Motorcycle accident claims are different and unique from car accident claims. If you or a loved one have been in a motorcycle accident in Fort Collins, Colorado, contact an accident attorney as soon as possibly to help you understand the dynamics of your motorcycle accident and whether or not you have a case. The following are the 5 steps you need to take immediately after your motorcycle accident to ensure your claim is secure.
1. Obtain Medical Care and Treatment
Most importantly, if you are in an accident, you need to tend to the injuries you received in the accident. Because injuries caused by a motorcycle accident tend to be severe, it is important to receive a proper and immediate diagnosis, care, and treatment. More often than not, injuries sustained during a motorcycle accident need to be checked out by more than just the emergency room.
2. Notify Your Insurance Company and the Other Driver’s Insurance Company
After you have received medical care, you should notify your insurance company as well as the other driver’s insurance company about the accident. A claim will need to be opened with the other driver’s insurance company; however, you may wish to have your Fort Collins car accident lawyer provide any statements to the insurance company. The other driver’s insurance company is working to protect their own client, not you. It is important to have someone speaking to their insurance company whose main objective is to protect you.
3. Determine Property Damage
You need to get an estimate of the property damage by taking your motorcycle to a body shop and having the bike assessed. If it is declared a total loss, the market value will need to be determined so the insurance companies can being the payout process for damages.
4. Rental Car and Transportation
You will most likely need another mode of transportation after your accident. The at-fault driver’s insurance company would be responsible for providing you with a rental car or a cash allowance to pay for transportation. They are required to pay for this service while your motorcycle is being repaired or for a reasonable time period if the motorcycle is totaled.
5. Obtain Legal Counsel
In addition to the above-mentioned tasks, evidence and witnesses will also need to be obtained to prove and protect your case. There are many issues to address immediately after your accident, however, your main focus should be recovering and healing. In order to devote your time to your recovery, you may want to hire a Fort Collins personal injury lawyer to handle all the other tasks associated with the accident.