A motorbike accident can be an immensely frightening experience. During such a time, the affected person might feel confused, scared, and unable to think. According to the NHTSA, around 93,000 suffered injuries, while 4,597 died in motorbike accidents back in 2012. However, knowing the dos and don’ts in such a situation can be of great help, as it can save you from lifetime regrets. This article will share with you some details that might help you and others in a road accident.
DO’S
- Call for Medical Help
Getting medical help should be on top of your list when experiencing a motorcycle accident, alongside calling the authorities, of course. If you feel that you escaped unscathed, you should still visit the hospital and get yourself checked out by a trained medical professional. Some medical issues or injuries will not show up right after the accident. You will feel them the next day when your wound becomes old. For example, whiplash does not cause any symptoms till at least 48 hours. Internal/organ or brain injuries might not also show up immediately.
Medical assistance would help save you from the worst possible consequences, which could be in the form of internal injuries. It would further help you seek immediate medical help in case of wounds that need quick management such as, internal bleeding or brain damage. In many cases, injured ones wish to visit their doctor directly. However, this might be unfavorable in some cases. And possible hurdles could be the unavailability of the doctor, long routes, etc. That could eventually lead to medical help delays. Also, medical reports can add more value to pricing that you suffered injuries, making a medical insurance claim easier.
- HIRE A LAWYER
Obviously, after calling the police and receiving medical assistance, is to acquire legal help such as from a motorcycle law firm, Rider Justice. It is good to hire an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer who has experience dealing with such scenarios. If the motorbike accident was your fault and the other party decides to sue you, you would need good legal help to defend yourself. Furthermore, your lawyer will help you out with any legalities when you recover from injuries if you do the same.
- CALL THE POLICE
Often, motorbike accidents occur due to careless or negligent driving. When someone else was the reason for the crash, you can sue that person and recover your losses. However, you will have to prove whose fault it was. A police accident report will be your best friend during an accident.
Call the police after your experience a motorbike accident. The police department will send an officer to the site of the incident. He/she will then write a detailed report on how the accident happened. He/she will also note down the contact information of all parties involved in the accident. Such information will be precious to prove your case when you sue the other party for damages.
- PROVIDE YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY WITH ACCURATE INFORMATION
When you get in touch with your insurance company after the accident, they will ask you a few questions that you will need to answer as accurately as possible. You should also ensure not to say anything that might affect your insurance claim. Be concise and specific about the incident, as speaking more might get you in trouble.
However, as a useful strategy, try to get proper evidence from the surrounding witnesses. If possible, try to take the contact number of those who helped you during the incident or the site’s local residence. Another possible way is to capture photographs of the accident scene, damages held in the vehicle, injuries held by the victim, and traffic signs near the given location.
DON’TS
- DON’T ADMIT YOUR FAULT TO ANYONE
You would not want to be in a situation where you are at fault, or you’ll end up admitting that you are the real culprit. It might decrease your chances of getting a claim. When the police come and ask you questions for their report, reply politely but do not give out any extra information than you have to. Also, don’t tell them that you caused the accident when they are still investigating the facts. Besides, it is also essential not to mention anything that might hint to others, such as an indirect apology. Doing this might let things get against you.
- DON’T MOVE IF YOU ARE HURT
If you or the other party is seriously injured, in that case moving yourself or the other person’s body will do more damage. You don’t know if you or the other person is suffering from severe injuries, and moving about will make it worse. For example, spinal injuries often worsen when the body is frequently bent or moved in any wrong direction. To ensure nobody gets more hurt, you should try to secure the scene while the police arrive, obviously if you feel fine and can move around.
- DON’T LET OTHERS CONVINCE YOU NOT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY
Usually, when there is an accident, the affected parties will try not to contact the insurance provider, especially the one who caused it. They do this because of the fear of an increased insurance premium. Also, the person might try to convince you not to contact your insurance company as well. Don’t fall for such a thing. If you don’t call them and the other person fails to pay you for the damages, you won’t claim any money because you didn’t report the accident on time.
CONCLUSION
We encourage that you share these tips with everyone you know as it can save their lives or others during an accident. However, it would help if you remain focused on safety when on roads, whether on a motorbike or car. Accidents will happen, and it is our duty as upstanding citizens to protect anyone involves in them.