Legally Reviewed by Kevin Henrichson on July 9, 2026
A motorcycle offers no crumple zones, no airbags, and no steel frame between the rider and the road. That fundamental reality is why motorcycle crashes produce some of the most catastrophic injuries of any collision on Texas highways. In 2024, 6,228 motorcyclists were killed in traffic crashes across the United States, accounting for 16% of all traffic fatalities despite motorcycles representing only 3% of registered vehicles. Texas recorded 583 motorcyclist deaths that same year, the second-most of any state, and Austin’s growing traffic congestion along corridors such as I-35, MoPac, and Highway 183 makes every ride a calculated risk. When a negligent driver causes a motorcycle crash, the rider pays the highest price.
Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP has fought for injured Texans since 1959, and we understand the unique challenges motorcycle crash victims face in the legal system. Insurance companies routinely attempt to blame riders for their own injuries, leveraging bias against motorcyclists to minimize payouts. Our Board Certified Personal Injury Trial attorneys refuse to let that happen. With over $100 million recovered, and recognition from the U.S. News & World Report as one of the Best Law Firms in the country, we bring the firepower needed to overcome these tactics and secure real results.
⚠ Time-Sensitive: Texas Law Limits Your Window to File
Injured in a motorcycle crash in Austin? Texas’s 2-year statute of limitations begins from the date of your accident. After that window closes, your right to sue may be gone permanently.
65 years of experience. Hundreds of cases won. No fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Why Motorcycle Crashes Are So Dangerous
The physics of a motorcycle collision are unforgiving. Per vehicle miles traveled, motorcyclists in 2024 were nearly 27 times more likely to die in a crash than passenger car occupants, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Even at moderate speeds, the force of impact can launch a rider from the motorcycle, sending them into pavement, guardrails, or oncoming traffic with nothing to absorb the blow. The injuries that result are frequently life-changing and demand extensive, long-term medical treatment.
Catastrophic Injuries Riders Suffer
Traumatic brain injuries are among the most devastating consequences of a motorcycle crash, and Texas law does not require helmets for riders over 21 who meet certain insurance or training requirements. Even helmeted riders can sustain severe concussions and brain hemorrhages from high-impact collisions. Spinal cord injuries resulting in partial or complete paralysis are tragically common, as are compound fractures, severe road rash and burns, internal organ damage, and amputations. These catastrophic injuries often require multiple surgeries, months of rehabilitation, and lifelong adaptive care. In the most severe cases, a motorcycle crash can lead to a wrongful death claim for surviving family members.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Crashes in Texas
The majority of multi-vehicle motorcycle crashes are caused by the other driver’s negligence, not the rider’s. Distracted motorists who are looking at their phones instead of scanning the road are a leading threat, as motorcycles are already harder to spot in traffic due to their smaller profile. Left-turn collisions, where a driver turns across the path of an oncoming motorcycle, are among the deadliest and most frequent crash scenarios. Drivers impaired by alcohol caused a significant share of motorcycle fatalities in 2024, and their diminished reaction times make it nearly impossible for them to register a motorcycle approaching an intersection. Other common causes include the following:
- Unsafe lane changes: drivers who fail to check blind spots before merging into a lane occupied by a motorcycle rider
- Tailgating: motorists who follow motorcycles too closely, leaving no room to stop when the rider brakes or encounters a road hazard
- Failure to yield: drivers who pull out of driveways, parking lots, or side streets directly into a rider’s path
- Road hazards and defective vehicles: potholes, loose gravel, uneven pavement, and mechanical defects such as faulty brakes or tire blowouts that would be a minor inconvenience in a car but are potentially fatal on a motorcycle
Each of these scenarios demands a thorough investigation to identify every liable party and establish the evidence needed to prove negligence.
Overcoming Bias Against Motorcycle Riders
Insurance adjusters and defense attorneys frequently exploit a cultural bias that assumes motorcycle riders are reckless risk-takers who contributed to their own injuries. They point to speed, lane positioning, and the decision to ride a motorcycle at all as reasons to reduce or deny compensation. Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule, meaning your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault and eliminated entirely if you are found more than 50% responsible.
Our attorneys know how to dismantle these arguments using accident reconstruction analysis, witness testimony, traffic camera footage, and expert opinions that place the blame squarely where it belongs. Motorcycle crash claims differ significantly from standard car accident cases, and having an attorney who understands those differences is critical to the outcome.
Compensation Available to Motorcycle Crash Victims
A serious motorcycle crash can produce medical expenses that reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, particularly when emergency surgery, intensive care, and long-term rehabilitation are involved. Texas law allows injured riders to pursue compensation for all past and future medical costs, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, and disfigurement. When a motorcycle crash results in a fatality, surviving family members may file a wrongful death claim to recover funeral expenses, loss of companionship, loss of financial support, and the mental anguish of losing a loved one.
Meet the Attorneys Handling Your Case
Robert Alden and Kevin Henrichson are both Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, one of the highest credentials a Texas trial lawyer can hold. Both are listed in Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers, and both have spent their careers preparing motorcycle crash and catastrophic injury cases as if every one will go to trial.
Contact Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP for a Consultation Today
After a motorcycle crash, the decisions you make in the first days and weeks can determine the trajectory of your entire case. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget details, and insurance companies move quickly to lock injured riders into lowball settlements before they understand the full extent of their injuries. As Austin’s oldest personal injury law firm with over 65 years of experience, we act immediately to preserve evidence, engage experts, and build a case designed to withstand the aggressive tactics the other side will deploy.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle crash in Austin or Central Texas, contact us today for a free consultation. We handle every motorcycle crash case on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf. Let our trial-tested attorneys protect your rights and fight for every dollar your case deserves.
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