Drivers can make mistakes and put motorcyclists in dangerous situations. Riders on fast-moving routes like Geer Road and Highway 99 can’t always avoid collisions and can end up on the road surface and at risk of further danger.
Careless drivers should want to help the victims of the accidents they cause. Their action can summon help faster and even save the life of an injured rider.
Taking Action After Causing an Accident Involving a Motorcyclist
After making a mistake that causes a collision with a motorcyclist, you may not be able to help treat the rider’s injuries. But you can take action to get help on the way sooner. You can also protect the rider and make sure they remain safe until help arrives.
If you caused the accident or if you come upon a motorcycle accident, there are things you can do to help improve the chances a rider survives and can one day ride again.
Follow these guidelines after seeing a motorcycle accident:
- Assess the victim for immediate danger and injuries.
- Only move the victim if they are in direct danger. Get them out of the direct path of traffic if they are about to be hit.
- Don’t remove the victim’s motorcycle helmet. Allow paramedics to remove it.
- Contact 911. Request an ambulance if there are injuries.
- Turn off the motorcycle.
- Talk to the injured victim. Let the victim know that help is on the way. Use reassuring language.
- Get the contact information of any other witnesses at the scene. Their testimony may be important to the motorcyclist’s accident claim.
- Take photos of the damage to vehicles and motorcycles. These photos could help prove a motorcyclist wasn’t at fault for what happened.
- Give investigating officers all the information you have available. Go over every detail you saw.
Alerting Investigators to Your Fault in a Motorcycle Accident
If your actions caused a motorcyclist to crash, the best thing you can do is to admit what happened and allow the injured rider to receive support from your car insurance company.
If you didn’t see the motorcyclist because you didn’t check your mirrors and blind spots properly, alert investigators to that fact. Drivers make mistakes, and it’s okay to admit fault.
If you were looking at a cell phone when you rear-ended a motorcycle, be honest about what happened. You want to remove any chance your car insurance company has to deny coverage to the injured rider.
Motorcyclists have little protection in a collision and can easily end up with serious injuries. They may require surgery for badly broken bones or neck and spine injuries. They may have to get months of physical therapy to regain strength and the ability to walk normally. Riders can also face months of emotional stress while they deal with pain and can’t return to the hobbies they love, such as taking rides.
Admitting to causing a motorcycle accident can cut through a lot of delays in valuable insurance support for the rider. Injured victims can hopefully get the money needed to pay medical bills and support themselves while they can’t work. If you made a bad decision on a Stanislaw County roadway, it’s best to admit it and let victims rebuild their lives as quickly as possible.
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Motorcycle Accident in Turlock?
If you suffer serious injuries in a motorcycle accident caused by a careless driver, it’s a good idea to speak with a lawyer about your options. A lawyer can protect you when an insurance adjuster tries to blame you for a collision or tries to devalue your injury. Your lawyer can also often win much more in compensation for you than you could by filing a claim yourself.
Speak with a skilled Turlock Motorcycle Accident Attorney after any accident in Stanislaus County. It’s important to know about every benefit available to you and your family because an insurance representative won’t inform you of all of your options.
Contact Maison Law for a free, no-obligation consultation. If you feel we can earn you more in a settlement, you won’t need any money to hire us. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the money a car insurance company must pay you.
