6 Steps to Take After a Motorcycle Accident
Motorcycle accidents happen all the time and unfortunately, many people aren’t prepared to handle the situation if it were to occur. We want to give you the proper knowledge in case this scenario were to arise. Here are the six steps you should take if you are ever involved in a motorcycle accident.
Injuries
Motorcyclists are more likely to endure greater injuries since there aren’t any airbags or seat belts protecting them. If you are able to move after the accident you should promptly check your surroundings, you want to make sure that nobody was wounded or harmed. Injuries can differ from broken bones, muscle and tissue damage, skin burns or gaping cuts. While accidents may cause physical destruction, it also causes psychological issues like problems breathing, trouble sleeping or mood swings. If someone/yourself receives any injuries during this event you need to call 911 immediately.
Walk To The Side Of The Street
Once in an accident and are still capable of moving, you need to relocate and get all parties involved in the accident off the street to an area that isn’t exposed to danger or risk. This allows you to assess the condition of the accident from a safe position. However, just because you migrate to another spot doesn’t mean you should leave the scene of the incident, you should wait until the authorities have arrived to evaluate the occurrence. In the meantime, you should alert oncoming traffic with hazard lights or warning triangles to notify other drivers that an accident took place up ahead and remain on the side of the road if able.
Exchange Of Information
Exchanging information with other drivers involved in the accident is absolutely essential. Details such as names, addresses, phone numbers, insurance information, and license numbers should be traded amongst all drivers. Please try and make sure that all facts are descriptive. If you can, take pictures of the scene, this allows you to have contextual evidence for future reference like the street names or buildings near the accident site.
Witnesses
If possible try to talk to as many witnesses, if they are willing. Ask them about what they saw and if they can give you an illustrative story of the event through their eyes. Do not pressure the witness into stating false information in regards to the accident, you want it to be truthful. Make sure to take note and record their comments and observations. You will want to do this almost straight away following the incident so the memory of the experience will be clear and concise.
Call The Police
You will want to contact the police immediately following the accident, authorities will be on the scene as soon as possible after they have received a call. A police report can be very crucial when trying to recover damage for your motorcycle or any other items that may have been impacted in the accident. The cops will write a detailed account of the incident, along with the information of any persons involved. Most of the time a cop’s description of the accident will be the best evidence you have.
Call Your Insurance Company
An important measure to take, after being involved in an accident, is to contact your insurance company. Now that you are able to identify the other driver or drivers you were in an accident with, you can file a claim with their car insurance company. When reporting to an insurance company you should gather up as much information as possible to pass on to them. Remember that your calls with the insurance company are recorded, so speak with accuracy and factual details. To refrain from any sort of liability, it is important to have a knowledgeable and experienced attorney interact with your insurance company.
Contact A Lawyer
This is where we come in to help. Here at the John Price Law Firm, we will assist you throughout the process of assessing your accident and seeking financial repayment. Contact us to schedule a free initial consultation about your motorcycle crash. Our firm charges no attorneys’ fees unless we secure compensation for you. (Contingency fees are calculated before deducting expenses).
Following these six steps if you’re involved in a motorcycle accident will ensure that the process goes much smoother. At John Price Law Firm, we care about your safety, so if you were recently involved in a motorcycle/ motor vehicle accident please call us at (843) 832-6000 today. We provide an initial consultation with no initial fee.