Motorcyclist Killed in Crash with 18-Wheeler on TX 130
A crash on TX 130 near Lockhart has claimed one life and injured several others, with one person being hospitalized. As of this writing, details are scant, but apparently, several motorcycles came into contact with an 18-wheeler, crashing and completely shutting down the northbound lanes for several hours. Unfortunately, one motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, which is all too common in accidents involving one larger vehicle and one or more cycles. If you are a motorcyclist, you need to be well aware of the potential dangers facing you, and of what options you have if you are injured.
Motorcyclists Disproportionately Die on the Roads
Statistics show that motorcyclists are vastly overrepresented in road fatalities, dying in crashes almost 28 times more often than automobile drivers and passengers. While there has been a general downturn in motorcyclist injuries and fatalities, there were still approximately 5,000 cyclist deaths due to road accidents in 2017. There are several reasons for this disproportionality, and while some are the fault of cyclists themselves, many are not.
Driver distraction is a major cause of injury and death for motorcyclists, especially in rural areas. One common scenario is turning too far and failing to see a cycle in your blind spot. Another is neglecting to notice a motorcycle in the lane opposite yours, and merging too quickly. Alcohol and drug abuse is another factor in many accidents, though both cyclists and drivers are guilty of operating a motor vehicle under the influence to varying degrees. Either way, no one deserves to die as a result of negligence.
If You Have Been Injured
It is important to keep in mind that if you have been injured in a motorcycle accident caused by another person’s negligence, you may still be able to recover for the harm you have suffered. Texas has a concept called comparative fault, which holds that as long as you are not held to have been more than 50 percent liable for your own injuries, you may still recover compensation from the defendant if they are found liable. Your award will be reduced by your percentage of fault – for example, if you are found 20 percent at fault, but the defendant is still held liable, you would receive 20 percent less in compensation.
Regardless of the overall percentage of fault, it is possible to establish that a defendant driver was negligent in causing your injuries. Texas law holds that every driver on the road owes a duty to exercise reasonable care toward every other, and if you can show that the defendant breached that duty with their action (or lack thereof), and caused you harm, you stand a good chance of recovery if you can establish that no other intervening cause played a role. Motorcycle accidents are serious, and if you can show that the person who hit you breached their duty of care, it will be addressed by the court.
Contact a New Braunfels Motorcycle Accident Attorney
As of this writing, none of the others involved in the TX 130 accident have sought medical treatment, but they are lucky to have not required it. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, you need an attorney who can work within the system to give you the best options possible for getting life back to normal. The skilled New Braunfels motorcycle accident attorneys at the Bettersworth Law Firm will work hard for you. Call our office today at 888-392-0039 to schedule a free consultation.
Sources:
https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.33.htm
https://www.statesman.com/news/20190509/motorcyclist-killed-in-texas-130-crash-with-18-wheeler
