If you are a motorcyclist, it is a good idea to learn about motorcycle laws, motorcycle accidents, and what happens during a motorcycle accident lawsuit.
If you are a motorcyclist, it is a good idea to learn what to do after a motorcycle accident now, so you are already prepared in case you ever find yourself in this situation. Even if you do everything in your power to prevent ever getting into a motorcycle accident, it is still possible for you find yourself in this situation one day.
Knowing exactly what to do after a motorcycle accident can also help you build a strong case for yourself in case you want to file a motorcycle accident lawsuit. The following process is also applicable during a car accident as well as a motorcycle accident.
The very first thing you want to do after an accident is move yourself off the road. You may need to check yourself for injuries first to make sure you are safe enough to move. But if you are able to move, it is a good idea to get yourself and your motorcycle off the road and away from traffic. If you are too injured to move, refrain from moving too much because this could worsen your injuries.
Just make sure you do not go too far away, you still want to remain near the scene of the incident while you wait for the police or other first responders to arrive.
Once you are safe from any oncoming traffic, call 911. If neither you or any others involved in the incident are very hurt, you can also call your local police department instead. Some states however, have a legal requirement for all accidents to be reported to 911, so if this is true for your state, be sure to call 911 as soon as you are able. Not adhering to procedures like this could hurt your motorcycle accident lawsuit case.
Give emergency services your location and describe what happened and everyone's condition as best you can. First responders will be able to come and take care of anyone who is injured and officers will be able to come and take a thorough police report from everyone.
This police report will be a very important part of your motorcycle accident lawsuit if you choose to pursue a personal injury case. Try to be as detailed as possible when giving your account of what happened while events are all fresh in your mind.
Making sure you and others are safe and calling emergency services are the most important things to do in any emergency situation. Once those two steps are taken care of, you can start gathering evidence for your motorcycle accident lawsuit.
If you are not too injured, take as many photos as you can. Take pictures of yourself and any injuries you may have received. Take pictures of the accident scene where the incident took place including barriers, traffic lights, road skids, etc. And take pictures of your vehicle and any damage your motorcycle might have sustained.
If you are too injured to take photos, you may be able to ask someone else to take photos for you. If this is not possible, you can always take some photos of damage done to your vehicle later, or you could take photos of any injuries you sustained later at the hospital.
Any photographic evidence you can gather will be extremely helpful to your motorcycle accident lawsuit case.
As with any vehicular accident, another important step for you to take is to gather the contact information of anyone involved in the accident or any witnesses to the incident. The contact information from any witnesses can potentially help support your motorcycle accident lawsuit in court to substantiate what happened to you.
At the scene of the accident, make sure you do not accept liability for anything. This will greatly hurt your case both with your insurance company and in a motorcycle accident lawsuit. Even if nothing was your fault, be careful what you say to others at the scene of the incident because this could be used against you.
Unfortunately, just apologizing or taking on any blame at all during the time of the incident could be construed by others against you during a motorcycle accident lawsuit or an insurance claim that is trying to claim anyone besides you as an at-fault driver.
If you are injured and want to seek a motorcycle accident lawsuit, then make sure you do not wait to seek medical attention for your injuries. This is important to take care of yourself but also in helping your personal injury claim and insurance claim.
For example, in some states you must seek medical attention for your injuries after an accident no later than two weeks after the incident occurred in order to get your insurance claim processed.
If you wait longer to get medical treatment, your insurance may be able to say your treatment was not necessary and deny your insurance claim. Likewise, if you go too long without medical treatment, this could also hurt your personal injury settlement case.
Some people can be prone to avoiding seeking out medical treatment, but after an accident it is imperative that you do so right away. Not only will this greatly strengthen both your personal injury claim and your insurance claim, but even if you do not think you are too injured, there could be underlying damage you do not notice that only a doctor can properly detect.
Concussions for example can be a very serious internal injury, but you may not know you have a concussion without getting checked by a doctor.
To file a motorcycle accident lawsuit you will need to start by contacting a motorcycle accident lawyer or a personal injury lawyer. Motorcycle accident lawyers specialize in accident cases. They will be able to guide you through the motorcycle accident lawsuit process. Some law firms will even provide free consolations if you need some advice but are unsure if you have a case.
Every motorcycle accident case is different, so how long a motorcycle accident settlement takes will vary depending on your case. The settlement process can take a long time and details of the case, participants in the case, and negotiations between both parties involved will determine how long it takes to reach a final settlement.
You may negotiate a settlement and the other party may readily accept this proposed settlement. But the other party may also reject your proposed settlement, leading to further negotiations, the need for mediators, and even lengthy court cases where a judge will need to be involved.
One of the things that can help your motorcycle personal injury claim go smoother is knowing what to do after a motorcycle accident so you can make your case as easily as possible. Gather as much evidence as you can during the incident and avoid vocally accepting any blame. This will help you have a stronger case and can potentially help your case proceed faster as well.
Every motorcycle accident case is different, so the settlement amounts for a motorcycle accident settlement are going to vary greatly depending on your case. Consulting directly with a motorcycle accident lawyer will be the best way to get settlement amount estimates. Even if you only go into a law firm for a consultation, the practice of attorney client privilege still applies, so you can feel free to tell your lawyers the detail of the case to help get a rough estimate of how much you could get in a settlement case.
The motorcycle accident settlement amount you could possibly receive will depend on the following variables:
No one wants to experience a vehicular accident of any kind, but it is still a good idea to research what to do in case of a motorcycle accident now, so you are prepared if you do ever experience an accident on the road. These suggestions can help you stay safe while building a stronger personal injury case for you to receive the settlement money you need for medical bills or even lost wages during your recovery.
