Fort Worth T-Bone Motorcycle Collision Lawyers
Side-impact intersection crashes are catastrophic for riders. The right-of-way analysis under Texas Transportation Code §§544.007, 545.151, and 545.152 controls the case — along with the sight-line and traffic-signal-timing evidence that disappears within days. Local Fort Worth office. Free consultation, no fee unless we win.
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Fort Worth office — local attorneys who know Tarrant County intersection cases
Our Fort Worth office at 2409 Forest Park Boulevard handles intersection-crash motorcycle cases regularly. We know the Texas Transportation Code right-of-way framework, the §661.003(f) evidentiary bar on helmet evidence, and the City of Fort Worth traffic-signal-maintenance documentation that becomes critical when a signal malfunction contributed to the crash. When you cannot come to the office, we come to you — at the hospital, at home, by phone, or by Zoom.
Why Fort Worth motorcycle T-bone cases turn on right-of-way evidence
A T-bone collision (also called a "broadside" or "side-impact" crash) happens when the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another at or near a 90-degree angle. For a motorcycle rider, side impact has almost no occupant protection — the rider is exposed directly to the striking vehicle's bumper and grille. Severe orthopedic injuries, head injuries, and internal trauma are the routine outcome.
Liability is almost always about right of way. Three statutes do most of the work:
- Tex. Transp. Code §544.007 — traffic-control signals. A driver who runs a red light or runs a stop sign has by definition violated the rule. We pull City of Fort Worth signal-timing logs and intersection-camera footage in formal discovery.
- Tex. Transp. Code §545.151 — yielding from a stop or yield sign. A driver entering an intersection from a stop sign must yield to vehicles already lawfully in the intersection or close enough to pose an immediate hazard.
- Tex. Transp. Code §545.152 — left turns across oncoming traffic. The driver making the left turn must yield. Left-turn-across-motorcycle T-bones are the single most common motorcycle T-bone fact pattern we see in Fort Worth.
The defense playbook on a motorcycle T-bone is predictable: argue the motorcyclist was speeding, lane-splitting, or "came out of nowhere." We counter with sight-line photographs taken from the driver's approach lane, video from nearby business surveillance, the at-fault vehicle's ECM data, and a reconstruction expert when the case warrants it.
What to do after a Fort Worth motorcycle T-bone collision
- Get medical care immediately. Fort Worth has JPS Health Network (Tarrant County's Level I trauma center), Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth (downtown), Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center, Texas Health Harris Methodist Southwest, and Cook Children's Medical Center for pediatric trauma. T-bone motorcycle injuries routinely involve fractures, internal bleeding, and traumatic brain injury — a documented medical visit creates a record the carrier cannot easily dispute later.
- Report the crash. Fort Worth PD handles inside-city crashes; Tarrant County Sheriff handles unincorporated county; DPS handles state highways. Get the case number.
- Photograph the intersection from both approach lanes. Stand where the at-fault driver was sitting and photograph what they saw. Stand where you were and photograph the same. Photograph signal heads, signage, lane markings, and any sight obstructions (parked vehicles, vegetation, construction barriers).
- Capture the at-fault vehicle's identifiers. Plate, make, model, VIN if accessible, and any visible damage pattern that supports the right-of-way analysis.
- Get witness contact info. Independent witnesses are decisive in right-of-way cases. Get a name and phone number before they leave the scene.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver's insurer. Their adjusters will call within hours and they are trained to get statements that limit your recovery. Refer them to us. We send preservation-of-evidence letters within hours so traffic-cam footage, business surveillance video, and the at-fault vehicle's ECM data are locked down.
Texas T-bone motorcycle law — what Fort Worth riders should know
Two-year statute of limitations (§16.003)
Two years from the date of the crash for personal injury and wrongful death claims. Government-vehicle or signal-malfunction claims may have Texas Tort Claims Act notice deadlines as short as six months.
Traffic-control signals (§544.007)
Drivers must obey traffic-control signals. Running a red light or a stop sign is generally negligence per se in Texas when the violation caused the crash. We pull signal-timing logs and intersection-camera footage early.
Yielding from a stop sign (§545.151)
A driver entering an intersection from a stop or yield sign must yield to vehicles already in the intersection or so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. Motorcycles count.
Left turns (§545.152)
A left-turning driver must yield to oncoming traffic close enough to be an immediate hazard. Left-turn-across-motorcycle is the single most common T-bone fact pattern.
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.
Modified comparative fault (§33.001)
You can recover damages as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. The defense will push speed and visibility arguments hard — we counter with sight-line photography and reconstruction.
Paid or incurred medical bills (§41.0105)
Limits medical-damages recovery to amounts actually paid or incurred. Level I trauma stays at JPS easily run into six figures — careful paid-or-incurred documentation matters.
Exemplary damages (§41.003)
Available on clear and convincing evidence of fraud, malice, or gross negligence. DWI by the at-fault driver, repeat red-light running, or knowing distraction are the kinds of facts that support gross-negligence claims. §41.008 caps exemplary damages with statutory exceptions.
Common questions from Fort Worth motorcycle T-bone clients
What is the deadline to file a Fort Worth motorcycle T-bone collision lawsuit?
Who is at fault in a motorcycle T-bone collision in Texas?
Does the helmet rule affect my T-bone motorcycle case in Fort Worth?
What if I was partially at fault for the T-bone motorcycle crash?
What if the at-fault driver had no insurance or low limits?
Where are Fort Worth motorcycle T-bone cases filed?
What kinds of damages are available in a Fort Worth motorcycle T-bone case?
How much does it cost to hire Patterson Law Group for a motorcycle T-bone case?
Hit broadside at a Fort Worth intersection? Talk to a Texas trial lawyer today.
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