About Motorcycle Accidents

Since motorcyclists are not in an enclosed vehicle, they face a far greater risk of being involved in an injurious or fatal accident – the only thing between a biker and the pavement is their protective gear. If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident in San Antonio, it’s important to choose an experienced attorney who understands how to handle these difficult cases. The knowledgeable lawyers at Carabin Shaw can help.

A motorcycle crash is a multifaceted event involving the interaction of humans, vehicles, and other environmental factors. While no two motorcycle incidents are alike, what they all have in common is that all motorcycle crashes are violent occurrences. Over 80 percent of all reported motorcycle accidents result in injury or death to the motorcyclist. In fact, motorcyclists' risk of a fatal crash is nearly 28 times greater than that of a passenger vehicle.

In 2021, motorcycles made up 3% of all road vehicles registered in the United States. As of the most recent Department of Transportation report, there were 9,881,414 motorcycles registered to individuals nationwide. The fact that there are so many motorcycles on the road in America means that motorcycle accidents happen every day, often with disastrous consequences for those involved.

Reasons Motorcycle Accidents Result in More Injuries

Learn about motorcycle accidents and the reasons that motorcycle accidents have a much higher injury and fatality rate than other types of auto accidents:

• The motorcycle itself provides no skull or body protection to the rider or passenger
  • Unlike cars, motorcycles don’t have crumple zones or airbags.
• Ejected riders often strike objects in their uncontrollable path of travel before hitting the ground at high speeds
• Not all motorcyclists ride wearing proper protective gear, especially helmets
  • Approximately half of motorcyclists ride without safety helmets
• Motorcycles’ smaller size can make them difficult for other drivers to see, especially at night
• Road hazards like loose gravel can cause motorcycles to lose control of their bikes
• Lane splitting
  • When motorcyclists drive between the painted lines between lanes in order to get around slow cars, they’re lane splitting (which is illegal in some states). When lane splitting is done improperly – in quickly moving traffic – it can lead to a wreck.

Motorcycle Accidents - More Serious and More Expensive

More often than not, motorcycle injuries are more expensive and serious than other vehicular accidents because of the greater severity of the injuries (and longer rehabilitation periods) that motorcyclists endure. Most motorcycle accidents result in injuries requiring hospitalization. Comprehensive insurance industry data shows that:

• According to data from NHTSA, 80 percent of all reported motorcycle crashes result in serious injuries - and a lack of helmet use can sometimes make these conditions more severe. Long term, about 10 percent of all injuries stemming from motorcycle crashes result in permanent, disabling conditions.
• In the US alone, 22% of motorcycle crash incidents result in an injury that causes paralysis.
• NHTSA data shows that spinal cord injuries are the second largest cause of bikers in rehabilitation care, next to brain trauma, and require the longest hospital stay. Of bikers who suffered a spinal injury, 20% were left with permanent complications, while 10% died.

If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident, it’s crucial to choose an experienced San Antonio cycle crash attorney who knows how to handle your case. You need a lawyer who knows the ins and outs of Texas’ helmet laws, as well as knowledge of traffic laws, manufacturer recalls, and other relevant statutes that could impact the case. Our in-depth knowledge about motorcycle accidents in San Antonio will help you build the strongest possible case and get the compensation you deserve.

Whether you were injured in a motorcycle accident or the driver of the passenger vehicle involved in a motorcycle crash, our experienced attorneys serving San Antonio can help you in the aftermath of your accident. Call us today for a free consultation with our lawyers at 800-862-1260.

To learn more about motorcycle accidents, visit. Visit with our Carabin Shaw main office in San Antonio for an initial free consultation.

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