What Steps Should You Take When Someone Has Hit You On A Motorcycle?
In the United States, motorcycle accidents happen far more than passenger car accidents. Since the motorcycles are smaller in size than large vehicles and do not provide safety, the motorcyclist usually ends up suffering injuries. If you own a motorcycle in the USA, it is important to learn to protect yourself and the actions you should take if involved in an accident. The seconds following an accident are important, and there are certain crucial things to do to help your claim.
If you do not act on the spot, you might risk losing your legal rights to get a worthy settlement offer. Motorcycle accidents can be complicated to prove on your own, and it is recommended to contact an experienced lawyer after your motorcycle accident immediately.
Steps Should Take When Hit You On A Motorcycle
Here are the crucial actions to take immediately after a motorbike accident.
Move away from the traffic
After an accident, you might be injured and feel confused about what to do. Try to remain calm and move away from the traffic and the crowded area. Check yourself for any injuries and take help from nearby people.
Gather contact information of the other driver
It is important to collect the basic information of the other driver and passengers, if any, involved in the accident. Ask for the name, contact number, address, License number and name of their insurance provider. Additionally, stay at the scene and click photos of the accident site, vehicles without moving them, witnesses, the road and the weather. All of this is important to collect in real-time and is the basis for any claim in the future. The witnesses and the bystanders at the scene are important and their statements might matter in your case. Hence, do not forget to collect their information- name, contact number and address for future references.
Dial 911. Call the Police
If your motorcycle was hit by a vehicle and you suffered injuries, you must prove it for compensation. A police report is an important document which will be asked by both your and the other party’s insurance provider and an attorney if hired for your case. Hence, whether the accident is minor or major, you should dial 911 and then call the police at the accident site as soon as possible. They will file a police report and immediately provide you and the other driver with medical assistance. The police report includes vital information such as your bike, injuries, weather, clothing, speed limits, safety gear, etc., which might not be evident hours or days after your accident.
Give yourself time and don’t start feeling guilty
Motorcycle accidents are risky and can even prove fatal. If you feel okay after an accident and are in a position to talk, one thing that you should never do is apologize and admit your claim. You never know what caused an accident, which will be established in a preliminary examination. You should leave it to the examining officers to find the liable party for the accidents. If you apologize at the scene, it can have legal consequences later, and you might risk a worthy settlement offer.
Contact your insurance provider and alert them of the accident immediately
After the police, you should call your insurance company and notify them of the situation. Since you weren’t at fault, it is really important to tell them the exact scene, provide them with the basic information and ask them for any relevant information to be collected. Since they are experts, they might ask you to collect evidence that might prove useful while proving your claim. Additionally, if the other party tries to sue you at any time, your insurance provider will already be alert to fight their claims.
The insurance companies will investigate the case and try to reach a consensus in establishing the at-fault party. The negligent party needs to take responsibility and pay the damages to the injured. However, the other party might not agree to a fair settlement, and the case may go to trial. Hence, hiring a personal injury lawyer for the case is recommended.
