Lubbock Motorcycle Accident Attorneys · 30+ Years in Texas

Lubbock Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Injured riding on I-27, Loop 289, US-82, US-84, or anywhere in Lubbock County? Texas Transportation Code §661.003(f) bars helmet status as a defense in your civil case. §545.060 governs lane usage. §33.001 controls comparative fault. We know the framework — and we know West Texas juries. Free consultation, no fee unless we win.

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Lubbock motorcycle accident law — quick answers

Statute of limitations? Two years under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §16.003. Six-month notice deadlines when a governmental entity is a defendant under §101.101.
Helmet defense? Tex. Transp. Code §661.003(f) bars helmet status as evidence of negligence in Texas civil cases.
Lane splitting? Not legal in Texas under §545.060. §545.060(c) permits two motorcycles two abreast in a single lane.
Comparative fault? Texas allows recovery if the rider is 50% or less at fault under §33.001.
UM/UIM? Tex. Ins. Code §1952.0511 requires Texas insurers to offer UM/UIM unless rejected in writing.
Damages? Medical, lost wages, pain and suffering, impairment, disfigurement; exemplary damages under §41.003 in gross-negligence cases.

Lubbock motorcycle crashes — the local picture

Lubbock's geography puts riders in conflict with three vehicle categories that produce most motorcycle crashes: long-haul commercial trucks moving along I-27 and US-84, agricultural equipment on rural FM roads in Lubbock and surrounding counties, and high-density urban commuter traffic on Loop 289 and University Avenue. The dominant crash types we see in Lubbock cases:

Left-turn-across-motorcycle (Tex. Transp. Code §545.152). The single most common motorcycle crash fact pattern statewide. Drivers turning left at unsignalized intersections on University Avenue, 50th Street, 82nd Street, and 4th Street fail to yield to oncoming riders.
Rear-end at signalized intersections. A driver fails to slow for the motorcycle stopped at a red light. §545.062 (following too closely) and §545.351 (failure to control speed) both apply.
Lane-change side-swipe (§545.060). A driver changes lanes without seeing the motorcycle in the destination lane. Routine on I-27, Loop 289, and the South Plains Mall corridor.
Distracted-driver crashes. Texting drivers running stop signs or red lights, drifting across center lines on Slide Road, or rear-ending at the I-27 ramp merges.

What to do after a Lubbock motorcycle crash

Get emergency medical care. University Medical Center (UMC) is Lubbock's Level I trauma center. Covenant Medical Center is the other major hospital. Motorcycle injuries are routinely multi-system — documented immediate care is critical.
Get a CR-3 case number. Lubbock PD handles inside-city; Lubbock County Sheriff handles unincorporated areas; Texas DPS handles I-27 and the state highways.
Preserve scene evidence. Photograph the at-fault vehicle damage pattern, the lane positions before tow, debris fields, and any sight obstructions. Motorcycle scenes get cleaned up fast.
Get witness contact info. Independent witnesses are decisive in motorcycle cases where the defense will push the "rider came out of nowhere" theory.
Identify cameras. TxDOT freeway cameras, Loop 289 traffic cams, and adjacent business surveillance. Footage gets overwritten within 7–30 days.
Do not give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver's insurer. Refer them to us.
Call a Texas motorcycle accident lawyer. ECM data, dashcam footage, and witness memories all have finite preservation windows.

Texas motorcycle law — what Lubbock riders should know

Two-year statute of limitations (§16.003)

Two years from the date of the crash. Government-vehicle claims may have six-month notice deadlines under §101.101.

Helmet rule and §661.003(f)

Tex. Transp. Code §661.003 requires helmets generally but exempts riders 21+ with $10,000 medical coverage or DPS training. §661.003(f) bars helmet status as evidence of negligence in a Texas civil case.

Lane usage (§545.060)

Texas does not authorize lane splitting or lane filtering. §545.060(c) permits two motorcycles to ride two abreast in a single lane.

Modified comparative fault (§33.001)

You can recover damages as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Damages are reduced by your fault percentage.

Paid or incurred medicals (§41.0105)

Limits medical-bill recovery to amounts actually paid or incurred. Catastrophic UMC stays easily run into six figures.

UM/UIM coverage (§1952.0511)

Tex. Ins. Code §1952.0511 requires Texas insurers to offer UM/UIM unless rejected in writing. Critical when at-fault driver has minimum or no liability coverage.

Exemplary damages (§41.003)

Available on clear and convincing evidence of fraud, malice, or gross negligence. DWI, racing, and street takeovers all support gross-negligence pleadings.

Wrongful Death Act (Chapter 71)

If a Lubbock rider dies in a motorcycle crash, Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Chapter 71 governs. Statutory beneficiaries (surviving spouse, children, parents) recover for loss of love, companionship, financial support, and mental anguish.

Lubbock's highest-risk motorcycle corridors

Interstate 27 — high closing-speed differential between commercial trucks and motorcycles, ramp-merge conflicts.
Loop 289 — high-density commuter traffic with frequent lane-change motorcycle conflicts.
US-82 (4th Street / 19th Street) — heavy retail traffic with frequent left-turn intersection conflicts.
US-84 northwest and southeast — long-haul truck and agricultural traffic differential.
University Avenue through Texas Tech — student-driver density, pedestrian/bicycle conflicts.
Slide Road through the South Plains Mall area — heavy retail with frequent rear-end and left-turn conflicts.
50th Street and 82nd Street arterials — high-volume signalized-intersection T-bone risk.
FM 1585 and FM 1729 in rural Lubbock County — two-lane high-speed with center-line crossover risk.

Where Lubbock motorcycle cases are heard

Lubbock County District Courts

Lubbock County Courthouse, 904 Broadway, Lubbock. The 72nd, 99th, 137th, 140th, 237th, and 364th District Courts handle the civil personal-injury docket.

Surrounding counties

Lynn County (Tahoka), Hockley County (Levelland), Hale County (Plainview), Crosby County (Crosbyton), Garza County (Post). Venue under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §15.002 is typically where the crash occurred or where the defendant resides.

Federal court (N.D. Tex., Lubbock Division)

1205 Texas Avenue, Lubbock. Available where there is complete diversity of citizenship and more than $75,000 in controversy under 28 U.S.C. §1332.

Stowers leverage

When the at-fault carrier refuses a reasonable within-limits demand, the Texas Stowers doctrine exposes the insurer to liability for any excess judgment.

Other Lubbock injury cases we handle

Common questions from Lubbock motorcycle clients

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

Two years from the date of the crash under Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003. Claims involving the City of Lubbock, Lubbock County, Citibus, or another governmental entity can trigger six-month notice deadlines under the Texas Tort Claims Act §101.101.

Does the helmet rule affect my Lubbock motorcycle case?

Texas Transportation Code §661.003 requires helmets generally but exempts riders 21+ who carry at least $10,000 in medical-insurance coverage or completed a DPS-approved motorcycle operator training course. Critically, §661.003(f) bars helmet status as evidence of negligence in a Texas civil case. We enforce that rule at trial.

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. §545.060(c) does permit two motorcycles to ride two abreast in a single lane.

What if I was partially at fault?

Texas follows modified comparative fault under §33.001. You can recover damages as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Defense routinely pushes fault onto motorcycle riders — we counter with reconstruction, ECM data, and the responding officer's CR-3 contributing-factor codes.

What if the at-fault driver had no insurance?

UM and UIM coverage on your motorcycle or auto policy fills the gap. Tex. Ins. Code §1952.0511 requires Texas insurers to offer UM/UIM unless rejected in writing. A resident relative's policy may also apply. We map every available policy and pursue them in the right order.

What damages are available in a Lubbock motorcycle case?

Past and future medical expenses (subject to §41.0105 paid-or-incurred), past lost wages and future loss of earning capacity, property damage, pain and suffering, mental anguish, physical impairment, disfigurement, and loss of consortium. Exemplary damages under §41.003 are available where gross negligence (DWI, racing, severe inattention) is shown.

Where are Lubbock motorcycle cases filed?

Lubbock County District Courts at 904 Broadway, Lubbock — the 72nd, 99th, 137th, 140th, 237th, and 364th. Federal cases can be filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Lubbock Division at 1205 Texas Avenue.

How much does it cost to hire Patterson Law Group?

Nothing up front. We take Lubbock motorcycle cases on contingency — no fees unless we recover. We advance investigation, expert, and litigation costs. Free consultation, no obligation. Se habla español.

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Legally reviewed by Travis Patterson, Managing Partner of Patterson Law Group.