Brett Crump Killed in Longview, TX, Motorcycle Accident
Longview, TX -- January 11, 2017, Brett Alan Crump was killed following an accident in which a vehicle turned into the path of his motorcycle.
Longview Police and emergency crews rushed to the scene at around 12:15 p.m. The accident occurred near the Gilmer/Dundee/Hawkins intersection.
According to preliminary investigations, 31-year-old Crump was driving southbound on Gilmer Road on a motorcyclie. In front of him, a Chevy pickup, driven by Eugene Jones, was northbound. The Chevy attempted a left turn across southbound lanes, entering Crump's path. Crump could not avoid the pickup in time, and a collision occurred.
Crump was ejected from the motorcycle and sustained critical injuries. Emergency services came to render aid, but he died at the scene. No other injuries occurred.
Authorities confirm that Crump was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. Jones reportedly was cited for failing to yield the right of way to Crump.
No further information is currently available.
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Commentary
A lot of these kinds of accidents happen on our roads, but unfortunately there is a general ignorance about the dangers that motorcyclists face on a daily basis. Plenty of accidents happen just like this one--a car doesn't see a motorcycle, turns in front of them, and causes a crash. Despite this and many accidents similar to it, there is a general misconception that motorcyclists are all dangerous drivers. For the majority of motorcycle riders, this couldn't be further from the truth.
When a lot of people think of motorcyclists, they imagine somebody speeding, not wearing a helmet, and weaving through traffic. We've all seen that guy or girl barreling down the shoulder of the highway past a line of cars. But this is a minority of motorcycle riders. Motorcycles on average weigh about 4 times less than your typical motor vehicle--a whole lot less than commercial vehicles. Considering this, most motorcyclists have to be aware of their surroundings at all times. They're incredibly vulnerable on their vehicles, and that's why many of them are responsible and drive as safely as possible.
The problem after a motorcycle accident is that insurance companies know that many people do not acknowledge this. They know that the general public has a bias against motorcyclists, and they try to use it to their advantage all the time. They'll often low-ball or try to entirely avoid providing compensation for the victims and their families by placing blame on the motorcyclist. The most common way they do this is by saying the motorcyclist was speeding and didn't react in time.
In this particular accident, the driver was cited for failing to yield the right of way to the motorcycle, and it happened in broad daylight at a controlled intersection. Despite this, insurance companies will readily point the blame at the victim to try and mitigate the damages for which they're liable. They have no problem trying to claim that the motorcyclist shared in the negligence of the accident, therefore being partially responsible for their own injuries. Insurance figure that most people would readily believe this since, chances are, they already see motorcyclists as reckless drivers. They figure that since a civil jury would be comprised of ordinary citizens, they have the advantage of those jury members holding the prejudice that motorcyclists cause accidents.
This can create complications for people seeking compensation after an accident if they aren't prepared for such a tactic. However, with the right tools, this obstacle can be overcome. The most powerful tool that an experienced motorcycle accident attorney has at their disposal is evidence. Juries are indeed made up of average citizens, and the chances are that at least a few of those people could hold a bias against motorcyclists. However, when presented with irrefutable evidence, it's hard to maintain said prejudice. Nothing speaks louder than evidence, so an experienced attorney knows to let the facts do the talking.
Insurance companies know that they have a chance of saving some money whenever an accident occurs, so they often do what they can to fight accusations of liability. With the right knowledge and tools, victims and their families can work past the tactics that insurance companies use and get the compensation they deserve. The way forward after an accident is tough, but using these strategies will prevent insurance companies from making it even harder.
--Grossman Law Offices
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