After a motorcycle accident, it’s common to feel overwhelmed, but properly documenting the scene can greatly influence the outcome during legal proceedings. While motorcycle accident lawyers may handle your case, taking immediate action at the scene can make their job easier. Here is a simple step-by-step guide to what to do after a motorcycle accident to help protect your rights and improve your claim.
1. Stay Safe and Call for Help
First and foremost, be sure that you are safe and that other parties are safe. Move out of traffic, if possible, to avoid becoming involved in another accident. After you have found safety, report the accident to the respective police department.
2. Gather Information
Following an accident, collect as much information as possible while waiting for the police respondents to arrive. Such critical information can include:
- Contact Details: Exchange names, phone numbers, and insurance information with the parties involved.
- Vehicle Information: Record the plate numbers of all vehicles involved, including their make, model, color, and license.
- Witnesses: If you have any witnesses, ask for their contact details and if they would be happy to record a statement.
3. Take Photographs
Nothing impacts your potential insurance claim more than photographic evidence supporting your account of the accident. Therefore, use your smartphone to:
- Take pictures of the whole accident scene from different angles.
- Take photographs of any visible damage to vehicles, motorcycles, and all other property.
- Record road signs, traffic signals, skid marks, and other relevant environmental factors.
- If you or someone else is injured, photograph visible injuries well.
4. Write Down Your Account
Write down everything you can remember about the accident while it is fresh in your mind. This can include:
- Sequence of Events: Describe what happened before, during, and after the crash itself.
- Environmental Conditions: Record the state of the weather, lighting, and road hazards.
- Your Reactions: Write down in your record how you reacted during the incident and what actions you took immediately.
5. Seek Medical Attention
However small the injury or minor the pain feels, get the medical care you need as soon as possible. Some injuries may be hidden and absent immediately, but they can have long-term consequences.
The medical report will also be critical in your compensation claim case.
6. Consult with Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Once you document everything at the scene and address immediate concerns like medical care, you can contact motorcycle accident lawyers. Knowledgeable lawyers may help you know your legal rights and opportunities to receive compensation. An experienced lawyer will use the evidence you gather to build a strong case, contact the insurance companies, and present your claim before a court of law seeking compensation on your behalf.
Conclusion
Proper documentation can significantly affect your outcome in an insurance claim or a lawsuit. This is true because objective records of events leading up to unfortunate accidents can back up your version of events if compared to falsely created ones by other parties to the accident.
Although a motorcycle accident can be stressful, it is in your best interest to document the scene to protect your interests in the long run.
