Getting involved in a motorcycle accident can be quite traumatic for most people. Even if you end up surviving the accident without any major injuries, the chances are that your life won’t be the same. So what exactly should you do next?
The following are legal steps you need to take after a motorcycle accident:
Seek immediate medical attention
In most cases, paramedics might show up at the scene of the accident to offer first aid to those involved in the accident and even assess the injuries. However, this isn’t always enough. This is why you need to seek medical attention immediately after the accident has happened.
You might feel that the accident wasn’t that bad and refuse to seek medical attention, but this isn’t the best thing to do. This is because it might take up to 48 hours for some injuries to present themselves, and as you know, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Obtain contact information of everyone involved
It’s quite common for many drivers to flee the accident scene, especially when they know they’re liable. Therefore, before anyone gets the chance to leave the scene, ensure that you note down the contact information of all the people involved and also the witnesses who might have seen the accident unfold.
Noting down the names, addresses, phone numbers, license plate numbers, license numbers, and the names of insurance companies will be of great help to law enforcement during their investigations.
Gather photographic evidence
Capturing a lot of photos and videos of the scene can give you an added advantage during the case. You never know; the accident scene could have several clues that can help investigators and the insurance company to verify who is liable for the accident.
Even though the police will definitely do this, there is no harm in taking several pictures before anything is moved at the scene. You need to take pictures of the damage done to your motorcycle, the vehicles involved as well as the injuries sustained.
Report the accident to the authorities
Contacting the police is one of the most important steps you ought to take after getting involved in a motorcycle accident. Regardless of the degree of the accident, you need to notify the police about what happened. If you are not able to, you can have someone do it for you.
When they arrive, they’ll likely ask about what led to the accident. It is crucial to make sure that you’re as clear as possible with your description. You can even recommend that they interview the witnesses present if you feel you offer a clear description of what happened.
Hire a skilled lawyer
After the accident, you need to hire a skilled lawyer to represent you in the case and get you the right compensation from the insurance company. A lawyer will also be responsible for gathering more evidence you might need for the case and finding the person who is liable for the accident.
This is why you need only to hire the best and most skilled lawyer out there. For example, if you’re involved in an accident in Long Island, you need to hire a skilled Long Island motorcycle accident lawyer to protect your legal rights.
File a claim with your insurance provider
If your motorcycle is insured, contact your insurance provider and brief them on what happened. When you are filing a claim with your insurance provider, it is very important that you stick to the facts of the accident. Even if you’re liable for the accident that just happened, notifying your insurance provider is very important.
You might not know that an insurance company can easily reject your claim if you fail to report the accident in good time. Therefore, you need to move fast and notify your insurance provider or the other party’s insurance provider if you believe you’re not at fault.
Summing Up
Regardless of how careful you’re on the road, you can easily get involved in a motorcycle accident due to the negligence of other riders or drivers. If this happens, you need to follow the above steps to ensure that you and your legal rights are protected after the accident.
