4 Costly Mistakes That Can Harm Your Motorcycle Accident Claim

By michael scher | July 11, 2019

A motorcycle accident can be a devastating event. For some riders, it’s even life-ending. 

For those who are only injured after an accident, making sure the right steps are taken is essential to protecting their ability to recover compensation for the injuries and damages suffered. Unfortunately, knowing what to avoid is just as important as knowing what to do.

The Significant Impact of Motorcycle Accidents

Regardless of if an accident causes an upper arm injury or a more serious injury to the head or spine, the effects are often long-lasting. Getting to know the specific things to avoid after this accident can help the accident victim, or the family of the deceased rider or passenger, protect their right to compensation. 

Keep reading to learn what to avoid after being involved in a motorcycle accident. 

1. Avoid Discussing the Accident with Anyone Other than the Hired Attorney

Approximately 80 percent of reported motorcycle accidents cause a serious injury or death. If a rider is involved in this situation, it’s tempting to discuss what happened with others. 

Directly after the accident, a person may be in a disoriented state and apologize reflexively. Unfortunately, this can be used as an inadvertent admission of guilt or fault for the accident. Down the road, an insurance adjuster may use the statement to avoid paying any compensation. 

While at the scene of the accident, only talk about the accident with the officers at the scene. Answer the questions, but don’t speculate about anything. Also, never give recorded statements over the phone or in person. 

2. Agreeing to Not Report the Accident

Failure to report a motorcycle accident to the police may seem like a good idea, especially if injuries seem minimal, it can backfire. Sometimes, injuries don’t show up right away. Also, the motorcycle may have sustained more damage than the rider initially thought. 

If the accident isn’t reported and put on the record, the injured person may be out of luck if they try to pursue compensation down the road. Always report an accident when it occurs. 

3. Refusing or Delaying Medical Attention

After an accident, adrenaline is typically coursing through the body. It can cause accident victims to underestimate their injuries. Also, as mentioned above, some injuries may not appear until hours or days later. 

It’s important to see a doctor as quickly as possible. This ensures that the injuries are on record and that the accident victim can begin treatment. If medical attention is delayed or refused, it leaves the door open for defense attorneys and insurance adjusters to doubt if any injuries occurred. 

4. Assuming the Other Party Is Going to Admit Fault 

After an accident occurs, the other person involved may be convinced they aren’t to blame, too. This means a person can never assume the other person will accept fault. 

Instead, an accident victim should strengthen their case using evidence, including photos of the accident scene, property damage, and injuries. It’s also important to gather the contact information of anyone who saw what happened so they can be contacted later. 

Maintain a Right to Compensation

After being involved in a motorcycle accident, make sure none of the mistakes listed here are made. It’s also a good idea to hire an attorney as soon after the accident as possible. They can help a person maintain their right to compensation.