According to NHTSA, 4,985 motorcyclists were killed in 2018. Although it was a 5% drop in motorcycle-related fatalities, riders are still overrepresented in road fatality statistics. For this reason, it is necessary to know what you need to do if you end up injured following a motorcycle accident. Here are six steps you should follow:
1. Get to safety
The first step should be moving as far as you can from danger. If the crash just happened, an oncoming motorist may ram into you if you stay in one place. Keep to the roadside or ask for help to get there. If you aren’t badly injured, help anyone else involved in the accident to get to safety.
2. Do not remove your protective gear
Protective gear such as helmets should stay on your person until paramedics arrive at the scene. It is difficult to determine whether you’re injured or not immediately after an accident. Remember, you could still be in shock, and the adrenaline could prevent you from knowing your actual state. Removing your helmet could exacerbate any injuries that you couldn’t be feeling at that time. Medics analyze your situation before removing protective gear, thus ensuring you’re safe.
3. Call the police
Your next step should be calling 911. Report the accident once you’re at a safe place with your protective gear unremoved. Take a short breather before calling the police and calm down to ensure they can hear you properly and offer the necessary help.
Tell the person on the call about the severity of the accident and the location where it happened. Do not remove anything from the road, and don’t create tension. The police will write a report on what they find at the scene.
4. Seek medical attention
Even with safety gear on, motorcyclists are more vulnerable to various injuries. You could suffer serious bone fractures and internal bleeding, or tissue damage. Most of these injuries may not be apparent immediately after the accident.
To prevent symptoms from appearing weeks or months after the accident, get examined immediately. A medic will examine your entire body to check for the injuries mentioned above.
5. Gather evidence
Whether the accident is severe or not, you need to gather as much evidence as you can. The evidence can be critical if you or the other party wants to file a lawsuit. Immediately after the accident, take pictures of the scene, the injuries on your body, and other things. Request a copy of the police report from the police and exchange contact and insurance information with the other party.
6. Call an attorney
After taking care of everything mentioned on this list, it’s time to contact an attorney. You need to call and consult a Boston personal injury lawyer who has handled motorcycle crash cases before to help you get compensated for any injuries you may have sustained from the accident.
Endnote
Those are some of the important steps you should take in case of a motorcycle crash. Remember not to speak to anyone except your attorney. Your words could be used against you and weaken your case in court. Consequently, you may not get adequate compensation or you could lose your case entirely. You can click here to learn more about how a motorcycle accident attorney could help you.
