Understand Your Rights After a Motorcycle Crash

Motorcycles are a fun and freeing form of transportation, but they’re not without risks; motorcycle crashes kill too many of our friends and neighbors each year. In Alabama, 1,859 motorcyclists were involved in an accident, and 83 died in 2018 alone.

If you or someone you love has been involved in a motorcycle crash, you have rights. You deserve to understand what they are and how to protect them. Keep reading to learn more!

Know Your Legal Rights After a Crash

After a motorcycle accident, it can be confusing to know your rights, responsibilities, and options when you’re just trying to rest and recover. However, when the crash wasn’t your fault, you deserve to understand your options and what you should do next.

The Right to Collect Evidence

After a crash, evidence on the road or surrounding area may substantially strengthen your case. Skid marks, downed trees, or other debris tell your collision’s story. Take a few photos of the road, your damaged bike and the vehicle that hit you, and other objects, if you can. Ask someone to do it for you if you can’t.

You should also try to collect the names of the drivers involved in the crash and any witnesses.

The Right to Get Medical Treatment

After a serious bike wreck, you may need emergency medical treatment. You should go to the emergency room or see your doctor as quickly as possible. And, if someone else caused your injuries, their insurance company may be financially responsible for your medical bills.

The Right to File an Insurance Claim or Lawsuit

To get the help you deserve, you’ll need to file claims with the right insurance companies or file a lawsuit. Depending on your situation, you may be able to file Med Pay and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims with your own insurance company, as well as a liability claim with the at-fault driver’s insurer.

People who were hurt through no fault of their own must prove negligence to get fair compensation. To prove negligence, you’ll need to identify all the at-fault parties, whether that was the driver who crashed into you, a tire manufacturer who cut corners, or some other problem that caused your crash. Most injured people get help proving negligence from a motorcycle crash lawyer.

However, you need to act quickly after a motorcycle accident. You only have a limited amount of time to file your personal injury lawsuit. Once the filing deadline (or statute of limitations) expires, you may lose out of your right to compensation.

The Right to Consult With a Personal Injury Lawyer

The insurance company may tell you that you can settle faster and for more money if you don’t hire a lawyer to fight for you. They’re telling you this to get out of paying what you’re owed. The truth is that, after a crash, you have the right to take steps to protect your future, including hiring an attorney to fight for you. Motorcycle crashes can be complicated and the injuries more severe. If you need to focus on rest and recovery, don’t wait to call an experienced motorcycle crash lawyer who can help you protect your case, your future, and your right to compensation.

Do I Have a Right to Compensation?

While you have the right to file a lawsuit and demand compensation for your injuries, you’re not guaranteed a settlement or jury award. The insurance adjuster will try to pay you as little as possible, and you’ll need to fight for every penny.

Many factors will impact the value of your motorcycle accident claim:

• How much insurance coverage applies to your claim
• The facts surrounding your motorcycle wreck
• How much income you’ll lose due to your injuries
• Your medical expenses and need for ongoing care
• Whether the other driver has legal defenses

At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we fight tirelessly for our clients and help them navigate their complex legal claims. If you’d like to learn more about your injury claim’s settlement value and your legal rights, contact us for a free consultation.

Steps You Can Take to Protect Your Rights After a Motorcycle Crash

There are steps you can take after a crash that will protect your right to collect compensation and preserve the supporting evidence in your case. This includes:

• Calling 911 and requesting help from medical professionals and the police. Your medical records and a police report are helpful documents to have on your side alter.
• Preserving the evidence by taking photos of your wrecked bike, the road, and more. These images help paint a picture of what happened to you and why it wasn’t your fault.
• Getting witness contact information at the scene of the crash, if you can. They can provide valuable testimony later.
• Going to the doctor if you didn’t take an ambulance to the hospital after the crash. Even if you “feel fine,” you may be suffering from hidden injuries that could cause problems later. Your medical records and medical bills will be valuable later.
• Writing down everything you can remember about the crash. These memories will fade over time, and documenting everything while it’s fresh can help your lawyer, the insurance company, and even the court understand your circumstances.
• Tracking your pain, activity levels, and ability to work and take care of the house as you heal. These daily notes can help your attorney calculate the true cost of your suffering.
• Calling a personal injury lawyer. When you work with an experienced attorney from a respected law firm, they can make sure you understand your options, protect your rights, and fight for your right to make a fair recovery.

RELATED: How to Recover From Road Rash After a Motorcycle Accident

Need to Protect Your Rights After a Motorcycle Crash? Call the Andy Citrin Team

At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we believe that everyone should feel safe and be safe on Alabama roads — no matter what they ride or drive. We’ve devoted our careers to protecting people’s rights and have a track record of success when it comes to getting motorcycle crash victims the compensation they deserve.

To learn more about how our law firm fights for injured people, your options, and what to do next after a crash, please don’t hesitate to contact our office. One of our motorcycle accident attorneys can meet with you in a confidential free consultation that’s completely private and won’t cost you a thing. Schedule time with one of our personal injury attorneys today by calling our office at 251-888-8888 or filling out our simple online contact form.

References

Alabama Department of Transportation. (2019). 2018 Crash Facts. Retrieved from https://www.caps.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/CrashFacts_2018.pdf

The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.