Motorcycle accidents occur frequently throughout Atlanta every year. From Interstate 285 to Peachtree Street, these accidents result in serious injuries and deaths to Atlanta motorcyclists. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, 126 motorcyclists were killed in accidents across the state of Georgia in 2017. While this number is on the decline, it is still too high.
Sadly, most of these motorcycle accidents could have been prevented. In fact, 78% of all crashes involving motorcycles were caused by the other driver’s negligence. Yet, injured motorcyclists in Atlanta are often left wondering what they can do after an accident. How do they collect the compensation they deserve? Who will help them seek justice? What can they do after an Atlanta motorcycle accident?
5 Steps to Take After a Motorcycle Accident in Atlanta
- Follow Medical Advice. After your motorcycle accident, you may find yourself struggling to recover from multiple injuries. Seeking medical attention is the first step towards protecting your rights to compensation. However, simply going to the emergency room isn’t enough. To truly protect your health and your motorcycle accident claim, you must follow all medical advice and treatment plans precisely. This includes: Attending all therapy sessions, Filling medications promptly, Attending all follow-up sessions and Obtaining lab work and testing promptly.
- Keep Accurate Records. To help your motorcycle accident case, it is important to keep accurate records and receipts. This includes over-the-counter medications, as well as car repair bills and medical payments. Your lawyer will use these records and receipts to help build your case and fight for the compensation you deserve.
- Watch What You Say. You must call your own insurance company to report the accident and your injuries. However, if the “at fault” driver’s insurance company comes calling, watch what you say. Insurance adjusters will look for any way to deny or reduce your claim. They may ask you for a recorded statement or say that they simply want to hear “your side of the story.” Do not say anything without first speaking to an experienced Atlanta motorcycle accident attorney. Your attorney can help you when dealing with insurance companies.
- Avoid Social Media. These days virtually everyone has a social media account of some kind. Whether you’re on Facebook or Instagram, it is important to avoid posting anything to social media without first speaking to your Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyer. Insurance companies will often look at social media posts for evidence that you may not be as injured as you claim. Even a simple picture of you at a party could be used to show that your injuries are not severely impacting your life. Your attorney can give you guidance on how best to navigate through social media after an injury accident.
- Contact an Atlanta Motorcycle Accident Lawyer. After an injury accident, the best way to protect your rights to compensation is to contact an injury lawyer. Your lawyer can negotiate with insurance companies and build a case that is designed to collect maximum compensation. After a motorcycle crash, your focus should be on your recovery. During this time, your attorney can gather valuable evidence, interview eyewitnesses, and build your case. This will take the stress off of you immensely, so you can focus on what truly matters most – your health.
Filing a Motorcycle Accident Personal Injury Claim
After your accident, medical bills and expenses can quickly pile up. Motorcyclists are often unable to return to work for long periods of time, further complicating matters. During this time, creditors may come calling and families can slide into serious financial trouble. When this occurs, an experienced Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyer can help motorcycle accident victims file a personal injury claim.
While the majority of accident victims do have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim, valuable evidence is often lost or destroyed quickly after a crash. For this reason, it is important to contact a lawyer as soon as you can. Your lawyer will need to speak to eyewitnesses while the details of the crash are fresh in their minds. In addition, evidence, such as tire marks and crash damage must be documented as soon as possible after the crash. This evidence is often invaluable when establishing liability.
Once liability is established, your Atlanta motorcycle accident attorney can file an injury claim against the negligent driver to collect compensation for a variety of damages, including: Medical bills, Lost wages, Rehabilitation costs, Long-term care expenses, Pain and suffering or Loss of future earnings.
Contact Our Atlanta Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
After a motorcycle accident, we want to take the legal burdens off of your shoulders. We know that injured motorcyclists need someone on their side fighting for them every step of the way. That is why we work quickly and aggressively for our injured clients from the very start. We offer free initial consultations to help you explore your legal options. Give us the opportunity to show you why so many injured Atlanta motorcyclists choose us to represent them after a crash. Call 404-587-8946 or fill out our confidential contact form. Just call and JUST WIN.