What To Do If You Get Injured in a Motorcycle Accident?
Updated On July 2, 2021 | by Benjamin Garfield
Motorcycle accidents can happen in a flash and have long-lasting consequences. If you get injured in a motorcycle accident, the first thing you should do is seek immediate medical attention as your safety is the number one priority.
After this, take the crucial step that most people ignore. Call your lawyer and understand what you have to do immediately after the crash and in the weeks to follow.
If you don’t have an accident lawyer already, you must reach out to one before you even find yourself in such a situation. Those involved in motorcycle accidents will try to make settlements with you when you are unaware or vulnerable. Having a lawyer or representation can help you get the compensation you deserve for the accident.
Further to any motorcycle or auto accident injury, it’s essential to follow these steps to take care of yourself immediately and in the future.
Get Insurance and Vehicle Details of the Other Driver
If your accident was caused due to other drivers, it is vital to get the other driver’s insurance, vehicle, and personal details immediately. This will help you file a police report, claim for insurance and have a record of the driver that caused the accident.
File a Police Report
File a police report immediately after the incident takes place at the closest station near you. This is extremely important because it tells your side of the story and how you have gotten injured.
Not only that, it acts as the official documentation for the accident, which will help you in your compensation claims at a later point. Therefore, it’s crucial to file the report immediately and not wait. This can hamper your chances of claiming the benefits that can help cover your medical bills, wages, etc.
Report all Injuries
Be honest about your injuries in your police report and when you are speaking to medical professionals. Listing all your injuries can help you get the best settlement to cover your condition. Beyond this, the doctors and nurses need to know exactly what you are going through to treat you better, as they might be able to see all the injuries physically.
Don’t Give Any Statements
Do not speak to anyone from the auto insurance company or their lawyers until you have spoken to your lawyer. These insurers will try to get you to deny that you are majorly injured or minimize the impact of the injuries.
All their strategies reduce the compensation amount and leave you with nothing. If they insist on speaking to you, make sure you do so in the presence of your lawyer.
Always Speak to Your Lawyer
It is best not to sign or agree to any terms before speaking to your accident lawyer. As they specialize in these types of cases, they will know what to say and what not to. Also, what may seem like a good settlement may have loopholes you aren’t aware of. So, always sign off on everything with your experienced lawyer.
Opposing insurance companies can be ruthless when it comes to coughing up money for injuries.
Good Documentation
It is recommended that you keep documents of everything related to your motorcycle injury, from the doctor’s appointments to keeping track of your injuries and medical bills. This will help maintain a good reference and let you be more organized in the claims case.
Check Your Insurance Policy
Crashes like these remind you to be better prepared if it happens again. Revise your insurance policy with a lawyer and understand if you need a more extensive plan or what other benefits you can get. In most cases, people have a lower coverage policy, and they end up suffering in the long run to save costs.
Understand what policies work best for you and the best insurance companies to support you, especially if you often meet with accidents.
