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You or your family member has been injured in a motorcycle accident. How do you as a lay person manage your injury claim? Advise your insurance company as quickly as possible about how the accident happened. Then start compiling as much data and documentation about the accident and injury as possible. Start your document collecting by getting the police report, ambulance billing, and emergency room billing and records. Also make a copy of your insurance declarations page and put it in a manila file.
You should also take pictures of all injuries you or you family suffered in the accident including bruising, road rash, cuts etc…. Go to the scene of the accident and take pictures of where it happened getting enough of a view so that one not familiar with the location can understand just by looking at the pictures where and how the accident happened. Take pictures of your motorcycle or motorcycles and the damage to them. A word to the wise, you can never take to many pictures of the scene, motorcycle damage or injuries. If you were riding with friends get them to write down what they saw and observed about how the accident happened. This may be invaluable later.
If the injuries are serious such as fractures, breaks or you are told you need surgery, hire a lawyer immediately. Be sure to hire an attorney who specializes in motorcycle accidents. Do not simply look at an internet ad that says they do motorcycle accidents and make a decision. Look in the motorcycle magazines, such as this one and see if the attorney’s practice is primarily that of motorcycle accidents. Also determine if the attorney actually does ride. What type of bike do he own? Is your case going to be handled by the attorney you first talk to or will he farm your case out to someone else and take a percentage? Some motorcycle lawyers who advertise are not licensed in the state your accident happened in and will have to refer your case to someone in that state who is licensed. Can you really reach your lawyer 24-7 or do you get an answering service that forwards your call? Most of the internet advertisers do not ride motorcycles and simply advertise for motorcycle accidents. Get references from your friends and motorcycle clubs about who does motorcycle accidents. Compare the fees the attorneys will charge and look closely at their retainer agreements.
You have now compiled your initial documents for you or your family’s injury claim. The pictures, the police report, the initial medical records and billings, the initial witness statements, and you have reported it to your insurance company. You have researched, if a serious injury, fractures, scarring etc., for an appropriate motorcycle attorney that is also licensed in your state and available to personally talk to you 24/7. The attorney has personally met with you, even if it requires travel to your residence.
You have done your homework to protect you and your family by properly preparing and managing your personal injury case. In our next article we will deal with doctors and how to manage them and your appropriate medical care after a motorcycle accident.
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