Traffic accidents are a leading cause of accident-related death in the United States. Among all vehicular accidents, motorcycle accidents are the most dangerous, particularly due to the lack of protection they offer their riders. The high impact of a moving vehicle can result in severe injury to the motorcycle rider and might even result in instant death. Even if a rider manages to survive the incident, they might acquire serious physical injuries, including bone fractures, life-threatening bleeding, internal organ damage, back fractures, spinal cord damage, paralysis, and more. Hit-and-run accidents occur when the driver of the offending vehicle flees the accident site without stopping to help the injured or exchange information with the other parties involved. Although all accidents are emotionally traumatizing, hit-and-run accidents are even more so because they can leave a victim dazed and confused regarding their course of action and legal options. If you or your loved one got injured in a motorcycle hit-and-run accident, you can follow the following steps to ensure that your legal rights remain protected.
Seeking Medical Attention
One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to stay calm after your motorcycle hit and run accident. While emotions run high and you might be confused and shocked, it is important to ensure your safety after an incident. You should check yourself and any passenger on your motorcycle for signs of visible injury or bleeding, get them out of immediate danger, and call for medical attention as soon as possible. Even if you feel fine, it is important to get a medical checkup because some injuries might manifest days to weeks after the causative incident. You don’t want these underlying injuries to go unnoticed.
Reporting the Accident
Once you have requested medical attention, you should call 911 and explain your accident in detail. You should report all the specifics of the incident, including the fact that the offending driver left the accident site. It is important to provide all the details you can remember. Especially the make and model of the vehicle. As finding a negligent party in hit-and-run accidents can be challenging, and the more information you might be able to provide to the police, the better their chances of catching the culprit.
Collecting Physical Evidence
As you wait for law enforcement to arrive at the accident site, it is important to try and collect as much physical evidence as possible. You should thoroughly document the accident location, your physical injuries, and property damage through photos and videos. It is also a clever idea to obtain brief eyewitness statements and their contact information for future reference. All this evidence can help pursue legal action against the offending driver in the future. That way you can present a strong case to a legal professional.
Contacting Your Insurance Provider
You should contact your insurance provider as soon as possible after the accident and provide a detailed account of the hit-and-run incident. Supplementing your report with physical evidence, eyewitness statements, police reports, and other documents can help boost your chances of a successful legal claim. Your insurance company will guide you regarding your next steps in pursuing compensation for your damage. It’s best to research the best way to go about this conversation. You don’t want to miss out on any financial help during this time.
Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
Hit-and-run accidents are extraordinarily complex legal cases that require legal expertise. There are loads of details that can get missed and it’s overwhelming to keep up with. They also use significant resources to locate and hold the offending party responsible for compensable physical, emotional, and financial losses. You should consult an experienced motorcycle accident attorney to explore your legal rights in the wake of a hit-and-run incident. They will do everything in their power to make sure you are covered.
Conclusion
Motorcycle hit-and-run accidents can be highly traumatizing and frustrating. But staying calm and following a series of important steps after the incident can safeguard your legal interests. It is crucial to obtain expert legal representation immediately after the incident to increase your chances of a successful outcome in a hit-and-run case. It’s best to reach out to a legal professional immediately after the accident. You don’t want to miss out on any type of compensation.
