After a motorcycle accident, you should check for injuries, get medical attention, collect evidence, and exchange information with other parties involved. After you’ve taken these steps, you should contact a motorcycle accident lawyer.
At Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC, our team has recovered over $3 billion in recoveries in our 18 years of business. Our Birmingham motorcycle accident lawyers explain more about what you should do at the scene of a motorcycle accident.
Check for Injuries
After any motor vehicle accident, it is critically important to conduct thorough checks for injuries. This process involves examining yourself and other riders, ensuring proper medical attention.
Some of the most common injuries in motorcycle accidents include traumatic brain injuries, fractures, sprains, broken bones, and spinal cord injuries. Any of these injuries can worsen and cause future issues without proper treatment. Our Birmingham personal injury lawyers can help you if you’ve suffered any of these injuries.
Performing checks in a calm, systematic manner can help determine the severity of injuries and get those who are harmed the treatment they require.
Check for Visible Physical Injuries
Gently inspect all exposed areas of the skin for wounds, bumps, bruises, or unusual angles that could signal fractures. Pay close attention to injuries near major organs or in vulnerable regions. Stop the bleeding if wounds are found.
Monitor injured individuals closely for signs of deteriorating condition, such as changes in responsiveness, breathing difficulties, or excess bleeding. Note any fluctuations and relay them urgently to emergency responders.
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Contact Emergency Services Promptly
Dialing 911 or your local emergency number is crucial to triggering a rapid response. Describe the location of the accident clearly and concisely. Ambulances and responders can then mobilize swiftly to assess injuries and provide urgent treatment. Every minute counts for severe injuries.
Be prepared to give details to the dispatcher, such as the number of riders injured, observed injuries, traffic conditions, and hazards involved. Responders use this information to prepare appropriate medical aid and personnel on their way. A clear understanding of the scene also assists them in handling the situation once they are there.
First responders generate written reports detailing what they observe upon arriving. This creates official documentation capturing details while fresh, like road conditions, the position of vehicles, and participants’ status. Such factual records established close to the event become strong evidence for subsequent liability and compensation claims.
Exchange Information
Once you’ve contacted emergency services and you’ve addressed injuries, the next critical step is to exchange information with other drivers involved in the accident. Having contact and insurance details allows proper reporting of the incident and potential claims going forward.
Obtain Names and Contact Details
Get the names, telephone numbers, and addresses of all other riders and vehicle operators present. Record insurance company names from their ID cards as well. This information enables follow-up contact by investigators and confirms involved parties.
Record Vehicle License Plate Numbers
Note the license plate numbers of all vehicles at the scene of the motorcycle accident. Providing this registration information helps establish ownership and assists investigators in corroborating facts later if necessary.
Take Notes on Observed Damage
Document observed damage to all vehicles, such as dents, scrapes, or leaking fluids. Photos or videos taken after the fact can also support damage claims if liability claims emerge.
Full participation in information exchange demonstrates transparency when establishing an accident claim. Ensure all parties openly share identifying and insurance information involved after a motorcycle collision to protect riders’ rights.
Gather Evidence
Gathering evidence after a motorcycle accident can help you build a strong case. Some of the evidence you should collect includes:
- Take photos of the entire accident scene from various angles, including roads, traffic signs or signals, and vehicle damage.
- Record close-up photos of any markings, debris, scratches, or fluid spills on vehicles or roadways.
- Note the contact details for any witnesses present and what they observed taking place.
- Lightly sketch a diagram of the scene layout showing the placement of all vehicles, riders, street names, and other important details.
- Carefully collect and package any fragile physical evidence, such as cracks, fabric pieces, or fluids, for labeling and safekeeping.
Contact Your Lawyer
After you’ve received the medical attention you need, you should contact a motorcycle accident lawyer. A lawyer from Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC, with experience in motorcycle accident accidents, can take the legal process off your hands so you can heal from your injuries.
One of the most important things a motorcycle accident lawyer can help you do is recover damages. Some of the most common damages our team can help you recover include:
- Medical expenses: Injuries from the accident require ongoing medical care that generates hospital, surgical, rehabilitation, and prescription costs. Compensation covers all treatment charges incurred and anticipated.
- Vehicle repair costs: The collision damages the motorcycle, necessitating repairs or total replacement if it is deemed a total loss. The towing and storage fees incurred also qualify for payment.
- Lost wages: This damage can help you recover income that you’ve lost due to your injuries.
- Decreased earning capacity: Residual physical or cognitive impairments from injuries may hamper future employability and actively reduce career-long revenue potential. Compensation accounts for this impact.
- Pain and suffering: As you endure actual physical pain from injuries along with accompanying suffering, inconvenience, emotional distress, and reduction of enjoyment of life, requiring monetary relief.
- Emotional distress: Psychological harms like trauma, anxiety, or depression emerge and actively affect behavior due to accident events and trauma experienced.
- Wrongful death: If you’ve lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident, you can recover punitive damages for your losses.
- Traumatic brain injuries: Serious head injuries generate long-term cognitive and behavioral issues, actively necessitating specialized care compensation.
- Spinal cord injuries: Paralysis below the neck leaves patients requiring active accommodations and lifelong specialized medical oversight eligible for coverage.
Learn More About What to Do at the Scene of a Motorcycle Accident
At Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC, our team can help you after you suffer injuries in a motorcycle accident. We can answer any questions you have in a free video consultation, or you can come to our office for an in-person consultation.
Contact us to learn more about what to do after a motorcycle accident.
