Six Crucial Things To Do If You’re Involved in a Motorcycle Accident
Motorcycle accidents have a reputation, and it’s well deserved, for being some of the deadliest traffic accidents going.
You know it, and you ride anyway, but try to keep in mind that motorcycles offer little protection to riders in the event of an accident. And it comes down to this; the injuries you could sustain are generally severe and could well require long recovery periods. That means hospital bills, and you need to make sure you have your ducks in a row to take care of those and other attendant expenses.
In the vast majority of cases, motorcycle accidents are not the biker’s fault. The size difference between a motorcycle and passenger vehicle means motorcycles are harder to see and are frequently lost in the passenger vehicle’s “blind spot.” It’s this simple fact more than any other than means biker’s are often sideswiped (or struck at intersections) by vehicles that simply did not see them.
The cold hard facts go like this: statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that motorcyclists are 32 times more likely to die in an accident than passenger vehicle occupants, and an equally horrifying 6 times more likely to suffer serious injuries.
But if you ride, you already know that.
It’s also important to remember that biker’s are entitled to compensation for injuries due to someone else’s negligence every bit as much as passenger vehicle operators, and to make sure you having a fighting chance at making things right and protecting your family from financial harm, you need to be properly insured.
If you are involved in a motorcycle accident it is important to remember the following things:
1. Report the accident to police, pronto, no waiting until later. The police report is critical to your insurer or lawyer in determining fault.
2. Record the names and statements of witnesses to your accident. Take pictures and record any unusual circumstances or whether that may have contributed to the accident. This will be especially useful should your case go to court.
3. Do not speak with any insurance agents or adjusters that may show up at the scene. This is an unscrupulous tactic sometimes used to get people to admit fault or say something that could hurt their claim.
4. Call your insurance company to report the accident, and do this immediately. Do not speak with the other party’s insurance carrier. Let the transportation accident lawyer Wyoming or insurance company deal with them.
5. Even if you feel you’ve beaten the odds and failed to sustain a serious injury, it’s a good idea to get checked out by a physician. Some brain injuries don’t show up right away and insurance companies will be reluctant to pay for an injury later on if you haven’t documented the cause at the time of the crash.
6. Take as many pictures as your cell phone or camera will hold, and do it for your friends if they’re involved in an accident.
