What Should I Do After a Motorcycle Accident?
A motorcycle accident can be a scary and confusing experience. Many people are not sure of what to do or who to speak with after a crash.
At the law office of Mitch Grissim & Associates in Nashville, our team has helped many victims of motorcycle accidents navigate the complicated legal process after an accident and know exactly what you should do after a crash. To learn more, call the office or contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
In the immediate aftermath of a motorcycle accident, emotional distress can hurt your logical thought processes and cause you to make a mistake. You should try to remember the following steps in the event of a motorcycle crash to take care of your safety, well-being, and financial future.
Stay Calm
It can be easy to get overwhelmed with the stress, frustration, and anger that comes after motorcycle crashes. You could be worried about injuries, other passengers, the financial ramifications of the accident, and a myriad of other circumstances. These heavy emotions could affect your rationality and decision-making in the immediate aftermath.
Do whatever you can to stay calm and think through your next steps. Safety is the priority, so what steps will result in making sure everyone is safe? Then you can consider what the ramifications of the accident will be and how to deal with them.
Check for Injured People
The first thing to do after a motorcycle accident is to check for injured people after the crash. The health of everyone involved should be your top priority. Make sure that everyone is accounted for and take stock of the extent of their injuries.
Whether everyone appears to be okay or they have severe injuries, call the police and emergency services right away. They will help treat the injury on the scene or at least check on your condition. Just know that not all physical injuries will be obvious to you right away. You could have a personal injury that is internal and painless at the moment but will have devastating effects later.
Get off the Road if Possible
When you have been involved in a motorcycle crash, odds are that there is debris, vehicles, or people on the road where the collision occurred. If that is the case, the best thing you can do is to get off the road as soon as possible if you can do so safely.
Other vehicles may not be aware of the danger ahead, which could lead to another crash scene and further injury. If police and other emergency services have not arrived yet to prevent another car from colliding with the vehicles involved in the accident, getting off the road should be a priority.
Seek Medical Treatment
Motorcycle accident injuries are not always the same as car accident injuries. You and any other injured person after a motorcycle accident should seek medical attention immediately. This is important for two reasons, the first being that you may have more serious injuries than you realize that can only be identified by a healthcare professional.
Emergency personnel is responsible for treating any injuries at a crash scene, so allow them to do their jobs and check your status, even if you feel fine.
Oftentimes, internal injuries like bleeding or organ damage are not immediately recognizable after a crash but do require immediate medical treatment. Second, seeking immediate medical treatment creates contemporaneous documentation about the extent of your injuries, which is incredibly useful in future claims for damages. Insurance often covers a certain amount of medical treatment after a motorcycle accident, so just focus on being healthy.
Exchange Insurance Company Information and Other Details
Once you have gotten to safety, checked for injuries, and called the police, you and the other driver involved in the motorcycle accident should now exchange information with each other. Share your motorcycle insurance information with them and get their insurance as well. Exchange phone numbers or other contact information.
It is also wise to take a picture of their driver’s license as well as the license plate number of their vehicle. All of this information will be important as their insurance company negotiates with yours once you file a claim. If the other driver has no insurance, uninsured motorist coverage would come in handy if it was part of your policy.
Insurance will play a big role in your case, so make it a priority to exchange details with the driver of the car or other vehicle.
Take Photos of the Scene
If possible, take photos and videos of the accident scene. Take pictures of the property damage, where the accident occurred, and any injuries. Be sure to capture the time of day, any inclement weather conditions, traffic lights or signs, and anything else that may be helpful to your case.
Request a copy of the police report from the authorities and take the contact information of any witnesses to the crash. All of this information will serve as evidence when filing your claim to recover compensation. Gathering evidence makes a big difference in the success of your case, so don’t be shy to document as much as you can. It will help to arm your motorcycle accident lawyer with the information they need for your case.
Contact Your Insurance Company Directly
This step is often skipped or missed by motorcycle riders after an accident. However, if you can remember to do so, it can help your case later on. The insurance company can tell you what type of evidence and information to collect from the accident scene that will be helpful for them while you are still there. They could ask you to further document damage from the other vehicle,
If you are unable to get in touch with the insurance company at the crash scene because of severe injuries or other circumstances, call them as soon as possible after the fact.
Keep a Record of Your Medical Care and Rehabilitation
After the accident, keep a record or journal of your care and rehabilitation for any personal injury sustained. This includes keeping all receipts related to your medical bills, property damage, and lost wages in addition to maintaining a daily journal about your progress in rehabilitation.
All of this can be used as evidence when calculating the economic and non-economic damages caused by the motorcycle accident.
Talk to a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Finally, you should speak with a Tennessee lawyer that has experience representing motorcycle accident victims after a crash. Do not talk with an insurance adjuster or anyone else about the details of the accident before speaking with a lawyer. Filing a claim is a complex legal matter where the at-fault driver plays a huge role.
Make sure you do not apologize or admit fault after a motorcycle accident, either to the other driver, the police, or any eyewitnesses. Even if you apologize, that could be taken into account and used against you for your case. To protect your interests, simply state the facts of the incident to the police without qualifying it with an apology or admission of fault.
How an Attorney Can Help
An attorney can advise you on your legal rights and the next steps to protect your claims and begin the process of getting you the compensation that you deserve after an accident. If the other driver is at fault and you sustained a serious injury or damage to your bike, then you have a right to file a claim against the other party.
Since the process is so complicated, hiring a lawyer will be a necessary step so that you have a knowledgeable professional on your side.
Protect Yourself in the Future
As a motorcycle rider, there is only so much you can control on the road. Certain practices can help to protect you in the event of future motorcycle accidents, either by preventing them entirely or ensuring minimal damage.
Wear the appropriate safety gear at all times while on the bike, including a helmet, leather clothing, and protective boots. Follow speed limits, and be aware of other drivers that are not so you can maintain a safe distance from them. A defensive driver is a much safer driver, so keep your head on a swivel and check your mirrors frequently to know what is around you at all times.
Limiting the damage of a motorcycle injury during an accident with these practices could make all the difference in maintaining a normal life after a collision.
Motorcycle Accidents are Devastating. Let Us Help
An attorney from our team will provide a free case review to answer any questions you may have after being in a motorcycle accident with another car or larger vehicle. We are committed to the attorney-client relationship and will provide you with ethical legal support, protecting your rights, medical records, and sensitive information.
When you work with an attorney at Mitch Grissim & Associates, you will get a professional who can gather evidence for your case, negotiate with the insurance company of the other driver, assist with your financial situation if you have been injured, and help place fault with the other driver. We can ensure that the negligent behavior that led to the crash is not left unchanged by holding the at-fault driver responsible.
Motorcycle accidents are devastating experiences for bike enthusiasts, and a personal injury can lead to a heavy financial burden that you do not deserve.
Contact Us Today
To learn more about what you should do after a motorcycle accident, or to learn more about your legal options for compensation after a crash, call or contact Mitch Grissim & Associates to schedule a free consultation of your case today with one of our experienced Nashville motorcycle accident attorneys.
We have expertise in many other practice areas as well, so learn more about our services today.
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