Austin's roads and growth produce a serious volume of motorcycle crashes — particularly on MoPac, US-183, and the surface streets in and around downtown. The biggest practical problem in a motorcycle case isn't usually the law — it's the assumption many jurors and adjusters bring that the rider was reckless. Our job is to defeat that assumption with evidence.
The Longhorn Law Firm represents motorcycle crash victims across Austin and Travis County. See our motorcycle accident practice page →
Austin riding context.
Major Roadways
I-35 (running through central Austin), MoPac (Loop 1), US-183, the SH-130 tollway, and Bee Cave Road.
Local Courts
Travis County Civil District Courts at the Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse (1000 Guadalupe St.) and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division.
Trauma Care
Dell Seton Medical Center (Level I trauma), St. David's Medical Center, and the Ascension Seton hospital system.
Why It Matters Here
Austin's freeways were built for a much smaller city and are now notoriously congested. I-35 in particular ranks among the most accident-prone stretches in Texas, and the rapid growth across Travis and Williamson Counties has put added pressure on every major road.
The jury-bias problem.
The single biggest practical problem in a motorcycle case isn't the law — it's the assumption many jurors and adjusters bring to the table that motorcyclists are inherently reckless. Most aren't, and most motorcycle crashes are caused by the other driver: a left turn across the rider's path, a lane change without checking, a rear-end into a stopped motorcycle. We build the case to defeat that bias from day one, with crash reconstruction, visibility analysis, and rider-conduct evidence.
Texas helmet law.
Texas law (Transp. Code §661.003) requires helmets — but riders 21 or older can ride without a helmet if they (1) have completed an approved motorcycle operator training course or (2) carry at least $10,000 in medical coverage. Insurance companies routinely try to use the absence of a helmet as comparative-fault evidence even when it had nothing to do with the crash itself. We push back on that argument with the law and the facts.
Common motorcycle crash scenarios.
- Left-turn crashes — a car turns left across an oncoming motorcycle's lane (the most common type)
- Lane-change crashes — a car changes lanes into a motorcycle in the blind spot
- Rear-end at a stop — a car fails to brake and hits a stopped motorcycle
- Dooring — parked vehicle opens a door into a rider's path
- Road-defect crashes — potholes, gravel, debris that endanger riders
- Drunk-driving crashes — disproportionately fatal for motorcyclists
Common motorcycle injuries.
- Traumatic brain injuries — concussions, severe TBI, even with helmet use
- Spinal cord injuries — including paralysis
- Road rash — far more serious than the name suggests, frequently requiring grafting
- Multiple fractures — clavicles, wrists, ribs, pelvis, femurs
- Amputations — particularly leg amputations in crush injuries
- Internal organ injuries from impact and friction
Motorcyclists are about 24 times more likely to die in a crash than a passenger-car occupant per mile traveled (NHTSA). That's not about rider behavior — it's about physics. Cases that would be modest injuries in a car are catastrophic on a motorcycle.
The evidence that builds these cases.
- The crash report and 911 audio
- Scene photography showing impact angles, skid marks, and debris pattern
- Motorcycle damage analysis — which side, where, helps reconstruct the crash mechanism
- Helmet and gear examination — extent of damage tells the story of the impact
- Surveillance footage from nearby businesses (preserved fast)
- Dashcam from any other involved vehicle
- Visibility analysis — was the motorcycle's headlight on, were the rider's clothes high-visibility, was the driver's sight line obstructed
- Cell phone records if distraction is suspected
Insurance companies routinely call victims within hours, sounding friendly, asking for a "quick recorded statement," and floating a fast lowball offer before the victim has seen a doctor. Don't give a recorded statement. Don't accept an offer. Read our full guide on insurance company tactics before you say anything.
What your case could be worth.
Motorcycle case values reflect the severity of the typical injury. Cases involving surgery, amputation, traumatic brain injury, spinal injury, or fatality routinely run into six and seven figures. We never quote a number before reviewing a case, but motorcycle cases at our firm are evaluated for their full long-term medical, vocational, and emotional impact. Free case review →
Texas deadlines.
Two years from the date of the crash to file (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §16.003). Cases against governmental entities require notice within much shorter windows — sometimes as little as six months. Texas applies modified comparative fault: you can still recover if you were 50% or less at fault. More on comparative fault →