What Evidence Your Texas Attorney Needs to Prove Fault After a Houston E-Bike Crash

Electric bicycling emerged in the late 2010s as a way to explore and commute more accessibly in Houston, Texas. With over one million e-bikes now sold each year across the country, e-bikes and cars are learning to share the road, but serious collisions are still on the rise. Getting injured on a bike trip, meant to be fun or to make your life easie,r can be overwhelming and confusing. If you’re an e-bike rider involved in an accident, a lawyer is your essential resource for making the facts of your story indisputable.

Because electric bikes exist in the gray area between a bicycle and a motor vehicle, your case might be more complicated than others. The Houston personal injury attorneys at Carabin Shaw take on the burden of seeking the specialized evidence that proves the other driver’s fault and protects you as an e-bike rider.

Claims of reckless riding or illegal operation can plague e-bike riders who were, in fact, following the law. Therefore, a bicycle accident lawyer in Houston TX ensures it’s clear that your e-bike fits the legal definition. Under Texas transportation law, this means two things:

1. The bike has pedals and a motor below 750 watts.
2. The top assisted speed, or speed at which the motor stops, is 28 miles per hour.

There are three different classes of e-bike, depending on the motor type and maximum speed. The class determines where you’re allowed to ride, so it’s important if there’s a dispute about fault based on your location, such as the road versus a bike lane. Establishing your bike specs helps an attorney show that your location, speed, and motor usage were reasonable and safe.

Police reports influence e-bike crash claims, so mislabeling your e-bike as a motorcycle or standard bicycle can damage your case. Your Houston e-bike accident lawyer addresses major issues with the report and supports your narrative with physical evidence, such as:

• Photos of intersections, bike lanes, and geographical features
• Helmet or e-bike damage
• Traffic cam or business surveillance footage that captured the accident

With your lawyer gathering evidence or repudiating a mistaken report early, it’s more difficult for insurance companies to shift blame onto you.

E-bike injuries quadrupled since 2020, and head traumas have topped that list. Traumatic brain injuries are also more severe for e-bicyclists than traditional bicyclists. This fact, along with the many other soft tissue and extremity injuries common with e-biking, makes it very important for your attorney to ensure medical documentation that:

• Backs up the full cost of your injuries
• Establishes a medical timeline that shows causation
• Includes medical recommendations for immediate and continuing treatments, such as physical therapy

Our law firm’s client reviews show how seriously we take getting you the care you need, both for your healing and for fighting insurance claims that minimize your pain.

In Texas, you can seek compensation if you’re found less than 51% at fault, so key evidence could mean the difference between receiving some payment or none at all. When needed, your Texas electric bike injury attorney finds third-party witnesses who can confirm details, like driver behavior, that reduce your fault. Accident experts can also estimate the likelihood of events based on physical factors such as bike acceleration and stopping distance.

Our English- and Spanish-speaking staff are available 24/7 to help you schedule a free consultation in Houston after your e-bike accident leaves you unsure of yournext steps. Unlike some insurers who exploit confusion about e-bikes, we’re straightforward and honest in our business. For example, we offer our services on a contingency-fee basis, so you pay only if we win. Simply call 1-800-862-1260 to get started for free.

For more information:

• https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/articles/fotw-1321-december-18-2023-e-bike-sales-united-states-exceeded-one-million
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10882498/
• https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/?tab=1&code=TN&chapter=TN.664&artSec=664.001