Steps to Take After You’re in a Motorcycle Accident
As a motorcyclist, you need to be extremely careful when it comes to driving on the road. An accident for you is much different–and deadlier–than one between two cars. When you’re thrown from your motorcycle after a collision, there are most likely a million things running through your mind at once, and if you’re able to stand, there are things you should be doing immediately after the collision. From calling an ambulance to calling a motorcycle accident attorney, let’s look at the steps you need to take after a motorcycle accident.
Call 911 Immediately
The authorities should always be called after a vehicle accident, and this goes doubly for motorcycle accidents. Both a police car and an ambulance will be dispatched to your location to investigate the scene and act as a neutral third-party for the accident. While you’re waiting for the authorities, resist the urge to move your bike from where it lies. If you move it, you’re making it harder for the police to understand exactly what occurred. Leave your bike where it is, but get yourself out of the way.
Get Medically Checked Out
Even if you “feel fine” in the moment, you need to get medically checked out by the paramedics when they arrive on scene. Adrenaline often hides injuries because your body is in survival mode–a common state to be in after an accident. Get a full medical examination as soon as possible (either from an ER or an urgent care) and keep documentation of all injuries you received from the accident. Aside from keeping yourself safe (and on the mend), this information will be helpful going forward if you file a personal injury claim.
Gather All Information
Once you are medically able to do so, you need to gather all the information you can about the accident. The more information you have, the easier it will be to report the accident to the relevant groups later. This includes the name of the officer (or officers) that responded to the scene who are filing the accident report, and the names and contact information of all independent witnesses of the accident.
From all other drivers involved in the accident, you will need to gather the following information:
- Full name
- Contact information (phone, email, etc.)
- Driver’s license number
- Insurance company and policy information
- Vehicle make, model, and color
- License plate
Additionally, if you can, you should take any photos or videos you can of the accident scene itself before anything is moved. This will preserve the scene as it was and will help with any claims you may file later on. If you are unable to do this for any reason (like your phone being smashed in the accident), the accident report that the police officer will file should have photos to be referenced later if necessary.
Report the Accident to All Interested Parties
Once you are safe and back at home, the next step is to report the accident to all interested parties. In the state of California, you are required to file an accident report with the DMV within ten days of the accident occurring. It is called an SR-1 report and is required if anyone was injured in the accident or if the property damage exceeds $1,000. This is separate from the accident report that the police file.
You also need to report the accident to your insurance provider. It’s important that you stick only to the facts when you talk to the insurance agent, especially if fault for the accident has not been declared. Any statements such as “I’m feeling better now” can weaken the strength of your claim further down the line. Stick to the factual information that occurred and let the insurance agent go from there.
It’s important to note that you are not required to give a statement to the other driver’s insurance company. Often, they will call and attempt to get a statement from you in order to stack the claim in the other driver’s favor. All you should tell the other insurance company is that you are securing legal representation and that any communications should go through them.
Consult With a Lawyer
If you were injured in any way or if the fault of the accident is not clear, you should secure legal representation. They can help with a personal injury suit and stay on top of any deadlines that you may not know about. It’s important that you don’t accept any sort of settlement from the other driver before consulting with your lawyer.
