What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident

As all bikers understand, riding your motorcycle can be one of the best experiences you can have. Unfortunately, when bikers get into accidents, they are way more likely to be injured than people in cars. In addition, many drivers fail to watch out for bikers and end up causing crashes that can cause monetary losses, severe injuries, and even death in many cases.

If you love riding your motorcycle, you should make sure you know what to do in the case of an accident. While you may be a careful rider, you never know when someone else’s negligence could lead to an accident, so make sure you are prepared for any eventuality.

So, what should you do if you find yourself in an accident on your bike?

Check for injuries.

The first thing you need to do is check yourself and anyone else involved in the accident for injuries. Make sure you are okay, then check on anyone in the vehicle if you can as well.

Get out of the road.

If your bike ended up in the road after the crash, try to get it off the road once you’ve checked everyone for injuries. Leaving your bike in the road can cause a hazard for incoming motorists and possibly cause another accident.

Call 9-1-1.

As soon as you’ve checked for injuries and removed your bike from the road if you can, you need to call 9-1-1. If you don’t have a phone, make sure the other driver calls. Explain you’ve had an accident. If there are injuries or you cannot get your bike from the road, let the operator know this. If there are no injuries or hazards in the road, then let the operator know that there is not an emergency, but you need police assistance at the scene of the crash. A San Francisco motorcycle accident lawyer says “the aftermath of a motorcycle accident can be chaotic and emotionally charged, but taking a moment to assess injuries is crucial and can impact any potential legal claims.

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Document the scene.

You’ll want to document everything you can from the crash site. As Ronald Rosen, a motorcycle accident lawyer in Hollywood, FL, explains, this can be very helpful later when you’re filing an insurance claim, and it can be even more important if you end up filing an appeal to your insurance company’s decision. Get pictures of every detail of the crash scene and try to record the statements of any eyewitnesses in the area.

Contact your insurance company.

You need to contact your insurance company to report the accident right away. Explain what happened and offer any evidence you have that the crash was not caused by your negligence.

Get legal help.

As attorney John Demas explains on his motorcycle accident lawyer FAQs page, fighting an unfair insurance decision after a motorcycle crash can be tricky, so you may want to get some expert legal help. St. Louis MO motorcycle accident attorney Benjamin Sansone agrees, explaining that you should make sure you get the compensation you need to recover from any injuries or financial losses you suffered due to the crash.

These are just a few things you should keep in mind if you ever find yourself in a motorcycle crash. Remember to wear a helmet, pay attention to traffic laws, and do your best to avoid a crash, but if you get into one, make sure you follow these steps to make the situation less stressful.