Motorcycle accidents come with a significant risk of injury — especially for the motorcycle driver. Motorcyclists tend to experience more significant injuries than the drivers of passenger vehicles, which can lead to high medical expenses and a greater likelihood of long-term consequences.
Protecting yourself and gaining fair compensation after an accident involving a motorcycle requires taking certain steps. You need to know what to do — and just as importantly, what not to do — if you hope to protect your finances after a motorcycle accident.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident
No two accidents are alike, which means that not every injured driver has the same options after a crash. Immediate injuries might involve an ambulance trip to the hospital, while in other cases, a driver might not realize they’ve suffered damage to their spine or organs until after the fact.
Knowing the basic steps to take after an accident can guide your response and help ensure you’re not left unprotected when the time comes to submit your insurance claim.
Don’t Admit Fault
Fault equals liability. Anything you say that might indicate you bore responsibility for the accident can be used against you to deny your insurance claim.
Unintentional admissions of fault can even be used by the other driver to build a case against you — and the last thing you want is to be found legally liable for a motorcycle accident you didn’t cause.
Try to avoid apologizing for and speculating about the accident. The less you say after a motorcycle accident, the better. You will also want to refrain from conversing with the other driver, and be careful what you say to the police when they come to take the accident report.
See a Medical Professional
After serious injuries, medical care isn’t optional. However, one mistake injured drivers often make is failing to check in with a doctor because they think they haven’t been injured. Not all injuries are immediately apparent.
Injuries that often aren’t felt until after the accident include:
- Organ damage
- Spinal injury
- Brain injury
- Whiplash
An accident is an unexpected and frightening affair. It’s natural to feel shaken up afterward, which makes it harder to immediately recognize that something’s off.
Seeing a doctor after an accident helps identify any injuries from the start and establishes documentation that the accident was the source of any injuries that later appear.
Get Legal Advice
Always consult with a motorcycle accident lawyer before speaking with an insurance company. The goal of an insurance company is to save money — and this is achieved by minimizing accident payouts. Insurance agents are trained to ask questions that place fault onto you, reducing the amount of money they’re required to pay.
Before you call an insurance company to discuss your motorcycle accident claim, first attend a consultation with a motorcycle accident lawyer. A lawyer will advise you on what to say and do to protect yourself.
How Your Response to a Motorcycle Accident Impacts Compensation
Compensation after a motorcycle accident depends on liability. One driver will be deemed at fault for the accident. Subsequently, the insurance policy of the at-fault driver is responsible for paying out any damages.
Any time there’s an accident, the actions of the drivers are no longer simply actions — they’re evidence. After an accident, a driver might apologize or shrug off pain and say they’re fine. However, an insurance company can use these simple actions as evidence to deny or minimize a claim.
Taking the Right Steps After an Accident Can Protect You
What you do after a motorcycle accident has consequences — and those consequences can harm or help you financially, depending on how you respond.
If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident in Southern Missouri, Privette Law Office can help. For nearly 40 years, our family has proudly served our community with compassion and dedication. Contact us today to speak with a skilled Missouri motorcycle accident lawyer.