You might incur different types of losses from a motorcycle accident, such as injuries, damages to the motorcycle, loss of pay from absence at work due to your injuries, and the mental trauma of being in an accident.
Accidents involving motorcycles can make for challenging cases when you file for a personal injury claim because of the general bias against motorcyclists for being rash and reckless. However, these five things related to motor accidents can equip you better to file for a claim.
Ensure Your Safety
Motor accidents are among the most dangerous ones because of the impact the accident can have on the motorcyclist. These accidents range from skidding, falling, and collision to being thrown off the motorcycle onto the asphalt road, which can cause severe injuries.
Therefore, ensuring your safety is the top priority if you’ve encountered an accident. If you’re on a road that is busy, make sure that you move yourself and your vehicle to a safe place. The injured person should not leave the accident scene as this may put them at the risk of losing their personal injury claim.
Call 911
It is mandated by law that people involved in a major or minor accident must inform the local authorities. While you should inform the cops about any injuries that you have incurred, you should not admit to not being hurt if you do not notice any apparent injuries. This is because in many cases, you may witness delayed injuries and the symptoms may develop a few hours to a few days after a motor accident. If you admit to not sustaining any injuries, you might not be in a position to claim damages.
Exchange Information
Personal injury cases require you to file a claim with the negligent party’s insurance company. For this reason, you need certain information, such as their insurance policy number, the insurance company’s name, their contact number, and other details. This makes it crucial for you to get as much information from the negligent party as you can so that you have the relevant details needed for the claims process.
Take Pictures
Gathering evidence from the accident scene can be helpful in improving your chances of winning the case. This may range from vehicle damage, skid marks, and other aspects that indicate accidents from the accident scene. However, you should make sure that these pictures are taken soon after the accident as there is generally no tampering during this stage.
Taking pictures also gives you more control because the other party might otherwise try to get rid of such evidence by getting their vehicle repaired or removing a certain piece of evidence from the accident scene. However, with the right pictures, your statements will be backed by tangible evidence that cannot be denied by the other party.
Take Treatment and Keep Track of Medical Documents
The police will allow you to leave the scene of the accident once they have filed the report. It is best for you to head to a hospital soon after you receive permission to leave the site. A quick and timely medical examination can help diagnose critical injuries, such as spinal or traumatic brain injuries, so you can get treated in time. Quick treatment also means faster recovery, leaving you with enough to file the claim to recover compensation.
Remember to keep every medical document through every stage of treatment, right from diagnosis and doctor’s reports to pharmacy bills and other receipts. These receipts and documents can also serve as evidence while helping demand a certain amount of compensation equivalent to your loss.
Conclusion
Since a claims adjuster approaches the parties right after a report is filed, it is best to hire a lawyer and receive help as to how to proceed with the personal injury claim. Hiring a lawyer helps you protect your rights and negotiate a fair settlement.
Since saying or admitting certain things may also mean slimmer chances of receiving a settlement, legal help is essential to know how exactly you should approach the case and talk to different parties concerned with the claims process so that you receive your settlement without any major hassles.
