Houston Motorcycle Accident Attorneys · 30+ Years in Texas

Houston Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Hit by a driver who didn't see you on the Katy Freeway, Beltway 8, or a Heights surface street? Patterson Law Group knows Texas motorcycle law — §661.003 helmet rule + §661.003(f) evidentiary bar, §545.060 lane-splitting prohibition, UM/UIM stacking. We serve Houston from our Fort Worth office.

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How we serve Houston clients

Patterson Law Group does not maintain a brick-and-mortar office in Houston. We serve Houston-area clients from our Fort Worth and San Antonio offices. 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 Houston for depositions, mediations, hearings, and trial.

What to do after a Houston motorcycle crash

Get medical care immediately. Houston has Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center (Level I), Ben Taub Hospital (Level I), Memorial Hermann The Woodlands (Level I), Memorial Hermann Southwest, and HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake. Motorcycle crashes routinely produce concussions, fractures, internal bleeding, and road-rash infections that take time to fully present.
Report the crash. Houston PD handles inside-city crashes; Harris County Sheriff handles unincorporated county; DPS handles state highways and interstates. 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. Motorcycle cases turn on who-was-where evidence. Get a name and phone number.
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 so dashcam, traffic-cam, and the at-fault vehicle's ECM data are locked down.

Texas motorcycle law — what Houston 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 — we push back.

Paid or incurred medicals (§41.0105)

Limits medical-damages recovery to amounts paid or incurred. Critical for Level I trauma stays at Memorial Hermann TMC and Ben Taub.

Helmet rule and §661.003(f)

Texas Transportation Code §661.003 requires helmets generally but exempts riders 21+ meeting the insurance or training-course 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 or lane filtering.

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.

Exemplary damages

§41.003 permits exemplary damages on clear and convincing evidence of gross negligence — DWI, racing, knowing distraction.

Wrongful Death Act

Chapter 71 governs wrongful death and survival actions. Surviving spouse, children, and parents recover for loss of love, companionship, and financial support.

Houston motorcycle hot spots

I-10 (Katy Freeway). 26 lanes through the Energy Corridor. Lane-change crashes from drivers failing to check blind spots are routine.
I-45 (Gulf Freeway / North Freeway). Often ranked among the most dangerous interstates in the country. Severe high-speed motorcycle crashes.
I-69 / US-59. Construction-zone congestion produces sudden-slowdown crashes that catch motorcycles.
610 Loop. Tight curves on the West Loop near the Galleria and the East Loop interchange with I-10.
Beltway 8 / Sam Houston Tollway. 65–70 mph speeds + heavy commercial truck traffic + toll-lane confusion.
Grand Parkway (SH-99). High posted speeds and growing commuter share from Cypress, Katy, and Spring.
Houston Heights / Montrose / Galleria surface streets. Urban-rider density crossing arterial streets.
Hill Country day-trip routes (I-10 west to Brenham and beyond). Popular weekend ride destinations.

Where Houston motorcycle cases are heard

Harris County

Harris County Civil Courthouse, 201 Caroline Street. 23 District Courts handle the civil docket.

Surrounding counties

Fort Bend, Montgomery, Galveston, Brazoria, Waller — each has its own county courthouse.

Federal court (S.D. Tex.)

United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, 515 Rusk Street.

Other Houston injury cases we handle

Common questions from Houston motorcycle clients

What is the deadline to file a Houston motorcycle accident lawsuit?

Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003 sets a two-year statute of limitations. Claims against the City of Houston, Harris County, METRO, or other governmental defendants can trigger Texas Tort Claims Act notice deadlines as short as six months.

Is not wearing a helmet a defense to my Houston motorcycle injury claim?

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 completed a DPS-approved motorcycle operator training course. Critically, §661.003(f) provides that failure to wear a helmet cannot be used as evidence of negligence or contributory negligence in a Texas civil case.

Is lane splitting legal in Texas?

No. 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. Lane-splitting alone is rarely 51% or more of the fault for a crash 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. Texas requires insurers to offer UM/UIM unless rejected in writing. A resident relative's policy may also apply. We map every available policy and stack them where the contract allows.

What if I was partially at fault for the Houston motorcycle crash?

Texas follows modified comparative fault under §33.001. You can recover damages as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Defense lawyers routinely push fault onto the rider — we push back with reconstruction evidence and the at-fault vehicle's ECM data.

Where will my Houston motorcycle case be filed?

Most Harris County civil cases are heard at the Harris County Civil Courthouse, 201 Caroline Street, Houston, with the 11th, 55th, 61st, 80th, 113th, 125th, 127th, 129th, 133rd, 151st, 152nd, 157th, 164th, 165th, 189th, 190th, 215th, 234th, 269th, 270th, 280th, 281st, and 295th District Courts handling the civil docket. Federal claims can be filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division.

Does Patterson Law Group have an office in Houston?

We do not have a brick-and-mortar office in Houston. We serve Houston-area clients from our Fort Worth office at 2409 Forest Park Boulevard and our San Antonio office at 926 Chulie Drive. The initial case review is by phone or Zoom — at no cost — and our attorneys travel to Houston for depositions, mediations, court hearings, and trial.

How much does it cost to hire Patterson Law Group for a Houston 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. Se habla español.

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