home and at work. Being severely injured after a motorcycle accident means you can’t work, which can mean lost wages, and it means you might miss out on other activities like spending time with your family or following through with planned events, like vacations.
• Pain and suffering. Injuries from a motorcycle accident aren’t just physical. Debilitating stress and mental strain are common after a traumatic experience. Damages for pain and suffering are designed to compensate for the added toll a motorcycle accident takes on your overall well-being.

What Does a Motorcycle Accident Investigation Process Look Like?

A motorcycle accident is never simple. With the increased risk of injury to the rider of the motorcycle and the likelihood of severe damage to at least one vehicle, investigating a motorcycle accident and determining who was at fault can be a lengthy process. Having an attorney by your side that specializes in investigating accidents of this type can help the process move much faster and tip the odds in your favor when negotiating a settlement with an insurance company.

Motorcycle accident investigations typically follow a set format:

1. Evidence gathering. An investigation starts with obtaining all material evidence relating to the accident. This includes police reports, medical records, photos of the crash, anything that might give insight into what happened at the scene.
2. Interviews. The next step is to contact any and all witnesses to the crash and interview them about their experience. The more witness testimony a lawyer can gather stating that you were not at fault, the more likely an insurance company is to approve a claim for damages.
3. Accident recreation. Next we may recreate the events leading up to and after the accident to determine how the accident happened. This can be done at the scene or through visual aids and can assist an attorney in deciding what details can be added to any insurance claims.
4. Record your statement. An attorney might also ask you to go on the record with your recollection of the events leading up to the accident.

How Much Does a Motorcycle Accident Attorney Cost?

Although the cost of hiring a skilled attorney can be substantial, Portner Bond, PLLC understands that accidents happen when we least expect them, and not everyone has ready access to the funds needed to retain a lawyer. Portner Bond, PLLC operates on a contingency-fee basis, meaning that we only get paid for our work if you are offered a cash settlement or are awarded damages in court. No money is due upfront for our service. If we’re not able to get you any money, you don’t pay a dime.

Types of Motorcycle Accident Cases We Handle

Motorcycle accidents are frequently complicated. No two accidents are the same, and some of the common causes include, but are not limited to:

• Rear-End Accidents
• Driver Fatigue
• Drunk or Drugged Driving Accidents
• Distracted Driving Accidents
• Left or Right Turn Accidents
• Lane Change Accidents
• Intersection Accidents

Motorcycle crashes do not always involve other vehicles. Some crashes are isolated incidents, and drivers are usually blamed even though they were not responsible for the accidents.

A motorcycle accident could be caused by a defective roadway or other hazardous highway conditions, which could make a governmental entity liable. A defective motorcycle part could make the part manufacturer responsible. An improperly repaired motorcycle might make a maintenance company liable.

All motorcycle accidents have the potential to cause very real and lasting injuries. Some of the most common include, but are not limited to:

• Internal organ injuries
• Lacerations
• Neck injuries
• Paralysis
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Fractures
• Road rash
• Spinal cord injuries

When a motorcyclist is killed in a crash, their family members can often file a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent party or parties.

Motorcycle Accidents in Texas: By the Numbers

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) reported that there were 505 fatal motorcycle crashes in 2017, 204 of which occurred in rural areas and 301 of which occurred in urban areas. There were 2,010 suspected serious injury motorcycle crashes in 2017, 756 of which occurred in rural areas and 1,254 of which occurred in urban areas. There were 3,179 non-incapacitating injury motorcycle crashes in 2017, 890 of which occurred in rural areas and 2,289 of which occurred in urban areas. There were 1,866 possible injury motorcycle crashes in 2017, 425 of which occurred in rural areas and 1,441 of which occurred in urban areas. There were 1,107 non-injury motorcycle crashes in 2017, 303 of which occurred in rural areas and 804 of which occurred in urban areas. There were 119 unknown injury motorcycle crashes in 2017, 31 of which occurred in rural areas and 88 of which occurred in urban areas.

A September 2016 report from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute found that while motorcycles comprise a relatively small proportion (2%) of the total motor vehicles in operation, their operators and passengers account for a considerable proportion (12% in 2015) of all fatal crashes annually in Texas. The increase in the raw number of motorcycle crashes over time (445,885 in 2013, 477,308 in 2014, and 506,729 in 2015) was “likely correlated with the increase in population observed in Texas in recent years, and the resulting increases in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) that typically track alongside increases in population.”

Contact a Beaumont Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today

Portner Bond, PLLC believes strongly in helping individuals harmed by the negligence of others, and we will work tirelessly to help you get all of the compensation that you are entitled to. If you were hurt in a motorcycle crash in the Beaumont area, you can have our attorneys provide a complete evaluation of your case as soon as you call Portner Bond, PLLC or contact us online to set up a free consultation.