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8 Steps to Take Following a Motorcycle Accident

If you are involved in a motorcycle accident in Savannah, you might wonder if you can seek compensation for your losses. When someone else is liable in an accident, this is possible. However, knowing what to do immediately after car accidents can help you set the stage for a better outcome in your case. Find out about eight things you should do following a motorcycle or car accident below.

1. Check for Injuries

Thousands of people are injured in motorcycle accidents each year. In 2020 alone, motorcycle accident statistics indicated that 82,500 motorcyclists were injured in accidents on the roadway.

The very first thing you should do after any type of accident on the road is ensure you and others are safe. That might mean moving out of your vehicle or off the road to ensure you are not struck by other traffic. It can also mean checking for injuries.

First, assess yourself to determine if you have any immediately obvious injuries that should be attended to. Then, if possible, check on others. While emergency responders will obviously arrive and address injuries at some point, you may want to take precautions to stop bleeding or apply CPR techniques if someone is not breathing.

2. Call the Police or Emergency Responders

As soon as possible after an accident, call the police and report the incident. You can do this by calling 911. If the accident is not an emergency and doesn’t include any serious injuries, you can use non-emergency lines for a local police department.

Note that someone should be calling 911 in the case of emergency situations even while others are attending to urgent needs. For example, if someone is bleeding and you want to apply pressure to the wound to try to stop it, you should not do this in lieu of calling 911 or delay calling 911 to handle such a task. Instead, try to ensure someone at the scene is calling 911 at the same time others are attending to these urgent matters.

3. Exchange Contact and Insurance Information

If you’re able to do so, exchange contact and insurance information with any other drivers involved in the accident. This can be important information later if you need to file a claim with someone else’s insurance or pursue legal remedies in seeking compensation.

4. Document the Accident Scene, if Safe

If it is safe to do so, document the accident scene. You can take pictures or videos with your smartphone to show skid marks, where the vehicles came to rest, what traffic signs were present, and the overall damage to the vehicles. This may be useful evidence if you need to prove your case for compensation later.

5. Avoid Apologizing or Admitting Fault

Don’t say you’re sorry or otherwise apologize at the accident scene, and don’t admit any fault in the accident. Even if you think you might have caused the accident, avoid stating so. Instead, just provide facts to police officers in response to their questions.

6. Get Information From Witnesses

If possible, take some time to talk to witnesses at the accident site. Find out what they saw and get their names and numbers. Any police officer that comes to the scene will likely interview these witnesses and also get their contact information. However, it can be beneficial to have this information yourself, especially if you have to file a lawsuit for compensation later. Witness names and contact information can make it easier for your attorney to subpoena people and gather testimony about the accident.

7. Contact Your Insurance Company

Reach out to your insurance company as soon as possible after a motorcycle accident to let them know what happened. You should notify your insurance company even if you don’t think you were at fault in the incident. Let them know the details of your case even if you plan to seek compensation from the other driver’s insurance company.

8. Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer

Finally, reach out to a personal injury lawyer if you are injured in a motorcycle accident. An experienced motorcycle accident lawyer can help you understand all your rights and options and how you might make a case for compensation. Some things a good personal injury legal team might do in such a case include, but aren’t limited to:

• Determining all the parties that should be included in a lawsuit. Depending on the nature of the accident, you may need to include multiple drivers, companies, and insurance agencies.
• Gathering evidence to support your case. A law office can subpoena medical records, get copies of police reports, gather pictures and video from the scene of the accident, and subpoena witnesses to gather testimony about what happened.
• Negotiate with insurance companies. An experienced lawyer can make a case and negotiate a settlement with insurance companies. With the right legal team on your side, you can often get more from an insurance company than you could on your own.
• Make a case in court. If settlement negotiations don’t work, your attorney represents you in court. They work to make a case so that the matter is hopefully decided in your favor.

Reach out to Jarrett & Price today to find out how we can help if you were injured in a motorcycle accident. We offer free strategy sessions for motorcycle riders who are injured with no obligation to hire.

Most people are aware that driving comes with some level of risk. When you get on the road, you likely take precautions to support the safety of yourself and your loved ones. That might include ensuring your vehicle is in good working order, everyone fastens their seatbelts, and you obey the traffic and safety rules of the road.

Can you protect yourself from other drivers, though? Learn about the risks of distracted driving below and some steps you can take to protect yourself against drivers who aren’t paying attention on the roadway. We’ll conclude with some brief information about how a car accident attorney can help if you are involved in an accident.

What Is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving refers to any activity that diverts a driver’s attention from the safe operation of the vehicle and proper observation of the roadway. Some common reasons people are distracted while driving include:

• Texting on their phone
• Using other services on their phone
• Eating and drinking
• Talking to or otherwise paying attention to other people in the car
• Engaging or fiddling with the stereo or navigation system

How Many Car Accidents Are Caused by Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving accounts for a large number of vehicle accidents each year. In 2020 alone, there were 3,142 distracted driving deaths and thousands of accidents that involved distracted driving.

Why Is Distracted Driving So Dangerous?

Distracted driving is so prevalent and dangerous in part because many people don’t understand how little it takes to cause a serious accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a car traveling at 55 miles per hour moves around 100 yards in just five seconds. That’s the length of a football field.

Taking your eyes off the road for just a moment to consult the navigation system or check a text can mean not seeing 100 yards or more of the road you’re driving on. It can take mere seconds for something in front of you to change and lead to an accident.

Protecting Yourself From Distracted Drivers

Unfortunately, we can’t control everything on the road. That includes road conditions and weather as well as the actions of other drivers. However, there are some proactive steps you can take to reduce the chances you might be involved in an accident with a distracted driver or reduce the injuries that might occur in such an accident.

• Always wear your seatbelt. Statistics have shown that wearing a seatbelt can reduce the risks of death in motor vehicle accidents. Ensure you’re buckled up and ensure your children are in the appropriate car or booster seats.
• Reduce distractions for yourself. You’re more able to respond proactively to issues on the roadway that might be caused by distracted drivers if you aren’t distracted yourself. Avoid using your phone when driving. If you must talk on your phone, use Bluetooth and hands-free technology to reduce distraction. Limit other distractions, such as eating or drinking, changing the radio, or constantly tweaking the navigation or entertainment system.
• Observe and remain aware of your surroundings. Avoid the tendency to operate your vehicle almost on auto-pilot, especially on roads you know well or long stretches of highway. Don’t just look at the vehicles and road signs around you. Give a brief glance to drivers in nearby vehicles or those approaching you in opposite lanes when possible. If they appear to be agitated or not paying attention, you have some warning of potential issues and can react accordingly. You can also take precautionary measures such as carefully changing lanes or slowing down to avoid driving too near the potentially distracted driver.
• Engage in defensive driving. Defensive driving techniques allow you to react quickly if another driver makes an error on the roadway that could cause an accident. If you aren’t familiar with defensive driving, you may be able to register for a free or low-cost class in your city.
• Protect yourself as a pedestrian. Many pedestrian accidents also occur because a driver was too distracted to see a person walking on or near the road. Reduce your risks of being injured in such an accident by paying attention to vehicles on the road and the drivers inside them. Sticking to crosswalks and other areas designed for pedestrians can also help.
• Understand where more risk might be present. Some areas are more likely to have distracted drivers than others. A busy school zone in the morning, for example, is full of parents trying to get their kids off to school so they can move on to work or other obligations. This may be an area with a lot of distracted driving. In contrast, a rural road with very few cars means you’re less likely to encounter a distracted driver. Obviously, distracted driving can and does occur in all types of locations, though, so keep that in mind.

Help From a Car Accident Attorney

If you do find yourself involved in an accident caused by a distracted driver, consider working with a car accident attorney to seek compensation for your damages. An experienced attorney can help make a case that the other driver was distracted and at fault in the accident. They can also present evidence of damages and injuries to support a settlement or award in the case that can help you seek a more stable future or recovery.

The team at Jarrett & Price, LLC, helps car accident victims seek compensation. Call us today to find out how we can help or to set up a consultation.