FAQs

What should I do after a motorcycle accident in East Texas?

Get medical care right away. Even if you can walk away from it, serious injuries aren’t always obvious at the scene, and your medical record will matter later. If you can, have someone photograph the scene, the vehicles, and the road conditions. Make sure to collect witness names and contact info. Don’t admit fault or give the other driver’s insurance company a recorded statement before speaking with a lawyer. Motorcyclists are often blamed unfairly, so you must act fast to establish your side of the story. Call the Roach Law Firm at (903) 645-7333 for a free consultation.

Do I have to wear a helmet in Texas, and does it affect my claim?

Not wearing a helmet doesn’t stop you from a legal recovery, but Texas riders who under 21 must wear a DOT-approved helmet, with no exceptions. Riders who are 21 and older can ride without one only if they’ve completed an approved safety course and carry the required insurance coverage. If you’ve suffered a head injury after an accident, an insurance company will likely argue that your choice made it worse and try to reduce what they pay.

Is lane splitting legal in Texas?

No, lane splitting is not legal in Texas. Riding between lanes of traffic moving the same direction is against the law. If you were lane splitting when the crash happened, the other side will use it to shift blame onto you, which can reduce or even bar your recovery depending on how fault shakes out. Even so, the other driver’s negligence still matters, and you shouldn’t assume you that you don’t have a valid legal claim.

Who can be held responsible for a motorcycle accident?

Responsibility for a motorcycle accident can fall on the other driver, who may have failed to yield, changed lanes unsafely, or wasn’t paying attention. The accident may also involve a manufacturer if defective equipment played a part. Figuring out every responsible party takes a real investigation. Unfortunately, many people believe all motorcyclists drive unsafely and are biased against them. That means that injured riders need to find an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer who knows how to push back on these assumptions.

How much is a motorcycle accident case worth in Texas?

The value of a motorcycle case depends on the facts of the accident. Motorcycle injuries are often severe, and many motorcycle lawsuits can lead to larger verdicts and settlements than normal car accidents. The amount is driven by medical bills, lost income, the seriousness and permanence of injuries. Riders face bias from insurers and juries, so strong evidence and a firm with a record of major verdicts and settlements can make a real difference.

Do I have to pay anything upfront to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer?

The Roach Law Firm offers free consultations and handles motorcycle accident cases on a contingency basis. You pay nothing upfront, and you owe no attorney fee unless we win your case.

Can I still recover if I was partly at fault, or wasn’t wearing a helmet?

Yes, riders who are partly at fault can still win financial recoveries. Texas uses a “modified comparative fault” rule, so you can recover so long as you were not more than 50% to blame, with your recovery reduced by your share. Riding without a required helmet can be used to reduce what you recover, but it doesn’t necessarily prevent a claim. If any of this applies to you, call us at (903) 645-7333 for a free review.

Where does the Roach Law Firm handle motorcycle accident cases?

The Roach Law Firm is based in East Texas and focuses primarily on cases in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. In Texas, the firm has deep roots in the communities of Tyler, Longview, Texarkana, Lufkin, Nacogdoches, Paris, Marshall, Sulphur Springs, Henderson, Carthage, Jefferson, Mount Pleasant, Clarksville, Gilmer, Pittsburg, Mount Vernon, Quitman, New Boston, Linden, Hemphill, and Daingerfield, as well as the surrounding areas. Call us at (903) 645-7333 to find out how we can help.

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Case Results

$17 Billion

PART OF THE LARGEST LEGAL SETTLEMENT IN U.S. HISTORY

In 1995, Nelson J. Roach and his former firm, along with four other law firms, was selected by the State of Texas to prosecute the state’s claims against the tobacco industry, seeking to recoup state monies paid to treat smoking-related illnesses.

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$730 Million

FOURTH-LARGEST JURY VERDICT IN THE NATION

In 2021, Nelson J. Roach won $730 million in a case arising from a Texas truck accident, the fourth-largest jury verdict in the U.S. that year. The case was filed by the family of an East Texas woman who was killed in a collision with a truck hauling a propeller for a Navy submarine.

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$554 Million

DEFENDING AN INVENTOR FROM CORPORATE COPYCATS

For over a decade, Nelson J. Roach and his former firm represented DataTreasury Corporation in its efforts to hold the largest banks in the United States accountable for their infringement of the tiny company’s intellectual property. Roach and his associates won $554 million in jury awards and royalties.

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$119 Million

FORCING A MINING COMPANY TO PAY UP

Nelson J. Roach represented roughly 7,000 residents of the town of Blackwell, Oklahoma, in a class action lawsuit accusing defendants Phelps Dodge Corporation and its parent company, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc., of failing to properly address lead, arsenic, and cadmium contamination.

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$90 Million

STANDING UP FOR INJURED STEELWORKERS

Nelson J. Roach represented thousands of steel workers at the Lone Star Steel Mill when they began to suffer from breathing problems and cancer.

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$51.2 Million

FIGHTING ANTICOMPETITIVE PRACTICES IN POULTRY INDUSTRY

Nelson J. Roach and Michael L. Silverman fought for small farms hurt by the corporations that dominate the U.S. chicken-processing industry.

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$47 Million

JUSTICE FOR WORKERS EXPOSED TO INDUSTRIAL TOXINS

Several years after the Lone Star Steel Toxic Tort Litigation began, workers at the Red River Army Depot in the Northeast Texas area began to suffer from diseases caused by exposure to rubber products in the workplace.

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$1.1 Million

WALMART SLIP-AND-FALL CASE

In 2021, Nelson J. Roach won $1.1 million in a slip-and-fall case against retail giant Walmart. It was one of the largest verdicts in a personal injury case in Texarkana history.

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Awards and Recognitions

Awards and Recognitions

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