What You Should Do If You Were In A Motorcycle Accident
Motorcycle accidents are bound to occur, even the most careful rider. The accident can sometimes be very frustrating and can lead to injuries or severe disabilities. How you handle such accidents will determine the overall impacts of the accident on you.
Check out the tips below
Your Safety Comes First
Whenever a motorcycle engages in accidents, on certain occasions, the engine does not go off immediately. Therefore, you should extend your arm and turn off the ignition so that the wheels stop moving and causing other injuries to your body, i.e., when the motorcycle is lying on you. After turning off the engine, drag your body off the accident scene and go to the roadside to get off the busy roads and avoid other vehicles overrunning you, suggested by the authority website WiredShopper. Once by the roadside, the next step is to inspect yourself for any injury. Whether you have an injury or not, ensure you visit the hospital.
Maintain Your Calm
Staying calm at an accident scene can be very difficult, but you should maintain your calm and minimize talking to the offenders as much as possible. Arguing with the offenders will make you vulnerable, and you may engage in a fight hence increasing the penalties on you. Ensure you do not damage any property or accept any responsibility for the damages. Do not negotiate with the other parties because it makes you responsible for the damages; maybe they were the ones who were wrong. If you must talk to anyone at the scene, it is advisable to talk to police officers or medical authorities.
Contact a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
The first procedure whenever you are involved in a motorcycle accident is to deny any possible claim by the other party in the accident. It would help if you did not accept the liability, lest you risk paying for all the damages that you are not responsible for. The next procedure is to contact a motorcycle accident attorney who will educate you on the liability procedure. The attorney will be helpful when filing a lawsuit or settling for compensation from a law court and will advise you on the best option, either settling outside the law court or filing a lawsuit. In case you file a lawsuit, this law firm suggests a local lawyer that will provide personalized and smart legal services. So if you are in Georgia, you must look for respected lawyers around the area who will devote their time to handle your case. Always remember to only seek experienced lawyers from a trusted law firm.
Do Not Leave the Scene
It is advisable to stay at the accident scene until the authorities arrive. Leaving the accident scene will make your offenders accuse you of causing the accident or missing vital information when you leave the accident scene. While you stay at the accident scene, ensure you collect information that may free you from the liability and prove your innocence in a lawsuit. You can take pictures of the accident; you can also do recordings of the scene so that you have much information to make the offender fully liable for the damages.
Contact Ambulatory Services and the Police
When you discover injuries, you should contact the police and ambulatory services to come to the scene. The ambulatory services are necessary not only for you but also for other people involved in the accident who may need medical services. You should contact the police so that they come and get information and reports from you and other parties involved in the accident or the witness present at the scene. The police report will act as evidence if you were to file a lawsuit, and it can provide information that will save you from the liability for the accident and other damages. You should visit the hospital even if you have no injury to have additional information and report to support your lawsuit when you file for negligence. Going to the hospital will also help you discover other injuries such as internal injuries that are not evident unless exposed through scanning. A full-body scan will also help you identify any injuries that can lead to future disability if not handled immediately.
Contact Your Insurance Provider
The first step to consider before you contact your insurance provider is to ensure your insurance is up to date. Secondly, ensure you do not accept any form of payment from the offender because such payments may diminish the damage payments or interfere with the compensation procedure. You need to contact your insurer so that you have your motorcycle either repaired or written off, and you get a new one. You should also contact your health or medical insurance provider so that they can settle the hospital bills. Even if the offender pays for all the damages, ensure your insurance provider is aware of the accident so that they can use the information to update their records, which will help settle other future claims.
Motorcycle accidents are not rare incidents; it is beneficial to know how to handle such accidents to manage the situation effectively. Besides, at this moment, you are probably angry at the other party. It’s always advisable to remain calm and let the authorities handle the rest.
