Regardless of how careful you are as a driver, it’s important to always be prepared when it comes to accidents. Aside from knowing how to crash your bike safely, you need to know the best course of action so you could stick to it amidst the confusion. Here is everything you need to know on how to safely get through a motorcycle accident without sacrificing your best interests.
Safety First
The first few seconds after getting hit by a vehicle can be disorienting, but it’s in those seconds that you will have to make a few critical decisions. Once you can gather your thoughts, count to five to make sure you’ve regained your balance, then take note of your surroundings and where you’ve landed. If it’s in the middle of the road, you need to get to the sidewalk as soon as you can to avoid oncoming traffic. After you’re safely out of harm’s way, check yourself for injuries or bleeding. Don’t solely rely on pain as an indicator because due to the rush of adrenaline, your body won’t register the pain immediately. When done tending to yourself, if you are in a good enough physical condition, look around for your motorcycle and other injured riders, if there are any. Keep in mind, you should only attempt to move your motorcycle off the tarmac if you physically can.
Call Emergency Services
Legally, you are required to report the accident you were involved in, and ideally, you should call the authorities after getting away from the road. If your phone has been damaged, ask a passerby to call 911 or ask the other party involved in the accident. Once they arrive, the authorities will handle the scene and take statements from the parties involved. These statements are eventually compiled into a police report that, according to the legal consultants at Edwards & Patterson Law, serves as a valuable piece of evidence which you can use to get compensation for the damages. Without an unbiased, accurate police report, the court only has statements to go on which can negatively affect your case, and your compensation. That’s why, until the police arrive, try to remember as much as you can from the accident so that, when asked, you can provide as accurate of an account as possible.
Gather Evidence
While you can trust your lawyer to take care of gathering the necessary evidence, it’s always a good idea to start preparing for your insurance claim from the moment that the accident takes place. In order to get compensated for your medical bills and your bike repair expenses, you’ll need to prove that the accident took place. Aside from the police report which is considered a main piece of evidence, you need to take some detailed pictures of the scene. Take wide photos of the crash, showing the full extent of it. Take several close-ups of your damaged vehicle. If you have sustained any wounds or bruises, take pictures but make sure you take wide pictures and close-ups to eliminate any suspicion. You can also record on video your own account of what happened, as well as, other statements from a few witnesses if you can.
Seek Medical Attention
After you’ve talked to the police and regardless of whether or not you feel pain, you must seek immediate medical attention. As we’ve mentioned above, your adrenaline will do a good job hiding the pain, and you won’t necessarily have any visible wounds, but it won’t mean that there is no internal bleeding. That said, seeking medical attention in itself is considered evidence that an accident took place. The insurance company will attempt to prove your case invalid, and one of the most common tactics is claiming that your injuries were a result of something other than the accident. If you see a doctor three days after the accident, you’ll only be giving their refutation more credibility. On the other hand, if you provide medical bills, test results, prescriptions, and more, there is no way they will be able to negotiate their way out of paying.
Unless you’re the at-fault driver, there is no reason for you to have to endure the emotional, physical, and financial toll that is caused by someone else’s negligence. It’s often said that money can never truly compensate you, but it can heal you. It can help you afford the mental therapy you will need, pay your medical bills, and provide for yourself during your time off from work. With a good lawyer by your side, you can guarantee yourself compensation without worrying about the legal hassle.