Hurt in a Motorcycle Accident: What Happens Next
Being in a motorcycle accident can be terrifying. Motorcyclists are all very aware of the potential dangers that they face every time they climb on their bikes. They know that unlike a car, their motorcycles offer them no real protection in the event of an accident. They are aware that, on the contrary, bikes pose an additional threat to riders as the bike can easily come down on top of them.
While the possible dangers may be on their mind each time they go out for a ride, most bikers don’t put too much consideration into what they should do in a situation where the worst does happen. There are a few critical steps to take after any motorcycle accident.
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Contact Emergency Services
If you are hurt in a motorcycle accident, you want to call 911 so that they can send paramedics and police to the scene.
Collect Information
In a situation where your injuries are not too severe, you will want to collect as much information as possible from the scene. You should collect contact information for anyone else who may have been involved in the accident, along with any witnesses to the crash. You will want to collect license plate numbers and make note of any conditions that may have contributed to your accident.
You will also want to take as many pictures of the scene as possible. The more information you gather, the better position you will put yourself in when it comes to potential lawsuits and insurance claims.
Seek Medical Treatment
After collecting information, or in accidents where you were too severely injured to collect any information, you will want to seek medical treatment. Even if you feel that your injuries are mild and don’t require medical treatment, you should always get thoroughly checked out after an accident. Some injuries are not immediately evident and may be missed at first while they continue to worsen if unchecked.
Not only is it a health risk to let these conditions go untreated, but you will also potentially be putting yourself in a tough position legally. By not getting these conditions on the record immediately following the accident, insurance companies or opposing lawyers could raise a reasonable doubt about the relation of the injury to the accident.
Report the Accident to Your Insurance Company
You need to report any accident to your insurance, even if you plan on filing a claim with another at-fault driver’s insurance rather than your own. However, while you need to report that there was an accident, you are not required to give further details. If your insurance company asks for a statement about the accident, politely decline.
Despite their friendly demeanor and any allusions to the contrary, your wellbeing is not the primary concern of your insurance agent. Insurance companies are all about the bottom line. If you do end up filing a claim with your own insurance company and they can find any grounds to deny your claim, they will do so.
No matter how innocent giving a statement may seem, it has the potential to give your insurance company exactly what they need to deny you coverage for your accident.
Contact an Attorney
In any accident where you are injured, there are going to be financial repercussions. The best way to assure you will be in the best possible situation when it comes to being able to cover all of your medical bills and other costs is to have a qualified and experienced lawyer on your side.
An attorney can talk you through all of your options moving forward and help you decide how to proceed. They will help you to decide whether you are best served by filing a lawsuit against another at-fault party, filing a claim with their insurance company, or filing a claim with your own insurance.
A lawyer can also represent you in whichever path you choose to follow. They will take over all negotiations with insurance companies to protect you from getting taken advantage of by an unscrupulous insurance adjuster. Trying to deal with these people on your own can put you in a very difficult position as they have a whole book of tricks at their disposal to use against you.
When choosing a lawyer to represent you, avoid anyone who charges an hourly rate. The best personal injury lawyers don’t get paid unless their client wins their case and then only collects a previously agreed-upon percentage of the settlement. Source: https://www.jacobyandmeyers.com/areas-we-serve/los-angeles-ca/car-accident-lawyer/
A qualified lawyer will do everything in their power to make sure that you get the compensation that you deserve after a motorcycle accident.
