Being involved in a motorcycle accident is a scary and potentially life changing event.
Motorcycles accidents are different from car accidents in many ways. Motorcycles lack most of
the safety features of a car that protect occupants during a car accident. As a result, motorcycle accidents in Oklahoma are far more deadly than car accidents. In fact, motorcycle accident victims are over 20 times more likely to die in a motorcycle crash than passengers in a car crash.
Most motorcycle accident victims and their families are confused and scared after the motorcycle crash. You are likely asking a number of questions:
- what do I do after a motorcycle accident?
- Can I afford my medical bills after the motorcycle accident?
- Will I miss work after my motorcycle wreck?
- What can I do, if the other driver does not have enough insurance?
- Can I or should I sue the other driver in my motorcycle wreck?
- How much is my motorcycle crash claim worth?
It is very important to follow these steps to protect your health and your motorcycle personal
injury claim following your motorcycle crash.
7 Steps to take after a Motorcycle Accident
1. Ensure Everyone in the Motorcycle Accident is Safe
The first step to take after any motorcycle accident is to ensure that you, other drivers,
passengers, and pedestrians are safe. Your safety and the safety of anyone harmed in the
motorcycle accident is the first priority. Call 911 or for an ambulance if anyone was harmed in
the motorcycle crash. Move out of traffic, if possible to do safely. You can consider steps to take to protect your interests and your case, once you and everyone else at the scene of the motorcycle accident are safe.
2. Call the Police
Even if an ambulance is not necessary following your motorcycle accident, you need to call the
police. After a motorcycle accident, the police will draft an accident report that captures
necessary information to support your motorcycle accident claim and protect yourself from the
other party claiming you are liable for the motorcycle accident. After the accident report is
drafted you or your Oklahoma motorcycle accident lawyer can obtain a copy of the accident
report.
3. Exchange Insurance Information
Many Oklahoma car accidents do not involve any injuries and the parties simply exchange
insurance information for property damage to be resolved. However, in motorcycle accidents,
most, if not all collisions result in serious damage to property and injury to motorcyclists. It is very important you gather the contact and insurance information for the other driver. Once it is safe to move around, you or your loved one should gather the following information after your
motorcycle accident:
- Other driver’s insurance information;
- Vehicle Information for the other driver;
- Tag number of the other vehicle;
- Your injuries and motorcycle damage; and
- Details of the other car;
You can simply take a photograph of the information above following your motorcycle accident
or you can write it down. However, it will be very important to your motorcycle accident claim
to have this information. Among other things, it is very important that you take photographs or
write down each driver’s insurance verification information following your motorcycle accident.
4. Preserve Evidence of Motorcycle Crash
The prevalence of high quality cameras within cellphones makes it possible to take photographs of everything. Once the motorcycle accident is over and the scene is cleared, you will no be able to take photographs to document your motorcycle crash. You should take photos of the following after an Oklahoma motorcycle crash: the accident scene, the motorcycle damage, the vehicle damage, road conditions where your motorcycle accident occurred, any other property damage, your injuries, and the insurance information for all drivers.
Speak to any and all witnesses at the scene of your motorcycle accident as well, including emergency personnel and anyone that arrives after the motorcycle accident. Additionally, you should keep your motorcycle after the motorcycle crash. You can help support your claim that the other driver was at fault in your Oklahoma motorcycle accident by keeping the damaged motorcycle. Your motorcycle may contain evidence of fault or can be used in an accident reconstruction to show the responsible or at-fault party in your motorcycle crash.
5. Identify All Insurance Policies
Most people, including motorcycle accident victims, do not know the possible sources of
insurance that apply in their motorcycle accident. The at-fault driver should have liability
insurance and may have additional insurance policies. The driver in your motorcycle accident
may be an employee driving in a work capacity, which would attach additional policies.
You may be entitled to uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage (“UIM”). Additionally,
there is a potential for coverage under a number of different policies in your motorcycle accident claim, including property damage policies. Due to the importance of quickly identifying all sources of available insurance in your motorcycle accident claim and timely notifying the
insurance companies of your claim, it is important to retain the assistance of an experienced
Oklahoma motorcycle accident lawyer.
6. Get Medical Care After your Motorcycle Accident
Motorcycle accidents come with serious injuries in many cases due to the motorcycle rider’s exposure and the impacts that motorcycle drivers suffer after a motorcycle crash. Regardless of whether a motorcycle driver is wearing a helmet or not, serious brain injuries, TBI, and facial fractures happen after many motorcycle accidents. Additionally, motorcycle accidents often result in broken arms, dislocated shoulders, broken backs, and legs.
As in all Oklahoma motor vehicle accidents, the first thing to do when you leave the scene of a motorcycle accident is to seek medical treatment to ensure you are okay or to determine whether you need to go to the hospital emergency room or doctor right away.
You need to take care of yourself and the best way to do so is to seek medical care beyond at the scene of your motorcycle accident and seek medical treatment from a specialist, i.e. an orthopedist or a chiropractor. Not only is seeing a specialist important for your health following a motorcycle accident, it also is necessary to support your claim for injuries and damages in a motorcycle accident claim.
Insurance companies are notorious for trying to minimize recovery in personal injury claims, including motorcycle accident claims. Insurance adjusters use the smallest gap in treatment or health conditions to deny a connection between your motorcycle wreck and the injuries you are suffering. You will protect your health and your motorcycle insurance claim by seeking immediate treatment and following through with every recommendation of your healthcare provider.
7. Contact a Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Many victims of the negligence of other drivers find themselves frustrated after their motorcycle accident claim. Handling your motorcycle insurance claim without the assistance of an
experienced Oklahoma motorcycle accident attorney can negatively impact your recovery.
Motorcycle accident cases have specific issues and problems that your Oklahoma personal injury
attorney will need to be prepared to handle on your behalf. Some of the issues your Oklahoma
motorcycle accident attorney will need to be prepared to present in your accident case include:
- Motorcycle operation mechanics,
- Dynamics of motorcycle accidents,
- the laws pertaining to motorcycle accidents, and
- the stereotypes the jury must overcome to ensure a positive outcome.
An experienced Oklahoma motorcycle accident lawyer, such as the Fierce Advocates at our firm
know what to do and will help you though the process of seeking maximum compensation for
your Oklahoma motorcycle accident injury claim. We will help build your claim, document your
injuries and property damage and present a demand letter on your behalf to the insurance
adjuster, including representing you in the motorcycle insurance claim process. We will be your
Fierce Advocates and help you receive compensation for the following damages and more:
- Personal injuries
- Past medical bills
- Future medical bills
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Lost employment opportunity
- Lost earning capacity
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Motorcycle Accidents Nationwide
The National Highway Safety Transportation Administration has put out the following
information:
- In 2013, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 4,668 people died in motorcycle crashes across the nation;
- 88,000 injury motorcycle accidents happened in 2013;
- Motorcycle accidents are more than 20 times more likely to result in fatalities and 5 times more likely to be in an injury accident that passengers in a car accident; and
- While motorcycle helmets do save lives, serious injuries still happen everyday to
motorcyclists.
Contact – Cannon & Associates: Oklahoma Car Accident Lawyers
Experience matters when you or a loved one has been injured or died as a result of the negligence of someone in a car accident, motorcycle accident, or truck accident in Oklahoma. It is important to know the Oklahoma accident attorney you hire is dedicated to your cause and versed in all aspects of accident law and personal injury law in Oklahoma. Cannon & Associates is dedicated to Fierce Advocacy for accident victims and will fight for you. Founder John Cannon has been recognized as a Super Lawyer and National Trial Lawyers Top 40 under 40 attorney. Contact Cannon & Associates to protect your rights and fight to receive the compensation you need and deserve in your Oklahoma vehicle accident. Complete the CONTACT FORM ON THIS PAGE NOW or CALL at (405) 906-4051 for a free confidential case evaluation.