If you love riding motorcycles, you know how fun and exhilarating it can be to cruise the open road. You also know how dangerous it can be. Motorcycle accidents are often devastating, if not fatal for the rider. Data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration confirms that motorcyclists are 28 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash.
Here are a few tips to consider if you or a loved one are a motorcyclist in an accident:
- Make sure authorities are called to the scene and a police report if filed.
- If possible, give the policeman your version of events for inclusion in the police report.
- Get medical attention as soon as possible – even if you aren’t feeling terrible – as many traumatic injuries don’t become evident until several hours or days after the accident.
- Leave everything as is until the police arrive so they can accurately document the scene.
- If unable to do so yourself, ask someone to take photos or video of the accident, and collect contact information from any witnesses who are available.
Riders who do survive such accidents often sustain serious traumatic injuries, such as: paralysis, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), internal organ injuries, neck injuries; muscle and soft-tissue strains; lacerations, fractures; and more. In many cases, they will miss a substantial amount of work time and accumulate huge medical and hospital bills.
Before any compensation can be awarded to the motorcyclist, it must be determined who is at fault for the accident. By law, drivers are required to show reasonable care when operating their vehicle. If it can be proven that they were negligent, they can be held liable for the accident. Was the auto driver changing lanes, driving while texting or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
In many cases, it is important to reconstruct the accident scene to help determine who is liable for the accident. Reconstruction is particularly important in motorcycle accidents because injured riders are often unable to give their account of the accident before they are taken to a medical facility. Some experienced lawyers engage reconstruction experts who specialize in motorcycle physics to help determine how the accident occurred and to prevent drivers and their insurance companies from trying to place undeserved blame on the motorcyclist. There are many options to consider when seeking compensation after a motorcycle accident. Consider contacting an experienced legal professional, like a motorcycle accidents lawyer at a law firm such as Yearin Law Office.