Austin Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Hit by a driver who didn't see you on Loop 360, FM-2222, the Lake Travis perimeter routes, or a downtown surface street? Patterson Law Group knows Texas motorcycle law cold — §661.003 helmet rule + §661.003(f) evidentiary bar, §545.060 lane-splitting prohibition, UM/UIM stacking. We serve Austin from our San Antonio office.
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No Obligation — No Cost Unless We Win
How we serve Austin clients
Patterson Law Group does not maintain a brick-and-mortar office in Austin. We serve Austin-area clients from our San Antonio office (about 80 miles south on I-35) and our Fort Worth office. We know Tex. Transp. Code §661.003 (helmet rule + §661.003(f) evidentiary bar) and §545.060 (lane usage / no-lane-splitting). The initial case review is by phone or Zoom — at no cost — and our attorneys travel to Austin for depositions, mediations, hearings, and trial.
What to do after an Austin motorcycle crash
- Get medical care immediately. Austin has Dell Seton Medical Center at UT Austin (Level I trauma, the only Level I in Central Texas), St. David's South Austin Medical Center, St. David's Round Rock, and Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin. Motorcycle crashes routinely produce concussions, fractures, internal bleeding, and road-rash infections.
- Report the crash. Austin PD handles inside-city crashes; Travis County Sheriff handles unincorporated; DPS handles state highways and SH-130. Get the case number.
- Photograph everything. The bike, the at-fault vehicle, the scene, sight lines, skid marks, debris pattern, your gear, and visible injuries.
- Get witness contact info. Get a name and phone number before they leave.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver's insurance company. Refer them to us.
- Call a lawyer before you sign anything. We send preservation-of-evidence letters within hours.
Texas motorcycle law — what Austin riders should know
Two-year statute of limitations
§16.003. Government-defendant claims may have shorter notice deadlines.
Modified comparative fault (§33.001)
You can recover as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Defense pushes fault onto the rider.
Paid or incurred medicals (§41.0105)
Limits medical-damages recovery. Critical for Dell Seton trauma stays.
Helmet rule and §661.003(f)
§661.003 requires helmets generally but exempts riders 21+ meeting the insurance or training requirement. §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 vehicle to be driven within a single marked lane. Texas does not authorize lane splitting.
UM/UIM coverage for riders
UM and UIM coverage on your own policy fills the gap when the at-fault driver has no insurance or low limits.
Exemplary damages (§41.003)
Available on clear and convincing evidence of gross negligence — DWI, racing, knowing distraction.
Wrongful Death Act (Chapter 71)
Surviving spouse, children, and parents recover for loss of love, companionship, and financial support.
Austin motorcycle hot spots
- Loop 360 (Capital of Texas Highway). Hill-country curves on the west side. The Pennybacker Bridge stretch is one of the most popular and most crashed motorcycle routes in Austin.
- FM-2222. Curved hill-country commuter route from north Austin into Lake Travis.
- FM-620 / RR-620 around Lake Travis. Lake-perimeter recreational route. Drivers misjudging passing distance and curve speed produce severe motorcycle crashes.
- Bee Cave Road. West Austin commuter route through the hills.
- I-35 through downtown Austin. Mixed commercial-truck and commuter traffic. Lane-change crashes routine.
- MoPac Expressway (Loop 1). Express-lane merging confusion produces high-speed motorcycle crashes.
- SH-130 toll bypass. 85 mph speed limit. Severe high-speed motorcycle crashes.
- Hill Country day-trip routes. US-281 north to Burnet/Marble Falls, US-290 west to Dripping Springs and Fredericksburg.
Where Austin motorcycle cases are heard
Travis County
Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse, 1000 Guadalupe Street, Austin. 12 civil district courts.
Williamson & Hays
Williamson County Justice Center (Georgetown), Hays County Government Center (San Marcos).
Federal court (W.D. Tex.)
United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division, 501 W 5th Street.
Other Austin injury cases we handle
Common questions from Austin motorcycle clients
What is the deadline to file an Austin motorcycle accident lawsuit?
Is not wearing a helmet a defense to my Austin 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 Austin motorcycle crash?
Where will my Austin motorcycle case be filed?
Does Patterson Law Group have an office in Austin?
How much does it cost to hire Patterson Law Group for an Austin motorcycle case?
Hit on your bike in Austin? Talk to a Texas trial lawyer today.
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