What To Do After a Motorcycle Accident

Every year, motorcycle accidents claim thousands of lives in South Florida. Even some of the most careful motorcyclists can get into accidents. Sadly motorcycle accidents can lead to severe injury or disability. The actions you take immediately after a motorcycle accident can have a lasting impact on how the accident will affect your life going forward. Especially if you sustained injuries in the accident or are considering a claim for personal injuries. If you’re in a motorcycle accident, it’s important that you take certain steps to protect your legal rights. In this blog post, we will provide you with some of the most important steps you can take after a motorcycle accident in Miami.

Remain At The Scene of The Accident:

The first step is to remember to never leave the scene of an accident unless staying where you are poses a significant risk to your safety. An accident scene can still present dangers after the accident has occurred. Make sure you are away from the vehicles and the roadway so that you are not at risk of being struck by a passing vehicle.

Check For Injuries & Call 911:

Sometimes, when we are in an accident, we tend to downplay injuries and ignore pain if we do not perceive the injury to be serious. Don’t minimize your injury, make sure you seek medical attention if you need to after an accident. Call 9-1-1 immediately if you or anyone else involved in the accident is hurt.

Take Photographs:

If you or someone you know can take pictures of the accident scene, it is in your best interest to do so. Make sure that the accident scene is safe enough to take pictures, so you do not cause further damage, or risk the safety of yourself or others. If you have a smartphone, take photos from a variety of angles. Documenting the damage to your bike, other cars, and the surrounding environment may prove helpful with any potential insurance claim.

Obtain Contact Information:

It is important to protect your legal rights and potential compensation for your damages by gathering important contact information. Speak with witnesses, passengers, other drivers, and the police officer. Some of the information you want to obtain is listed below:

• Contact information, including the names and phone numbers or email addresses, of all witnesses
• Vehicle information of all vehicles, including: make and model of the vehicles, and license plate numbers
• The name and badge number of the officer
• The police report number
• Contact information for other drivers, including names, phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses
• The vehicle identification numbers (VIN) for any involved vehicles
• Insurance company name and contact information for involved vehicles

Don’t Discuss or Admit Fault:

When it comes to determining fault, very few vehicle accidents are cut and dried. Your perception of what happened might not be entirely correct, even if you think you were the one who caused it. That’s why you should never tell the other driver or a police officer that you accept blame for an accident. You should even avoid apologizing, as your kindness might be misinterpreted. You do not want to assume anything or say something that is incorrect. Overall, avoid discussing anything having to do with how the accident happened or who is at fault with the other parties involved.

Request All Insurance Information:

A lot of people do not know all the possible sources of insurance that apply in a motorcycle accident. For example, the vehicle that hit you should have liability insurance, and the at-fault driver may have an additional insurance policy as well. The at-fault driver could have been in a company vehicle or driving in the scope of their employment, which could open up an additional source of insurance. You may also be entitled to uninsured motorist coverage. You may be entitled to coverage under a number of different uninsured motorist policies. Because of the importance of locating all sources of insurance and timely notifying those insurance companies, this step should not be followed without the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney.

In a motorcycle accident, injuries vary from either serious to catastrophic and in some cases may be fatal. Therefore, a prompt investigation to preserve all evidence and uncover all sources of legal and financial responsibility is especially important. That’s why you need to contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer in Miami for help.Our law firm provides aggressive and effective legal representation for clients seriously injured in motorcycle accidents throughout South Florida. Dealing with the aftermath of a motorcycle accident can be difficult and at times these types of cases involve complex factual, legal and financial issues. If you or someone you love was injured in a motorcycle accident, you may have a right to seek compensation for your losses.

The Law Offices of Suarez & Montero Motorcycle Accident Attorneys is a personal injury law firm with locations in Miami and Broward. The motorcycle accident attorneys at Suarez & Montero can help those of you who would like to pursue a motorcycle accident claim. We can help injured victims obtain compensation for medical expenses, lost income and other damages. To discuss how we can assist you, call us or contact us online. We encourage you to learn more about and the successes our attorneys have had on behalf of individuals and families who have suffered serious personal injury in accidents involving motorcycles. Call us today to schedule a free consultation. We’ll review your case and help you understand your legal Options.