Asking someone why they love their motorcycle is like asking why they love music, or why they feel the need to dance or sing or love the people they love. Some people are just born that way, and that’s the way it is. There’s nothing like the joy of freedom you get riding with the wind, taking to the wide open roads or the narrow country lanes. But a love of motorcycles comes with a risk; pretty much everyone who rides knows someone who’s been in a wreck. Sometimes it’s unavoidable. It doesn’t have to be anyone’s fault, although there are always ways to reduce your risks.
Protective clothing is essential, and areas that have introduced laws mandating the wearing of appropriate helmets while riding have seen a significant reduction in serious injury from accidents. But even the best protective clothing can’t shelter you from everything; bikers share the roads with cars, and people in cars have the physical and mental buffer of knowing there’s a huge protective metal shell around them, whereas bikers, going just as fast and taking all the same curves, are almost totally exposed.
However well you ride, there’s always the chance that you will get into trouble. To car drivers, motorcycles are small and fast and easy to overlook, so it’s not just that you have to ride safely, you have to ride defensively. Expect people to make mistakes, to look right past you, to take that bend in the road a little too fast. Riding sometimes feels like you have to anticipate every other road user’s mistakes and work around them. Sometimes it doesn’t work. Sometimes, you might make a mistake yourself, because human error and brief lapses of concentration do occur. So you need to be prepared, to know what to do if you’re in an accident, and what to do if that accident involves one or more other parties.
Get PREPARED.
Assuming that, despite your best efforts, you’re involved in a crash, then you need to stay practical and do everything you can to avoid any injury. Handle your motorcycle safely and stay within the law at all times; it’s the best way to stay safe, and it’s the best way to ensure you receive compensation if any damages do occur. Wear all the protective gear, and that includes anything that will increase your visibility. Being seen is key in avoiding collisions. And showing that you’re doing everything right increases your chance of a successful claim; if you sustain a head injury while you’re not wearing a helmet, you might struggle to make an insurance claim – even if it’s clearly someone else’s fault.
Get SAFE.
As soon as you’re able, get safe. Assess your injuries as best you can and get off the road, get away from spilled fuel, get away from any vehicles. Stay safe and stay visible. If you’re able and it’s safe to do so, you may be able to help other people. There’s a school of thought that says that helping other people at the scene of an accident could damage your claim for injuries that become more apparent later, but if there’s a kid lying in the middle of the road your priorities will be pretty clear.
Get HELP.
It’s rare to walk away from a bad motorcycle accident unharmed, so you need to make sure you get medical attention for you and anyone else who may be hurt. You have a duty to inform the police immediately if there’s any chance that the accident could jeopardize other people’s safety, for instance, if there’s a vehicle or debris on the road. There may also be a need for police involvement at the scene if the crash could have resulted from illegal actions taken by any drivers or bikers such as speeding, dangerous driving, or being under the influence of alcohol.
Get DETAILS.
It’s de rigueur now when two or more parties are involved in an accident for them to exchange insurance details without undue blame or bickering. However, there are always some people who respond to being in an accident with anger and lash out, trying to blame everyone but themselves. You need to keep your head, stay civil, and disengage from this. You don’t need to look for someone to blame, and you absolutely must not take any responsibility for the accident. You’ve just been through something frightening and now is not the time to try and objectively appraise everyone’s actions, so don’t say anything that could be taken as an admission of blame. You need a professional to assess your physical condition after a crash so don’t say you’re unhurt. Say what you need to ensure that everyone’s safe and that all necessary details are available when it’s time to arrange an insurance claim or if there are legal proceedings. If you’re able, it’s useful to take pictures of the scene, vehicles involved, and damage to yourself and your property. There may be witnesses who are willing to make a statement and give you their contact details.
Get a LAWYER.
This isn’t about apportioning blame, it’s about acting to reduce the impact this has on your life. An injury can affect your ability to earn, to go about your daily life, and the healthcare costs can soar. You need to be sure that you’ll be covered for every cost incurred, and you need a professional to help you negotiate the potentially complex legal proceedings surrounding a motorcycle accident. As well as damage to your property and short-term injuries, there’s the consideration of the emotional impact of being in a serious accident, and the potential for long-term health problems and loss of earnings both now and in the future. These kinds of insurance claims can be hard to quantify and prove, and so it’s vital that you get a good lawyer. Many lawyers specialize in road traffic accidents and some solely represent motorcyclists.
Above all, stay safe, keep your cool, get professional help, and don’t expect insurance companies to pay out gladly.
This post is sponsored by FisherInjuryLaw and Gregory Ortiz.
Photo Credit: Unsplash