3 Things You Should You Do After a Motorcycle Crash?
Motorcycle crashes tend to be devastating and result in significant injury. The moments after a motorcycle crash and the days and weeks that follow are challenging. What you do during this time affects your physical and mental recovery, as well as your opportunity to receive compensation for your injuries.
In many cases, the person or people involved have no choice but to put all of their other concerns on hold and seek immediate emergency medical attention after a motorcycle crash. But following the initial assessment and emergency response, there are several things you can do to improve the odds you’ll receive compensation for your medical treatment, loss of income, and the pain and suffering you endured due to your injuries.
What should you do after you are injured in a motorcycle accident?
1. Tend to Your Injuries
As mentioned above, it’s important to make everyone’s physical health and safety the priority after a motorcycle crash. You should seek medical attention even if you do not believe your injuries are serious.
If you refuse medical attention at the scene and choose not to go to the emergency room immediately after the cash, schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. Injuries are not always immediately noticeable. Building a trail of input from medical professionals is important for recovering compensation when you are involved in an accident.
When you call 911 after an accident to request an ambulance, police will also come to the scene. They take a detailed report of events and speak to witnesses in the area. They also collect contact and insurance information from everyone involved. When you are speaking to law enforcement, answer only the questions you are asked and do not admit any fault in the accident, even if you believe you did something wrong. Just state the basic facts about the event without elaborating.
Once the officer has all of the information he or she needs, ask for a copy of the police report. This report will later serve as an important piece of your personal injury case should you choose to file a claim.
If you can get pictures immediately after, you’ll want to capture:
Position of the vehicles before moving them
Damage to the vehicles
Damage to any property in the area related to the crash
Skid marks
Road markings, signs, and traffic signals
Road conditions
Hazards if there are any
Any injuries you sustain and their progression of healing
3. Contact an Attorney
Your attorney helps you build the strongest possible personal injury case after a motorcycle crash.
One of the first things your lawyer will do is contact eyewitnesses who saw the crash. The sooner you speak to witnesses the better. This prevents their memory of the event fading and ensures details are as accurate as possible. Their statements are useful in proving your claim and showing that the other party was at fault for the crash. There might also be expert witnesses called in to make a statement on your behalf if it will help your case.
Next, your lawyer will collect and review your medical records that include information about the diagnosis and treatment of your injuries. This includes an assessment of your medical bills, which plays an important role in determining the value of your claim.
One of the most important things to understand about a motorcycle crash claim is that the damage done might not be immediately apparent. A good personal injury attorney experienced with motorcycle crashes gets information about the potential for future treatments and estimates the expected overall cost of medical care and then bases on your claim on that.
Finally, your attorney will collect information about your work and income situation. It’s common for people involved in motorcycle accidents to miss time from work while they heal. Some are injured so badly they aren’t able to work for weeks or months. You are entitled to lost wages compensation that pays you the money you would have earned had you not been injured.
The most important choice you can make following a motorcycle crash is to contact an experienced personal injury attorney.
Victims of motorcycle crashes face many difficulties in the days, weeks, and months following the accident. A personal injury attorney who understands these challenges is an asset to you at this time. They can help you pursue compensation and ensure you are not further victimized.
For more information to schedule a consultation to discuss your case, contact Lyons Gaddis in Longmont at (303) 776-9900 or in Louisville at (720) 726-3670.
303-776-9900
