Our Motorcycle Accident Attorney Explains the Rights of a Motorcyclist After a Crash
Twenty-five (25%) percent of the traffic accidents in America happen because the driver is distracted. With close to 400,000 registered motorcycles in the state of Texas, the last thing the operator of a motorbike needs is for the driver of the car next to them to be distracted and not see them.
Although motorcycles come in different styles from the Harley Davidson signature choppers to the Honda crotch rockets, they are just small enough to hang out in your blind spot. And if your head isn’t on a swivel, you are bound to be in one of the hundreds of traffic accidents that can cause serious injury or even claim the life of a motorbike operator.
If you or someone you know had the misfortune of being in a traffic accident while operating a motorcycle or a family member was killed while driving a motorcycle and it was somebody else’s fault, call our motorcycle accident attorneys. We have over twenty (20 +) years of experience recovering compensation for our clients. The motorcycle accident lawyers at our law firm are ready and waiting to come to your rescue. Call our law firm today to find what your legal rights are. What you don’t know can hurt you.
Drunken Driving Motorcycle Accidents in Texas
When it comes of drinking and driving some people to think motorcycles don’t count. They view motorcycles as advanced ten-speed bikes. But the same laws that govern four-wheel passenger vehicles apply to motorbikes. If the operator of a motorcycle drinks to the point of intoxication and drives and then causes a traffic accident, the driver that caused the crash can be held liable in criminal court and in civil court. And if he got liquored up at a local establishment, the owner and/or bar staff who served the drinks could be held jointly responsible for the end results of the crash, whether that it be serious injuries or death to other people traveling on the roadways.
The Texas Dram Shop Law was created to extend the cloak of liability beyond a drunken driver to include people who, as in any other crime, can be charged with aiding and abetting. So if restaurant or bar staff serves alcoholic beverages to anyone to the point of intoxication and beyond, which is
.08 blood alcohol content in Texas, they too can be held responsible in a civil lawsuit. They can be held criminally liable. The owner of the establishment could be fined and his liquor license could be suspended or even revoked depending on the details of the case. Waiters, waitresses, and bartenders are certified by the Texas Beverage Commission. And with that certification comes knowledge of the Dram Shop Law and the steps required to inventory liquor and monitor the number of drinks all patrons imbibe. The Texas Dram Shop Law also requires any store that sells liquor to check the identification of every buyer to ensure that person is above the legal drinking age of twenty-one. And if you want to purchase alcoholic beverages in Texas before 12 noon on Sundays it’s not going to happen. There is a law against that too.
If you need a motorcycle accident lawyer call our law firm. If you suspect the other driver was drunk at the wheel, you could file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver and the bar that served him. It’s called the ‘third party dram shop cause of action, and it covers drivers of cars, trucks, boats, and motorcycles too. The sooner you get an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer to represent you the sooner you can start building your case with evidence from the scene including police reports and sobriety tests and witness testimonies. When it comes to the Texas Dram Shop Law you need an attorney on your side. Call today to get familiar with your legal rights. What you don’t know can cost you a lot of money.