The steps that you take immediately after a motorcycle accident could impact your health and finances for many years to come, and that is why you must be proactive following one of these collisions. With a solid recovery plan and an experienced attorney by your side, you will be able to move on with your life as quickly as possible.
Check Yourself and Others for Injuries
As soon as you are able to do so, you must check yourself and everyone around you for injuries. If anyone seems to be injured at all, then they need to go to the hospital. Your adrenaline is going to mask your injuries following an accident, and that is why you must be checked out by a medical professional.
Call the Police
In most states, you are legally required to call the police if an accident results in major injuries, deaths, or more than $250 in property damage. When the police arrive at the scene, they are going to fill out an accident report that includes the names of everyone involved, written statements from all parties, and a general overview of what took place. That report is then going to be used by the insurance companies to determine who is responsible for the collision.
Collect Information
Collecting information and evidence is another important step in this process, and that data could be invaluable in the coming weeks. At the very least, you should ask any witnesses for their contact information. You can also write down a few sentences about what happened in the moments leading up to the accident. If you have a smartphone or camera, then you should take a few pictures of the scene as well.
Contact an Attorney
You might hope that you will be fairly compensated after a motorcycle accident, but these situations can become very complex. As a general rule, you should immediately contact a personal injury lawyer if you feel as if you are being treated unfairly by any of the involved parties. Your attorney can help you get the compensation that you deserve so that you can pay your medical bills and cover other expenses.
In addition to these few steps, you will also need to contact your insurance provider and file a claim. Every insurance company has its own unique rules, but most of those corporations require their clients to file a claim within just a few days of a collision. Failing to file a claim could void your insurance policy and hurt your case if the accident escalates into a civil suit.