Arlington Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Hit by a driver who didn't see you? Patterson Law Group knows Texas motorcycle law cold — the §661.003 helmet rule + §661.003(f) evidentiary bar, the §545.060 lane-splitting prohibition, and the UM/UIM stacking rules that fund rider claims. Local Arlington office on I-20.
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Arlington office — local attorneys who know Texas motorcycle law
Our Arlington office at 2310 W I-20 Suite 100 handles motorcycle cases regularly. We know Texas Transportation Code §661.003 (the helmet rule and the §661.003(f) evidentiary bar), Tex. Transp. Code §545.060 (lane usage and the no-lane-splitting rule), and the UM/UIM stacking rules that govern motorcycle claims in Texas. When you cannot come to the office, we come to you — at the hospital, at home, by phone, or by Zoom.
Why injured Arlington riders choose Patterson Law Group
Real trial lawyers
We try cases. Every Arlington motorcycle case is built for the courthouse from day one — preservation letters, ECM downloads on the at-fault vehicle, reconstruction experts, and depositions of the responsible driver.
$100 Million+ recovered
Three decades of trial-tested results for Texas families, including the highest Wrongful Death Settlement in Texas in 2024.
No fee unless we win
Free consultation. No obligation. Available 24/7. The firm advances investigation, expert, and litigation costs.
What to do after an Arlington motorcycle crash
- Get medical care immediately. Arlington has Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital (Level III trauma) and Medical City Arlington. JPS Health Network (Tarrant County's Level I trauma center) is 15 minutes west on I-30. Motorcycle crashes routinely produce concussions, fractures, internal bleeding, and road-rash infections that take time to fully present.
- Report the crash. Arlington PD handles inside-city crashes; DPS handles I-20, I-30, and SH-360. Get the case number.
- Photograph everything. The bike, the at-fault vehicle, the scene, license plates, sight lines from the driver's position, skid marks, debris pattern, your gear, and any visible injuries.
- Get witness contact info. Motorcycle cases turn on who-was-where evidence. Get a name and phone number before the witness leaves the scene.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver's insurance company. Their adjusters call within hours. Refer them to us.
- Call a lawyer before you sign anything. We send preservation-of-evidence letters within hours so dashcam, traffic-cam, and the at-fault vehicle's ECM data are locked down.
Texas motorcycle law — what Arlington riders should know
Two-year statute of limitations
Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003 gives you two years from the date of the crash to file most personal injury and wrongful death claims. Government-defendant claims may have shorter notice deadlines.
Modified comparative fault
Under §33.001, Texas follows a 51% bar rule. You can recover as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Defense lawyers push fault onto the rider — we push back with reconstruction evidence.
Paid or incurred medicals
§41.0105 limits medical-damages recovery to amounts actually paid or incurred. Careful documentation matters for clients treated at Texas Health Arlington Memorial, Medical City Arlington, or transferred to JPS.
Helmet rule and §661.003(f)
Texas Transportation Code §661.003 requires helmets generally but exempts riders 21+ who carry at least $10,000 in medical-insurance coverage or who completed a DPS-approved training course. §661.003(f) bars helmet status as evidence of negligence in a Texas civil case.
Lane splitting and lane usage
Texas Transportation Code §545.060 requires a motor vehicle to be driven within a single marked lane. Texas does not authorize lane splitting or lane filtering. We resist comparative-fault arguments built on lane-splitting allegations where the driver violated a separate rule of the road.
UM/UIM coverage for riders
UM and UIM coverage on your own auto or motorcycle policy fills the gap when the at-fault driver has no insurance or low limits. Texas insurers must offer UM/UIM unless rejected in writing. A resident relative's policy may also apply.
Exemplary damages
§41.003 permits exemplary damages on clear and convincing evidence of gross negligence. Drunk driving, racing, knowing distraction, and street racing support gross-negligence pleadings. §41.008 caps exemplary damages with statutory exceptions.
Wrongful Death Act
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 71 governs wrongful death and survival actions. Surviving spouse, children, and parents can recover for loss of love, companionship, and financial support. Survival actions belong to the estate for pain and medical bills the deceased experienced before death.
Arlington motorcycle hot spots
Arlington's mix of interstate freight traffic and recreational riding routes produces a predictable set of motorcycle case patterns. These show up most often:
- I-20 east-west across south Arlington. Mixed commercial and commuter traffic produces blind-spot and lane-change crashes that disproportionately catch motorcycles.
- I-30 across the Entertainment District. Game-day and concert surge traffic combined with motorcycle commuters produces high-energy crashes.
- SH-360 north-south. Heavy commercial-truck volume mixing with passenger cars and motorcycles. Sideswipe and merge crashes are common.
- US-287 (Mansfield Highway) south. Through-traffic to East Texas. Passing-zone crashes on two-lane sections.
- Lake Arlington recreational routes. Weekend riding routes along Bowman Springs Road, Green Oaks Boulevard, and around the lake perimeter.
- Cooper Street. Busy north-south arterial. Left-turn-across-motorcycle crashes are the routine fact pattern.
- Division Street and Pioneer Parkway. Surface-street intersections where drivers fail to yield to oncoming motorcycles.
- Collins Street through the Entertainment District. Game-day rideshare and surge traffic creating right-turn-across-motorcycle conflicts.
Where Arlington motorcycle cases are heard
Tarrant County
Civil personal injury cases in Tarrant County are heard at the Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building, 100 N. Calhoun Street, downtown Fort Worth. The 17th, 48th, 67th, 96th, 141st, 153rd, 236th, 322nd, 325th, 342nd, 348th, 352nd, 360th, 393rd, and 432nd District Courts handle the civil docket.
Surrounding counties
Dallas County cases (Grand Prairie, parts of DFW Airport) go to the George L. Allen Sr. Courts Building. Johnson County (Mansfield, Cleburne) cases go to the Johnson County Guinn Justice Center.
Federal court (N.D. Tex.)
Cases with diversity of citizenship or substantial federal-law issues can be filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division, Eldon B. Mahon Federal Building, 501 W 10th Street.
Most motorcycle cases settle and never see a courtroom — but we file in the proper venue and build every case as if it will.
Common questions from Arlington motorcycle clients
What is the deadline to file an Arlington motorcycle accident lawsuit?
Is not wearing a helmet a defense to my Arlington motorcycle injury claim?
Is lane splitting legal in Texas?
What if the driver who hit me had no insurance or low limits?
What if I was partially at fault for the Arlington motorcycle crash?
Where are Arlington motorcycle cases filed?
What damages are available in an Arlington motorcycle case?
How much does it cost to hire Patterson Law Group for a motorcycle case?
Hit on your bike in Arlington? Talk to a Texas trial lawyer today.
Local Arlington office on I-20 · Free consultation · No fee unless we win · Available 24/7 · Se habla español