3 Steps to Take After a Motorcycle Accident
A motorcycle accident is traumatic. You could get ejected off of your motorcycle, trapped under your bike, or even knocked unconscious. But what you do after a motorcycle accident could determine whether you can recover compensation for your injuries.
Here are three steps to take after a motorcycle accident.
Stop and Call the Police
If you fail to stop after an accident, prosecutors could charge you with leaving the scene of the accident. Worse yet, you could lose all credibility with insurers and a jury. This means that you could land in jail and become unable to receive compensation for your injuries, even if you did not cause the accident.
Washington law requires you to report any accident that involves an injury. If you do not call the police to report the accident, the state could suspend your driver’s license. You will also jeopardize your claim for injury compensation. A claims adjuster or juror could reason that you did not report the accident because you were not injured in the accident.
Exchange Information
Washington law requires that you provide your identifying information to the other drivers involved in an accident. In addition to complying with the law, exchanging information allows you to begin the insurance claims process. Without the insurance information for the driver who caused the crash, you might be unable to seek compensation for your injuries.
Seek Medical Attention
If you have a serious injury, request medical attention at the accident scene. If you do not need EMTs, seek medical attention as soon as possible after the accident. This has a few benefits:
Diagnose Injuries
You may have more serious injuries than you realize. Even if you were wearing a helmet, you could have a brain injury from the impact of the crash. Visiting the emergency room, urgent care, or your doctor will provide you with a diagnosis of your injury so you can receive the correct medical treatment.
Get a Prognosis
Your doctor can estimate how much treatment, therapy, and medication you will need to fully recover from your injuries. Since your injury compensation can include current and future medical expenses, you need to know your prognosis to submit an accurate insurance claim.
Create a Record
A claims adjuster or jury will need to see medical records to prove the existence, timing, and extent of your injuries. Without medical records, the insurer could accuse you of faking or exaggerating your injuries.
How a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Help
Injury lawyers can provide advice and counsel, in addition to advocacy. If you have been in a motorcycle accident, it is not too late to follow through on some of the steps that will improve your chances of recovering compensation for your injuries.
Contact us to discuss your motorcycle accident injuries with an experienced injury attorney. When you partner with the team at Harlan Law, we’ll help you to get the compensation you deserve. We also serve Portland, OR!