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(817) 784-2000

Fort Worth Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Bikers have the same legal rights as every other driver on Texas roads. We fight the anti-rider bias head-on and demand every dollar you deserve.

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Bikers Deserve Full Legal Protection — We Fight for Yours

Motorcyclists are among the most vulnerable road users, and when something goes wrong, the consequences are almost always severe. A motorcycle offers virtually no structural protection in a crash. There are no airbags, no crumple zones, no door panels between you and the pavement — or the vehicle that just hit you.

To make a difficult situation worse, motorcyclists frequently face a specific kind of bias from insurance companies and even from juries. Insurers often try to paint riders as reckless or as having assumed the risk of their injuries. This is both legally wrong and morally unfair, and Patterson Law Group fights it directly and aggressively.

Our Fort Worth motorcycle accident attorneys have represented riders across Tarrant County and North Texas for over 30 years. We know how to dismantle the anti-biker narrative, establish fault, document the full extent of your injuries, and recover maximum compensation — including for pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of the sport you love.

30+
Years of Experience
$100M+
Recovered for Clients
500+
5-Star Google Reviews

Texas Helmet Laws — What You Need to Know

Texas law requires all motorcycle riders and passengers to wear a helmet — with an important exception. Under Texas Transportation Code § 661.003, riders 21 years of age or older who have completed an approved motorcycle operator training and safety course, or who are covered by an applicable health insurance plan, may ride without a helmet.

If you were riding without a helmet at the time of your accident, an insurance company will almost certainly try to use that against you, arguing your injuries were partially your own fault. This is a legitimate concern — but it does not necessarily eliminate your right to recover compensation.

Texas's comparative fault rules allow recovery as long as you were 50% or less responsible for your injuries. Our attorneys have extensive experience countering helmet-based arguments and showing that the at-fault driver's negligence — not your choice of protective gear — was the dominant cause of your accident and injuries.

Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Fort Worth

The majority of motorcycle accidents in Texas are caused by the negligence of other drivers — not by the motorcyclist. The most common scenarios our attorneys see include:

Left-turn crashes — cars turning left in front of oncoming motorcycles
Failure to yield — drivers not seeing a motorcycle at intersections
Distracted driving — texting or phone use while driving
Dooring — car occupants opening doors into a rider's path
Unsafe lane changes — drivers merging without checking blind spots
Rear-end collisions at stop lights and stop signs
Drunk and impaired driving
Road hazards — potholes, gravel, debris, uneven pavement
Following too closely (tailgating)
Speeding or aggressive driving

Lane Splitting in Texas — Where Does the Law Stand?

Lane splitting — the practice of riding a motorcycle between lanes of slow-moving or stopped traffic — is currently not legal in Texas. Texas Transportation Code § 545.060 requires motorcycles to remain within a single lane, just like any other vehicle. There has been ongoing legislative discussion about changing this law, but as of the current date it remains prohibited.

If you were lane splitting at the time of your accident, the other driver's insurance company will use this against you. However, even if you were engaging in lane splitting, you may still be entitled to partial compensation if the other driver was also negligent — for example, if they suddenly changed lanes without signaling into a path you were occupying.

Do not assume that because you were lane splitting, your case has no value. Speak with our attorneys before making any assumptions.

Injuries Commonly Seen in Motorcycle Accidents

Because motorcycles provide so little physical protection, injuries from motorcycle crashes are typically far more severe than those from car accidents at similar speeds. Injuries our attorneys commonly see in these cases include:

Road Rash Often dismissed as minor, but severe road rash can involve deep tissue damage, nerve damage, scarring, and infection. Extensive cases may require skin grafting surgery.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Even with a helmet, the forces in a motorcycle crash can cause serious brain injuries ranging from concussion to permanent cognitive impairment.
Broken Bones and Fractures Arms, legs, wrists, collarbones, and ribs are particularly vulnerable. Many motorcycle accident victims require surgery and months of rehabilitation.
Spinal Cord Injuries Impacts or ejections can cause herniated discs, spinal fractures, or complete spinal cord damage resulting in partial or total paralysis.
Crush Injuries and Amputations When a motorcycle falls on a rider or they are pinned beneath a vehicle, crush injuries can require amputation or cause permanent disability.
Internal Organ Damage Blunt trauma to the torso can cause internal bleeding and organ damage that isn't immediately apparent but is potentially life-threatening.
PTSD and Psychological Injuries The trauma of a serious motorcycle accident can cause lasting psychological harm, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression. These are compensable injuries under Texas law.

Insurance Challenges That Motorcyclists Face

Motorcycle accident victims routinely face an uphill battle with insurance companies that goes beyond the typical challenges faced by car accident victims. Insurers often deploy the following tactics specifically against motorcyclists:

  • Assumed Risk Arguments Insurers claim that choosing to ride a motorcycle means you "assumed the risk" of serious injury. This is not a complete defense in Texas but is used to pressure victims into accepting lower settlements.
  • Helmet Allegations If you weren't wearing a helmet (or even if you were), adjusters try to shift blame onto you for the severity of your injuries.
  • Speeding and Reckless Riding Claims Without solid evidence, adjusters frequently claim the rider was speeding or riding recklessly to inflate the motorcyclist's comparative fault percentage.
  • Minimizing Injuries Insurance medical examiners often downplay the severity of motorcycle injuries, particularly soft tissue injuries, road rash, and psychological trauma.

Patterson Law Group fights back against every one of these tactics. We gather evidence, work with accident reconstruction experts, and present your case in a way that accurately reflects what happened and what you've suffered.

Compensation Available in Motorcycle Accident Cases

As a motorcycle accident victim, you may be entitled to recover compensation for:

All past and future medical expenses, including emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, and rehabilitation
Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity
Pain and suffering — physical pain and mental anguish
Emotional distress and PTSD
Permanent disfigurement, scarring, and loss of limb
Property damage — your motorcycle and gear
Loss of enjoyment of life — including your ability to ride
Punitive damages in cases involving drunk or grossly negligent drivers

Talk to a Fort Worth Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today

Free consultation. No fees unless we win. Available 24/7.

Don't let an insurance company use bias against bikers to undercut what your case is worth.

Fort Worth office — local attorneys who know Texas motorcycle law

Our Fort Worth office at 2409 Forest Park Boulevard 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.

Fort Worth motorcycle hot spots

Tarrant County's road grid concentrates motorcycle crashes on a few corridors and routes. These show up repeatedly in our case files:

  • I-30 east-west. The Fort Worth-Arlington corridor. Lane-change crashes by drivers who fail to check blind spots account for a steady share of motorcycle injury cases.
  • I-35W north and south. Heavy commuter traffic + commercial truck volume + construction zones = high-energy motorcycle crashes.
  • Loop 820 inner loop. Tight curves at the I-30 and I-35W interchanges produce sideswipe and merging crashes with motorcycles.
  • Chisholm Trail Parkway. Higher posted speeds and weekend volume produce severe motorcycle crashes on the southwest toll corridor.
  • The Trinity Trails / Camp Bowie / Cultural District corridor. Weekend rider density and surface-street intersection crashes.
  • SH-199 (Jacksboro Highway) west. The route into Lake Worth, Azle, and beyond. Two-lane stretches with passing-zone risks.
  • US-287 / US-377 toward Wise and Parker Counties. Popular Hill Country and lake-route riding destinations.
  • FM-roads around Lake Worth, Eagle Mountain Lake, and Benbrook Lake. Curves, wildlife, and recreational-vehicle traffic.

Where Fort Worth motorcycle accident 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

Cases from Dallas County are heard at the George L. Allen Sr. Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, Dallas. Denton County (Trophy Club, Roanoke, Argyle) cases go to the Denton County Courthouse, 1450 E McKinney Street. Johnson County (Burleson, Cleburne) cases go to the Johnson County Guinn Justice Center, 204 S Buffalo Avenue.

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 accident cases settle and never see a courtroom — but we file in the proper venue and build every case as if it will, which is part of why insurance companies settle them fairly.

Common questions from Fort Worth motorcycle accident clients

What is the deadline to file a Fort Worth motorcycle accident lawsuit?
Two years from the date of the crash under Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003. Wrongful-death and survival claims also have a two-year window under Chapter 71. Helmet evidence, skid marks, and witness memories fade quickly — we send preservation letters within 24 hours of being retained.
Is not wearing a helmet a defense to my motorcycle injury claim in Texas?
Texas Transportation Code §661.003 requires helmets generally but exempts riders 21 and older who carry at least $10,000 in medical-insurance coverage or who have completed a motorcycle operator training course. Critically, §661.003(f) provides that not wearing a helmet cannot be used as evidence of negligence or contributory negligence in a civil case. The defense will still try; we make sure the rule is enforced.
Is lane splitting legal in Texas?
No. Texas does not authorize lane splitting (riding between rows of stopped or slow-moving cars) or lane filtering. If a motorcyclist was lane-splitting when the crash happened, expect the defense to argue comparative fault. Even so, lane-splitting alone is rarely 51% or more of the fault for a collision a driver caused by failing to look.
What if the driver who hit me had no insurance or low limits?
Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage on your own auto or motorcycle policy fills the gap. UM/UIM is included in Texas policies unless you rejected it in writing. We identify every available policy — yours, a resident relative's, the at-fault driver's — and stack them where the contract allows.
Where are Fort Worth motorcycle crash cases filed?
Tarrant County District Courts at the Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building, 100 N. Calhoun Street, downtown Fort Worth. Cases against trucking companies or commercial vehicle owners can sometimes be filed in adjoining counties under venue rules — we choose the venue that best fits the case.
How much does protective gear matter to my case?
Beyond the helmet rule above, the law does not require jackets, boots, or padded pants. The defense may try to use lack of gear to argue your injuries would have been less severe. Texas courts generally exclude that argument unless it directly relates to a comparative-fault question. We move to limit the topic when it appears.
How much does it cost to hire Patterson Law Group for a motorcycle case?
Nothing up front. We take motorcycle-accident cases on contingency — you pay no attorney fees unless we recover for you. The consultation is free and confidential. Our Fort Worth office is at 2409 Forest Park Blvd. Se habla español.

No Obligation — No Cost Unless We Win

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