Here’s an outrageous story that is far too common: a motorcycle rider lost his life in Dallas Wednesday in a hit-and-run accident.
An 27-year-old male motorcycle rider, Kris Stroman, was driving eastbound on Walnut Hill Lane when a 2001 Chevy van heading westbound suddenly turned left in front of him. Mr. Stroman, who was wearing a helmet, was driving home from his job in Irving and had taken side roads like this to stay off more dangerous highways. He unfortunately could not avoid being hit head on, was thrown from the motorcycle, and was pronounced dead at Parkland Hospital.
As if that were not horrible enough, the van driver drove away to an apartment complex on Brockbank, where Dallas police quickly arrested a teenage girl. Worse still, she did not have a driver’s license.
Mr. Stroman was incredibly safe and had a heart of gold, his girlfriend said. The two were about to be married. My prayers go out to his family and friends.
Motorcycle Riding Should Not Be This Deadly
A motorcycle rider is 35 times more likely to experience a deadly accident on the road than the driver of a car. In Texas, a staggering 90 percent of motorcycle accidents result in injury or death — almost 500 riders were killed last year. And almost half were wearing helmets.
Some people attribute the rise in motorcycle deaths to the repeal of the state’s requirement that riders wear helmets. Yet as this case demonstrates, a motorcycle rider can be wearing a helmet and the proper equipment and still succumb to injuries. While motorcycle riders may sometimes raise their risk of an accident by weaving from lane to lane or riding at excessive speed, too often, the cause of accidents is a car, truck, or van driver who is not looking out for motorcycles and thus does not see the motorcycle until it is too late.
Over the past several years, Texas officials have tried to raise awareness among drivers that they are sharing the road with motorcycles. For those who do not get the message, or who attempt to flee their hit-and-run, the families of those injured or killed can file a personal injury lawsuit seeking damages for medical bills, pain and suffering, jloss of earnings, loss of consortium, and other damages.
We Can Help
I have been representing Texans injured in collisions for 34 years and have offices where I can meet clients in Fort Worth, Arlington, Dallas, and Houston. I only represent people who have been injured in vehicle accidents. If you want an experienced Board Certified Fort Worth personal injury attorney who will provide you with compassionate legal representation, contact my office today to schedule a free initial consultation.
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