Motorcycle accident lawyers come in very handy if you have been involved in a motorcycle accident. Since
motorcycle accidents often result in more serious injury than do motor vehicle accidents, it is therefore imperative that you understand what steps you should take if you are to ever find yourself in the unfortunate situation where you need to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer.
Whether you were at fault for the accident or not, it is important that you have a clear understanding of the steps that you should take in an effort to protect yourself and your personal property following a motorcycle accident. Being involved in an accident of any kind will surely bring you some amount of distress and during a time when it is more important than ever to stay calm and organized having a checklist will help you do just that.
If you have a motorcycle, it is a good idea to keep a copy of a checklist with you at all times to ensure that you remain in control if ever you find yourself the victim (or cause) of a motorcycle accident.
In addition to having a checklist handy, there are a few other steps that you should take following a motorcycle accident. Let’s review.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident
When drafting your motorcycle accident checklist you should be sure to include any and all pertinent information as it pertains to you. For example, the checklist should include your name, phone number, address, contact information for a loved one in case of an emergency, as well as any important medical information in case you are involved in an accident where you are unable to communicate this information to medical personnel. Meaning, blood type, and any medical conditions that medical personnel should know about prior to providing you with medical attention.
If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident here is what you should do:
Stay Calm. Okay, so you have been involved in a motorcycle accident, and now what? First and foremost, it is important to remain calm and in control of the situation as best as you can. Accidents of any kind are traumatizing, but motorcycle accidents tend to be more so as they often involve a vehicle and a motorcyclist. For this reason, there seems to be a tendency to point the finger of blame at the other party. Regardless of who was at fault for the accident, you should keep your emotions in check. The results of the accident cannot be reversed and arguing or negative temperament can sometimes sway the officer’s judgment of who was at fault for the incident in the other party’s favor.
Seek medical attention. Regardless of whether or not you sustained an obvious injury, you should always accept medical attention following a motorcycle accident. Since many injuries that occur in vehicle or motorcycle accidents will result in symptoms that do not become apparent right away, you should therefore always be sure to accept medical attention. Not only that but doing so protects your rights should you later pursue damages for any losses you sustained.
Always call the authorities. Any time you are involved in a motorcycle accident, you should be certain to call the police. Proper documentation of the incident is imperative to collecting compensation later down the road should you suffer long term injuries or severe property damage.
Be careful what you say and who you talk to. You should only ever give a detailed summary of the accident if you are able to clearly recall all of the events that led to the incident. If you feel even the slightest bit of confusion, request that you be contacted later or after speaking with your motorcycle accident lawyer. Your depiction of the incident will be recorded and can and will be used in the court of law should the accident require any sort of reparations to be paid out.
Collect information from all witnesses. If you are able, you should take care to collect detailed information from any and all witnesses to the accident. This includes names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, and a brief summary of their take on the accident. Hold on to this carefully and be sure to share it with your motorcycle accident lawyer.
Document everything. From taking pictures of the scene to keeping an organized file of medical documentation and police reports, you should do your best to document absolutely everything that has to do with your accident. That means dates of missed work, witness information, the other party’s information, etc. This folder should also be shared with your motorcycle accident lawyer.
Get help. Generally speaking, motorcycle accidents result in injury and damage that you might be entitled to receive compensation for. After having gotten medical attention, when you are in a state of mind to communicate what happened with the accident, you should then contact a motorcycle accident lawyer. Be sure to contact an attorney that specializes in dealing with motorcycle accidents and has a good track record of winning cases, as this area of law requires specific knowledge.