What Should You Do After A Motorcycle Accident?
It is estimated that motorcycles account for approximately 5% of all drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Motorcycle accidents, on the other hand, occur approximately 27 times more frequently than passenger car accidents, according to research.
Motorcycle riders are at a high risk of suffering serious injuries or death when they are involved in a motor vehicle collision because they have little to no protective gear on their backs.
If you are ever involved in a motorcycle accident, you will almost certainly feel completely overwhelmed.
Apart from dealing with your injuries, you will most likely be confused, angry, and upset as a result of what has happened.
That makes it extremely difficult to think clearly and complete the tasks that must be completed following the accident.
You may also be wondering, Should I retain the services of an Atlanta Motorcycle Accident Attorney following a motorcycle accident?
If you are fortunate enough to avoid serious injury in a bike accident, there are a few things you should try to complete as soon as possible at the scene of the crash.
Make Sure Everyone Involved In The Accident Is Okay
The very first thing you should do after an accident is to make sure that you and everyone else involved, including pedestrians, are okay before proceeding.
Other than ensuring your own and others' safety, there's nothing else you need to be concerned about right now.
If anyone is injured, call for an ambulance, and make sure that everyone else is kept at a safe distance from the scene and out of the way of oncoming traffic.
As soon as everyone is safe, you can proceed to the rest of the tasks that must be completed.
Get Necessary Medical Treatment
If you are involved in an accident and are injured, you must seek medical attention as soon as possible after the accident.
This is extremely important for your overall health and well-being.
The only way to make a full recovery after a motorcycle accident is to seek medical attention as soon as possible and to adhere to your doctor's instructions strictly.
Another reason to seek medical attention is that it will aid in the documentation of your injuries and property damage if you ever need to file a personal injury lawsuit.
When it comes to challenging your injuries, insurance companies and your insurance agent will try to use gaps and delays in your medical treatment to their advantage.
They will argue that you were not injured in the accident because you did not seek immediate medical attention.
Seeing a doctor as soon as possible and attending all of your follow-up appointments will aid in the documentation of your injuries.
Obtain a Police Report
Any type of accident should always be reported to the authorities.
When you call 911 after a motorcycle accident, a police officer will respond to the scene and file a police report on the incident.
This police report will be an extremely important piece of evidence in your personal injury claim, especially if the defendant's liability is in dispute.
If you find yourself in the position of having to file a lawsuit, the accident report prepared by the responding officer will contain the officer's assessment of the situation, which could be critical in determining your legal options.
Exchange Information With The Other Driver
In contrast to car accidents, motorcyclists who are involved in a crash are much more likely to sustain injuries.
Sometimes the injuries are severe, such as a traumatic brain injury, and sometimes they are minor, such as small cuts and abrasions, but there is almost always some kind of injury.
Even if you do not experience pain or other injury symptoms right away, you must obtain the insurance information, vehicle information, and personal information from the at-fault driver as soon as possible.
It's not uncommon for someone to appear to be fine following a motorcycle accident, only to experience the onset of motorcycle accident injuries in the hours, days, or weeks that follow.
Take Pictures Of The Accident Scene
If at all possible, you should photograph the scene of the accident as many times as possible.
Images of the accident are far more reliable than first-person accounts of what happened.
It is possible that the photographs you take of the accident scene will yield valuable clues and information that will assist the insurance adjuster and investigators in determining who was at fault in your accident.
Despite the fact that emergency responders will almost certainly photograph the accident scene as part of the police report, you can protect yourself by taking additional photographs yourself.
You should take photographs of the damage to your motorcycle and any other vehicles involved in the collision.
You should also take pictures of any visible physical injuries you may have sustained while on the scene.
Concentrate on photographing anything that you believe might be relevant to an insurance claim or lawsuit, such as potential hazards that may have contributed to the accident, poor road conditions, skid marks, and the vehicle's license plates.
Gather & Preserve All Evidence
In addition to taking photographs, you must collect and preserve any other forms of evidence that may be available.
The importance of receiving fair compensation in a motorcycle accident is heightened by the increased likelihood of suffering a severe injury, which increases the importance of receiving fair compensation.
Take down the information of the other driver, as well as any witnesses, responding officers, and emergency personnel, or anyone else who may arrive on the scene and assist with the investigation.
When possible, keep your motorcycle in the same condition as it was when the accident occurred in case the other driver disputes your claim of responsibility.
Your bike may contain evidence, or it may be used in an accident reconstruction to determine who was at fault in the event of an accident.
At the very least, take several photographs of the bike to document the condition in which it was discovered.
You must do everything in your power to ensure that you receive a reasonable settlement.
Don’t Accept an Early Settlement Offer
Following an investigation by your insurance company, they will determine who was at fault in your accident.
In any case, even if the other driver is found to be at fault, the insurance company will seek to pay out the least amount of money possible because insurance companies are in the business of making money.
If a claim cannot be denied outright, the insurance company will take steps to pay out as little money as possible.
Offering an early settlement to accident injury victims is a common strategy for avoiding large payouts in the event of an accident.
Your insurance company wishes to offer you a lump sum of money as soon as possible, in the hopes that you will accept it and the case will be closed as a result.
However, this offer is typically significantly lower than what you are actually entitled to.
Instead of accepting the first offer, you should use it as a starting point for further negotiations with the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney.
Never accept a settlement offer without first consulting with an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer.
A motorcycle accident attorney will be able to negotiate a more favorable settlement for you than you could on your own if you were to represent yourself.
Contact The Mabra Law Firm
In the aftermath of a motorcycle accident, there are a number of things you should consider doing, as you can see.
In the event that you suffer from one of the common injuries that occur after a motorcycle accident, you should seek medical attention immediately.
A doctor's examination is often in your best interests even if you do not have any visible injuries at the time of the examination.
The next step is to consult with a qualified personal injury attorney who can ensure that you receive the maximum amount of compensation possible.
For those who live in Georgia and have been involved in a motorcycle accident, The Mabra Law Firm provides free consultations.
It is always important to contact an experienced lawyer who can protect your legal rights, regardless of whether you have severe injuries, minor injuries, or have not yet noticed any injuries.