What you should do at the scene of a motorcycle accident will depend on your injuries and how safe it is for you to do anything else. First and foremost, ensure you are safe from being hit by another vehicle or suffering other injuries. Then, contact first responders.
If your injuries allow, you can take steps to begin your case. This includes:
- Taking as many pictures as possible of the accident, vehicles, and scene
- Getting contact information from the other driver
- Getting names and numbers of witnesses
- Making notes of the facts of the accident, such as where and when the collision occurred
- Writing down the names of the officers on the scene
Once you are home, begin a file to collect all your information about your case.
Prioritize Caring for Your Injuries Before Anything Else
What you should do at the scene of a motorcycle accident to build your case is not as important as taking care of yourself. In some cases, this could be relatively minor. In others, catastrophic injuries occur. Yours may be anywhere on the spectrum in between.
It is important that you ensure you are safe from additional injuries and are not hurt before you worry about gathering evidence from the scene. Allow the medics to examine you and go to the hospital if they recommend it.
If you cannot take one or any of the recommended actions at the scene of your accident, that is OK. Focus on staying safe, remaining still if there is a chance of a neck or back injury, and ensuring you get the medical treatment and support you need as soon as possible.
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Key Evidence to Prove Your Motorcycle Collision Case
The evidence necessary to prove a motorcycle accident case could include:
- The police report
- Your medical records and related files
- The physical evidence, such as your damaged motorcycle
- Photos or videos you took at the accident scene
- Surveillance video from nearby businesses
- Witness statements or testimony
- Your medical bills, proof of missed wages, receipts, and more
Your attorney will have a network of experts they can rely on to help in most cases.
How Your Actions Help Move Your Case Forward
When you meet with your attorney, they will ask you questions about your accident, injuries, prognosis, and more. If you have a folder full of information or a USB of images from the accident scene that you can hand them, this could help start your case sooner.
For example, they will still need to interview witnesses. However, if you have a list of the people on the scene and their phone numbers, your lawyer will not need to spend as much time canvassing for people who saw your accident and trying to contact them.
To make this conversation with your lawyer and the beginning of your case easier, we also recommend sitting down and recording your account of what happened as soon as you can after the crash. You can do this even if you suffered serious injuries.
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Securing Compensation Based On Your Motorcycle Accident Case
Many motorcycle accident cases settle without needing to go to trial or even suing the at-fault driver. Your attorney can develop an insurance claim and use the evidence from your accident and the proof of your damages to support it. They will demand an appropriate settlement from the insurance company based on this evidence and negotiate using techniques until they either:
- Reach a fair agreement you accept
- Realize an agreement is not possible
- File a lawsuit
You will need to meet the strict deadlines that usually apply in these cases. You have one year for personal injury lawsuits in Louisiana under CC §3492.
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Let Our Team Review Your Motorcycle Accident Case Today
At Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, we protect motorcycle accident victims’ rights and seek compensation for them. This includes medical care, missed pay, pain and suffering, and other damages. We are here for you.
We represent our clients based on contingency. We will not ask you to pay any attorney’s fees upfront. Call (337) 777-7777 now to get started.
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