What To Do After A Motorcycle Accident In Denver
What To Do After A Motorcycle Accident In Denver
Motorcycle accidents are likely to cause devastating injuries as well as substantial financial losses. Having little to protect them, motorcyclists are vulnerable when struck by other vehicles. Drivers of cars, SUVs, and trucks have some protection with their vehicles and this can save lives in the event of an accident. When you’re a victim of a motorcycle accident, it can be overwhelming to take care of all of the details, even if you know what to do. Keep the following tips in mind to (hopefully) avoid accidents with other vehicles in the first place and to preserve evidence and protect your rights if you ever are involved in a motorcycle accident.
Avoiding a Motorcycle Accident
Obviously, there are limited things you can control on the road and other drivers aren’t one of them. You can do your best to steer (pun intended) clear of accidents while riding a motorcycle by staying prepared and avoiding unnecessary risks while on the road. Here’s some tips to help you stay safe:
- Never ride your motorcycle without safety gear. A colorful helmet or jacket will not only increase your visibility, it will help you stay safe when it matters.
- Always stay vigilant and keep an eye out for threats to your safety on the road. Especially watch for drivers who fail to see you. Keep an eye on other driver’s heads movements, mirrors, and tires to try to anticipate sudden moves.
- Be aware of blind spots and avoid them whenever possible.
- Vary your speed as keeping with the flow of traffic renders you essentially invisible
- Watch out for drivers making left hand turns. These motorists frequently turn in front of motorcyclists, so watch their hands, head, and front wheel and be ready to slow down or take action to avoid an accident.
Do regular inspections on your motorcycle before you ride. Here’s what to check:
- Tires and Wheels: Check your tire pressure, tread, spokes and brakes.
- Controls: Check all levers, cables, hoses, and throttles
- Lights and Electrical: Check your brake lights, taillights, headlights, lenses, reflectors, battery, and wiring. Take note of any fraying, pinching, or corrosion. If you see any, it’s not safe to ride
- Oil and Fluids: Check all fluid levels and look for any leaks
- Chassis: Check your suspension, chains, belts, fasteners, steering head, and swingarm bearings.
- Kickstand: Check your motorcycle’s sidestand and centerstand for proper operation. Take note of any bends or other damage.
While this stands as a great pre-ride inspection, it wouldn’t hurt to do it after a ride so that you can take notice of any issues and make repairs before your next ride on your bike.
What To Do After a Motorcycle Accident
Call 911 First. Then Exchange Information.
Legally, all people involved in an accident where there are injuries are required to remain at the scene of the accident until emergency personnel arrive on scene. Following a motorcycle accident, check yourself and others for injuries and call 911. Administer CPR or first aid to victims with serious injuries if necessary. If you are physically able to do so, take photos of the scene, the other vehicle, the motorcycle and any traffic control devices involved. Exchange insurance information with the other people involved and write down the make and model of the cars involved in the accident. If there are witnesses who saw what happened, ask for their names and contact information as well.
Talk To The Police
When the police arrive on scene, tell them what happened and give them a statement. Do not admit blame in any way for the accident. If the officer asks if you’ve suffered injuries, do not tell them that you’re uninjured. It’s not uncommon to have injuries surface that you don’t immediately notice but are quite serious. Internal bleeding may not be immediately apparent but could be gravely serious. Tell the officer that you want to get a medical examination to check for injuries. Ask the officer to write a report and then secure a copy once you’re able to do so.
Seek Medical Attention
Victims of a motorcycle accident should seek medical attention as soon as possible after the wreck. You need the medical paper trail to document any injuries, plus, it’s a good idea to check for any internal injuries that aren’t immediately apparent. Waiting to be checked out is a mistake; your insurance company could deny the claim if you wait. Showing a close proximity in time between the accident and any injuries uncovered will help you prove that your injuries were caused by the accident and not something else.
When Insurance Adjusters Call
For the majority of cases, insurance adjusters will contact victims of motorcycle accidents relatively soon after the crash happened. Adjusters are experts at seeming as if they are truly concerned about the victims’ well-being. It’s important to understand that insurance adjusters are not there for you, they work on behalf of their employers. Their job is to save their employers as much money as possible by reducing the amounts that companies may be forced to pay victims of a motorcycle accident.
A common approach by adjusters is to ask for a recorded statement from victims. Never submit a statement with an insurance adjuster or any other insurance company representative. Tell them instead that you want to consult with a motorcycle accident attorney before you give them any kind of statement.
Another approach that insurance companies use is to ask victims to sign blanket authorizations when they’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident. Never sign a blanket authorization. The purpose behind this document is to provide the insurance company access to your entire medical record. They will use this opportunity to dig through your medical history to place the blame for your injuries on a different event or to dispute the extent of the injuries from the accident.
In conclusion, if you are lost and wondering what to do after you’ve suffered an accident, it’s best to seek out an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer. This is especially true if you’ve suffered serious injuries as a result of the collision; getting help from an experienced attorney is critical to helping you build your case. If you have a reliable lawyer on your side, you’ll be able to focus on healing from your injuries while your personal injury attorney advocates for you. Experienced attorneys will have the requisite legal knowledge for the Denver area to build a strong case that proves liability, allowing your lawyer to negotiate a settlement for you that is much higher than you would have received on your own.
If you’ve fallen victim to a motorcycle accident and have injuries as a result, contact the offices of AGG Law to schedule a free initial consultation to explore your options. Our experienced lawyers can help guide you and advise on the best course of action to obtain the maximum compensation you deserve on your claim.
