Motorcycle Safety and Awareness

While you may feel tempted to ride out on a beautiful day without any preplanning or thought about where the road will take you, preparation is one of the best ways to avoid a motorcycle injury from a motor vehicle accident.

Some considerations to take before you head out for the day or an extended trip include:

  • Look at the 24-hour weather forecast - While it might be sunny and beautiful right now, what is the prediction for this afternoon? Is rain or wind in the forecast? We all know that in Texas, the weather can change quickly and without warning. Being aware of how the day might progress can help you stay out of a potentially dangerous storm.
  • Make yourself visible to other drivers - Even though it is the responsibility of other drivers to notice motorcycles, one of the best ways to stay safe on the road is to increase your chances of other drivers seeing you. Drivers of cars and trucks can easily overlook a motorcycle that is attempting to pass them. By wearing a motorcycle helmet and bright colors while on your motorcycle, you increase the possibility that drivers will see you on the road.
  • Stay sober - This one goes without saying, but is still worth repeating—never ride a motorcycle after you have consumed alcohol or drugs that can impair your judgment. Driving drunk is illegal, but more importantly, it is incredibly dangerous to you and everyone else on the road. If you are found to be intoxicated after a motorcycle accident in Dallas, even if the crash was not your fault, being under the influence will make it harder to win your case.
  • Stay in your lane and always observe the speed limit - Some riders weave in and out of traffic without regard for safety or the speed limit. Avoid this behavior at all costs. Larger vehicles may not see a speeding motorcycle in time to react. When a motorcycle weaves in and out of a lane, other drivers often become confused and attempt to overcorrect by getting out of the way. When people cannot predict your actions, they might change lanes and cut you off, resulting in a dangerous accident with severe injuries. Always drive the speed limit and keep up with traffic to avoid a serious accident.

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer, Stewart J. Guss

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How to Recognize Dangerous Drivers on the Road

Other drivers on the road owe you a duty of reasonable care—they are obligated to drive in a safe way that prevents injury to others.

While this duty of care is meant to protect people from dangerous drivers, it’s still common to see careless drivers who fail to obey traffic signs, aren’t driving the speed limit, and generally drive dangerously.

Since you only have control over your motorcycle, learn to recognize the signs of dangerous drivers so you can avoid them and avoid a potential motorcycle wreck. These include:

  • Speeding and tailgating - It’s likely that drivers who don’t observe the speed limit are either in a hurry, not paying attention to their surroundings, or both. Speeding and tailgating are especially dangerous to those who ride motorcycles. These are signs of aggressive and negligent drivers who are more concerned with getting to a destination quickly rather than the safety of those around them.
  • Swerving in and out of a lane - If you see a vehicle drifting in and out of a lane for no apparent reason, watch out. These behaviors often indicate that a driver is intoxicated, drowsy, or distracted. These drivers are especially dangerous around motorcycles because if they aren’t paying attention or staying in their lane, they may fail to notice a motorcycle riding next to them.
  • Failing to use turn signals before changing lanes or turning at a traffic light or stop sign - A driver who doesn’t use a turn signal before switching lanes or turning is dangerous for those on motorcycles. When you’re riding in traffic, you can sometimes predict the actions of the cars around you. Unfortunately, many motorcycle accidents are caused by people switching lanes or turning without signaling.

If you believe that someone is driving in an unsafe manner, pull over to the side of the road or exit as soon as you can. Then, call the Dallas police or Texas Highway Patrol to report the dangerous driver.

Being proactive not only reduces your own risk of harm, but you could potentially help others on the road as well.

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The Importance of a Medical Evaluation After an Accident

After an accident, you may feel tempted to simply walk away if you think you didn’t incur any serious injuries.

Unfortunately, those who don’t seek immediate medical attention after an accident greatly reduce their chances of gaining fair compensation for their damages if symptoms emerge in the days after the crash.

It’s not uncommon for accident victims to try to monitor their injuries and assume that they can just wait to see a doctor a week later if they aren’t improving. Waiting is a mistake that the insurance companies will attempt to take advantage of.

Let’s say that you are involved in an accident and walk away from the accident scene feeling a bit out of sorts, but can stand up and go home.

Maybe you have a few scrapes and bruises, but as far as you know, you don’t have any serious injuries. Then, a few days after your accident, you develop a pounding headache and have a difficult time remembering things.

You go to get checked out by the doctor and find out that you’re showing all the signs of a traumatic brain injury.

A TBI is a common injury after a motorcycle accident, even for those who wear a helmet. It is also incredibly dangerous and will probably need close monitoring and could lead to a permanent condition.

Waiting to see a doctor after a Dallas motorcycle wreck can hurt your personal injury claim. The insurance adjuster assigned to your accident case will look for any way to reduce the compensation you are entitled to receive.

If you wait to see a medical professional, there is a good chance that the insurance carrier will argue that you were not seriously injured after the accident.

An adjuster might even attempt to claim that since you waited a week to get checked out, something else caused your TBI.

Don’t risk your health, let alone your case— go to the emergency room or urgent care to see a doctor right away after you’re in an accident

In addition to seeking immediate medical attention after an accident, follow your doctor’s prescribed treatment plan.

By failing to do so, the insurance companies can argue that your accident injury wasn't that severe or that it already healed since you are no longer treating it.

If you think that your treatment plan isn’t working, talk to your doctor or consider getting a second opinion.

To lock down your best possible chance to fight against the manipulation tactics of the insurance carrier, you must call an experienced Dallas injury law firm that you trust to talk about your options.

A Texas motorcycle accident lawyer can manage all communications with the insurance company so that you don’t have to worry about saying something that might hurt the worth of your motorcycle accident case.

Our team of motorcycle accident attorneys and legal professionals at Trust Guss Injury Lawyers, have many years of experience dealing directly with insurance companies, and we understand what you’re going through after your motorcycle accident.

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How to Select a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

While you might recognize that working with an attorney can help your motorcycle accident claim, choosing the best motorcycle accident attorney familiar with how Texas law protects motorcycle riders is not always easy.

This is one piece in the process that you have total control over. You will work closely with your legal team, so make sure that you hire a firm that you trust and feel like you can have a positive working relationship with.

At Trust Guss Injury Lawyers, our team of legal professionals offers free case consultations. This helps us get to know you and helps you learn more about us.

We encourage you to prepare for this meeting so that after our conversation, you will have a clear and confident idea of how we can help with your claim.

Here are a few questions that you might want to ask during your initial consultation:

  • Can you tell me about your experience working with motorcycle accident cases?
  • What is your success rate on this type of case?
  • What are your legal fees and when will I be expected to pay these?
  • How long would you predict it will take to resolve my claim?
  • What happens if the insurance company or liable party can’t agree on a settlement?

These are some common questions our clients have asked us in the past, and we encourage you to think about your case and generate a few of your questions as well. The more prepared you are going into your consultation, the more confident you will feel during it.

Speak With a Dallas Personal Injury Attorney Lawyer Today

The aftermath of a motorcycle accident can leave victims devastated and confused. If you sustained an injury, you can face the severe challenge of focusing on anything beyond the day-to-day efforts of your recovery.

Medical bills, ongoing physical therapy, and future economic and non-economic damages can quickly add up, putting a financial strain on an already difficult situation.

If you were involved in a motorcycle accident and believe another party caused the accident, contact an experienced law firm that can review the details of your case.

Between calls from the insurance company, frequent doctor checkups, and reduced wages due to time off work, the impact of an accident can overwhelm anybody.

While you focus on rest and recovery, get a legal advocate in your corner who can handle the details of your claim.

Stewart J. Guss and his team of Dallas motorcycle accident lawyers and legal professionals are dedicated to a client-first philosophy.

We remain committed to protecting the rights of our clients and are determined to maximize the value of your claim.

For more than 20 years, we have protected the rights of motorcycle accident victims. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, call our office right now for your free consultation.

Because we take all of our personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, you will not owe us anything unless we win your case.

We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so contact us today by CLICKING HERE.

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Guss, has a phenomenal Team and has hired great staff that is very caring! They are not too pushy but provide you with the information to make an informed decision. They are also really resourceful! Some of the staff have had real experiences that happened to them and were also taken great care of which prompted them to begin working for such a great law firm. Thank you Guss and Associates.

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Mr. Stewart Guss is such a kind and caring attorney. In a world of attorneys that is very difficult to maneuver these days he stands out from the crowd not only for his expertise but for his integrity. Should you need a personal injury attorney to help you with a case do not hesitate; Run and get his help. You won’t regret it!!

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The law office of Stewart J Guss has very friendly staff, and is always accurate and reliable.  They got me what I deserved and was fast and on point with the whole case. They keep you up-to-date with your case and return any calls you place to them in a timely manner.  They answer your questions and concerns appropriately for all parties involved.  I recommend Mr. Guss to anyone...

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