How to Handle the Aftermath of a Motorcycle Accident

For those who watch professional motorcycle races on television, the sight of a rider skidding off the road and getting back up seems like a minor occurrence. However, what these individuals witness are professional racers who are trained to roll away from a fall. The average motorcycle rider doesn’t have this level of training, and an accident on a real roadway could yield tragic results.

If you are the victim of a motorcycle injury, you might still experience the shock from the accident. The physical injuries and emotional trauma may linger, making it difficult to fully recover. However, the recovery process shouldn’t seem like an impossible climb. Involving motorcycle accident lawyers can make the physical, emotional, and financial healing easier to bear. While one can’t understate the difficulty of such a situation, it should be encouraging to know that your situation is not one that should remain hopeless.

There are of course many facets to consider when dealing with the aftermath of a motorbike accident. With all of the questions, processes, and emotions involved, you may stand confused as to where you need to start and on what you should focus.

Your Physical Condition Should be Your Number One Concern

What good is legal compensation in the absence of good health? No matter how pressing it might seem to consult auto accident lawyers, your health and well-being comes first. Motorcycle injuries are (by nature) more serious than those caused by regular accidents between cars. Unfortunately, the mortality rate for those involved in motorcycle accidents is considerably higher than those involved in car accidents.

Since the nature of these injuries can be quite severe, you most likely responded to your accident by receiving immediate medical attention. If you were unconscious at the time, you are no doubt thankful for the friends, family members, or bystanders who came to your rescue. Since motorcycle accidents can lead to painful and life-threatening injuries such as spinal cord damage, pelvic fractures, and traumatic brain injuries, you most likely have been responsible by putting medical needs first.

Never Ignore a Seemingly Minor Injury

If you were fortunate enough to escape a motorcycle accident with just a few scrapes and bruises, should you bother seeking medical attention? The answer is a definite yes! Some of the common injuries caused by motorcycle accidents may seem minor, but they can lead to complications that can be difficult to erase. Here are some examples:

• Road Rash – If you sustained mild road rash, it’s important that you see a doctor immediately since failure to take action can lead to permanent scarring.

• Emotional Trauma – Don’t assume that night terrors, anxiety, and depression are temporary effects from the accident. These emotional symptoms can linger and impair your daily life, making it urgent that you seek treatment.

When It’s Time for a Lawyer to Hear From You

Although your physical and emotional recovery comes first, the pursuit of legal advice shouldn’t be far behind. This is especially true if the accident is the result of another motorists’ actions. In such a case, you should contact motorcycle accident lawyers as early as possible, provided that you are physically capable of doing so. Due to the serious and difficult nature of motorcycle accidents, it’s essential that you receive all of the support you can gather. Legal professionals play an important role in providing you with this support.

Prep Work for Legal Action

It’s important that you first start your case with the collection of evidence. This information provides motorcycle accident lawyers with the details they need to investigate and determine the cause of your accident. Despite your limitations, it’s important that you make the effort to gather this evidence, even if it means involving those closest to you. Discovering the true nature of your accident not only brings closure, but it can also determine how your insurance policies and compensations pan out.

Tools You Can Use to Assist a Lawyer

• Take Photos of Injury/Accident Site – Taking pictures of your injuries and the crash site can be unpleasant, but they can serve as essential pieces of evidence. Photos of your injury may show patterns that are consistent with crashes caused by other motorists, as opposed to your own wrongdoing. It can be difficult to find remains from a crash site (due to a clean up), but you should take photos of an accident scene if possible. The position of your motorcycle in relation to the road or other vehicles may reveal tell-tale signs of poor road maintenance or negligent driving.

• Present Medical Reports – Where possible, lawyers will arrange with your doctor to have medical reports released, so that you can present them in court. Just like photos, reports that state the nature of your injuries may reveal patterns of injuries that are common when external factors cause your injuries. This might include operative reports, x-rays, CT scans, and MRI results, all of which can provide more background regarding how you sustained your injuries.

• Gather Witness Testimonies – The power of a witness, or several witnesses, is one that lawyers will harness if they are present. When people witness an accident, they are generally honest about how an accident unfolds. Therefore, you can expect to receive the support of a witnesses who saw a crash unfold as a result of factors beyond your control. If these witnesses are cooperative, you can expect them to present their sightings as credible proof.

Presenting evidence for lawyers will make the resolution of your case more manageable from a legal standpoint. This is important, since trying to win an auto accident case is often tricky, as there are often conflicting reports from both parties. However, making the effort to find viable evidence can accomplish the difficult task of identifying who’s truly at fault.

Additional Steps to Take

Apart from the medical and legal elements, you should remember to take some other practical steps after an accident. Of course, you need to respect your circumstances and any limitations that you might have to deal with. That will mean gathering support from close friends and family members. If your injuries are mild enough to allow some normal functioning, it’s your responsibility to handle some additional aspects of your case.

What You Should Do Following an Accident

• Obtain the Other Party’s Information: If someone else is at fault, they must face the consequences of whether the accident was a result of negligence or purely unintentional. However, they can slip away if you don’t have information on them, or if there are no witnesses present. That’s why you should make it a priority to record their information. What you need to obtain the most is their license plate number, vehicle make/model, contact information, and the name of their insurance company. In the case of poor road conditions, you will have to obtain photographs and file a report, which will need to be addressed by the municipal law.

• Contact Your Insurance Company: Why should you have to pay an excessive amount of money for something that’s not your fault? There’s no reason to do so! Contacting your insurance company can take the financial burdens of an accident off of your back by covering costly fees such as your medical bills. In addition to these bills, your insurance company can also assist you by covering your repair costs. Auto accident lawyers can see to it that your insurance provider delivers the compensation you deserve, if they try to deviate from your policy.

Recovering From the Aftermath

If you are facing a recovery period after a motorcycle accident, take to heart that there are many resources out there for you to cope. It is certainly a difficult situation to handle, but it’s not one that you can’t handle or overcome. The key is to take immediate action where possible, and rely on those who can make your recovery successful. In terms of professional assistance, you should seek the expertise of motorcycle accident lawyers who can help you obtain the compensation you require and the closure you deserve. Of course, this legal assistance should come secondary to your immediate medical needs. Never dismiss the importance of your family and friends at this time, since they will provide you with emotional support that’s hard to find elsewhere. If you make the effort to take these steps, you can take control of your circumstances and improve them, despite the challenges.

If you are struggling to recover from a recent motorcycle accident, don’t hesitate to send an email or call us at [wtsphone tollfree_link].