Following a motorcycle accident, there are many procedures that you must take in order to maximize the chances of a successful settlement for your claim. The seconds immediately following an accident are critical and can have a significant influence on your future legal actions and rights. Following a motorcycle accident, these are the seven most critical measures you should take immediately after the accident.
Step 1: Obtaining Contact Information
Once everyone has been safely removed from the roadway, gather information from everyone else who may have been involved in the accident. Obtain the names, addresses, phone numbers, insurance information, and driver’s license numbers of all of the people who are driving. Photocopy the vehicles and make a note of their license plate numbers, make and model of the cars, as well as a description of any other vehicles involved in the collision.
Maintain the organization of your notes since, if there are several parties involved, it is possible to confuse one person’s insurer or car with another’s insurer or vehicle.
Step 2: Contact the authorities.
To ensure that the police arrive at the site of the collision as quickly as possible:
- Dial 911.
- Immediately submit a police report if there has been property damage (anything valued at more than $500).
- If you or anybody else in the situation has been wounded, get medical care as soon as possible.
The police record may be quite helpful in your efforts to recover from damage to your bike or clothes, as well as for bodily injuries – many of which may not become apparent for several hours or even days following an accident!
It is critical to notify the authorities when an accident has occurred in order to establish a case. The police officers will retain their own records of the incident, which can be referred to in the case of a subsequent investigation.
Make a note of the names and badge numbers of the policemen that arrive on the scene. It will assist your attorney in following up with you in order to get any information that may be required for your claim.
Step 3: Observe and Take Note of Your Environment
Although documenting the incident may be difficult if you have been badly hurt, you should make an effort to remember crucial details about the event. It contains the where, when and how of the event. Pay attention to the location of the collision, as well as road conditions and speed restrictions. Also, please take note of any cars that were involved and how they were traveling.
Identify and photograph the nearest junction and mile marker on a piece of paper. It will allow you to return to the site later to photograph and document the incident more thoroughly.
Step 4: Consult with the eyewitnesses.
It is critical in any legal proceeding to have eyewitnesses to an accident. Consider interviewing everyone who observed the accident and documenting their views with an audio recorder on your phone or by writing them down on a piece of paper, if at all feasible.
Attempt to get as much information as you can while the situation is still vivid in the minds of any witnesses immediately following the motorcycle crash. If you or your attorney needs to question them later, make a note of their contact information.
Step 5: NEVER Admit You Were At Fault!
When two persons come into contact with each other, it is fairly unusual for both sides to express regret immediately. It is a natural aspect of human nature. If you are engaged in a jarring event such as a motorcycle accident, you may be tempted to apologize to the other person without even thinking about it.
When an accident occurs, it is common for the specific reason to be unclear soon following the mishap. Accidents may be shocking, and you may not remember every aspect of the incident for several hours or even days afterward. Be cautious about what you say since remarks made at the site of an accident might have significant legal ramifications later on.
Step 6: Notify Your Insurance Provider
Fill out the form with all of the information you’ve gathered from witnesses and persons who were involved in the accident. As you did in step 5, it is important to remember that you should never acknowledge blame, not even to an insurance agent. Contacting your insurance, in a similar way as filing a police report, assists in documenting the accident so that you may evaluate it later.
Step 7: Maintain thorough records following a motorcycle accident.
The following are our recommendations: (1) Keep a journal of your daily pain and discomfort (including emotional distress, fatigue, tenderness, and inconvenience); (2) record the dates and amounts of all doctor’s visits, prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, laboratory services, physical therapy, hospital visits, treatments, medical documents, and x-rays; (3) record the dates and amounts of all hospital visits, treatments, medical documents, and x-rays; (4) keep a journal of your daily pain and discomfort (including emotional distress, fatigue, After a motorcycle accident in Michigan, you should: (5) photograph all of your wounds as quickly as possible; and (6) save copies of any medical bills, medical records, and other papers in case you need them later.
Conclusion
Following your accident, you may require the services of a motorcycle accident attorney for a variety of reasons. An attorney can assist you if you are innocent. Still, the other parties believe you were at blame if your insurance company refuses your claim, if your losses exceed the limitations of your coverage, or if you have suffered significant bodily injuries and related expenditures. Contact an expert motorcycle accident attorney in your region immediately away to ensure that you receive the compensation that you are entitled to.
We hope that our steps as mentioned above will help you in case you meet with an accident. If you have any questions, you can ask them in the comment section below.
