A motorcycle crash can be a shocking, terrifying, and life-threatening experience. Crashes can happen before either party has time to react, causing severe injury and damage to everyone and everything involved. The events immediately following an accident can be chaotic and emotions are often running high. If you are in a serious accident, it can be difficult to stay focused on the important things and set aside your anger, frustration, and panic. Knowing how to respond after a crash can help you ensure that you get the necessary assistance and information that you need.
After the Impact
The force of a collision is incredibly jarring and will likely leave you shaken up both physically and emotionally. Before getting out of the car or even calling 911, check yourself and any passengers over for injuries. You may not immediately feel any injuries because of the shock of the crash, but it is important to determine if you have any major injuries before trying to move. If you are capable, move yourself and your vehicle to the side of the road, a nearby parking lot, or a cross street to get out of the way of traffic. Turn on your flashers to make the crash scene more visible to oncoming drivers.
Calling for Assistance
Once you are safely out of the road, call 911 immediately for assistance. Even if you do not think that you are seriously injured, it is best to be checked over by an emergency medical technician to be sure. If you are seriously injured and cannot clear the road, let the 911 dispatcher know so that s/he can send the appropriate assistance to protect you from traffic. Once the police and ambulance have arrived and you have been checked for injuries, be sure to exchange personal and insurance information with the other driver(s) involved. If you cannot physically exchange the information yourself, ask a police officer to do it for you.
Important Tips
After an accident, the most important thing to address is your personal safety and the safety of others involved. The second most important aspect is to gather any and all information regarding the accident. Be sure to do the following after any accident:
Stay calm. Yelling at or accusing other drivers is counterproductive and will not help the situation.
Write down information. Get all necessary information from the other driver and write down details of the accident, including accident time, location, and parties involved.
Take photos of the accident. Documenting the scene of the accident and the extent of the damage on the scene can help with your insurance claim.
Do not discuss fault. Police officers are not authorized to give legal advice and cannot discuss fault with you. It is up to the investigators and insurance companies to determine fault.
Call your insurance company. Report the accident as soon as possible to your insurance agent. The sooner you report the collision, the faster your claim will be underway.
Once you have been treated for injuries and completed the above steps, consider contacting a motorcycle accident lawyer. Accidents can be costly to your health and your wallet, and a motorcycle lawyer can work with you to determine if you have grounds to recover compensation from another party. Someone may be liable for your accident and may be obligated to compensate you for your medical bills, rehabilitation, lost wages from time off of work, vehicle damage, and pain and suffering.
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