If you find yourself injured in a motorcycle accident, the first thing you should do is seek medical attention immediately. Even if you do feel injured right after, a thorough check up is still advised. After you have been thoroughly evaluated you must then decide how you will go about being compensated for your injuries. Here are a few tips to remember before you start searching for a motorcycle accident settlement lawyer.
Figure out a Value
When preparing for your motorcycle accident settlement you should come up with a figure in your mind. This should be a minimal amount that you would expect to receive from the settlement. This is only for your own sake and to help be prepared before meeting with a personal injury lawyer. This figure will give both sides something to work with and keep you from taking an extremely low offer that is on the table.
Make Notes
Keeping notes or a journal during the process of your motorcycle accident settlement will help give your claim more support. Your personal injury case will benefit from this information. Make sure to take pictures of damaged property and write down personal pain and suffering along with material losses. Document whether alcohol or paraphernalia was determined to be the cause of the accident. Preserve any witness information from the accident to help justify your claims.
Avoid Social Media
Whether you decide to seek legal advice for your motorcycle settlement or not, you should avoid all social media during the negotiation and settlement process. Social media has destroyed many cases in the past and you don’t want that to be the case with you. Facebook, snapchat, instagram and twitter should be avoided. These sites can be searched by anyone, not just a lawyer. Any information obtained from these sites can be used against you. Claims that you are faking your injuries or that a miraculous recovery was made can be potentially damaging to any case.
Make a good impression
Don’t exaggerate your injuries or make false allegations of injuries that you didn’t incur. Doing so is not only dishonest, but it can potentially blow your whole settlement. Many times you have the chance to meet before the case goes to trial. By making a good impression and being honest and upfront about injuries you are portrayed as a sympathetic victim rather than someone out for money. Being honest about previous injuries that are now aggravated by the accident also helps. Making a good impression can help defense offer a fair settlement outside of court.
Motorcycle accidents are very common, and unfortunately very serious. The drivers of the motorcycle typically incur numerous injuries from the accident. This means that pain and suffering is usually enhanced as well as medical bills. Motorcycle drivers and riders are around 35 times more likely to be involved in a deadly accident on roadways compared to those in cars. Helmets help reduce these fatalities by around 37 %, but they do not completely eliminate them. Riders wearing a helmet reduce their risk of suffering fatal head injuries by 40% and reduce their risk of suffering nonfatal head injuries by 15%. Just as helmets are important for motorcyclists, an experienced attorney is important for your motorcycle accident settlement.