Shreveport Injury Lawyer > Blog > Motorcycle Accident > What Steps Should I Take After A Motorcycle Crash?

What Steps Should I Take After A Motorcycle Crash?

Motorcycles only make up about 3 percent of all registered vehicles on the roads, but motorcycles are involved in about 14 percent of all reported traffic fatalities, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). To put that information another way, motorcyclists are disproportionately at risk of a fatal crash based on the total number of motorcyclists on the road and the overall number of deadly collisions. Passengers on motorcycles are at particular risk of a serious or deadly injury in a wreck. According to the NSC, motorcycle passengers account for about 18 percent of all reported occupant fatalities. The overall rate of serious and deadly motorcycle crashes has risen in recent years, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that the total number of motorcycle fatalities in 2020 (5,579 deaths) was the highest it had been since 1975. In addition to those deaths, nearly 83,000 motorcyclists were injured in 2020.

Given that motorcycle crashes in Shreveport and throughout the country often result in debilitating and fatal injuries, it can be difficult to take any steps after a wreck. Yet if you can do so, it is important to consider the following steps so that you can be eligible to obtain compensation later on by filing a claim.

Call 911

Motorcycle crashes are often very serious, and motorcyclists require immediate medical attention. As such, it is critical to call 911 so that police and emergency responders can get to the scene of the crash.

Move Out of the Road

If you are physically able to move yourself and your bike out of the road, it is important to do so as soon as possible after a motorcycle crash. Secondary accidents — collisions that result from an initial accident — can happen more often than you might think. Indeed, oncoming traffic might not realize that a crash has occurred, and a motorist might crash into your motorcycle or you if you are still in the middle of the road. You should not make any movements that could worsen your condition, but it is important to get yourself to safety.

Gather as Much Evidence as You Can

In the immediate aftermath of a motorcycle crash, our Shreveport motorcycle injury lawyers know that you may be disoriented and in physical pain. However, a significant amount of valuable evidence in your case is at the scene of the crash. Accordingly, if you can do it, you should gather as much evidence as you can at the scene of the motorcycle wreck. What do we mean by this? In short, you should take photos and video evidence of the scene where the crash occurred. Your smartphone can be extremely helpful in this regard. You should also ask any witnesses for contact information so that your Shreveport motorcycle crash attorney can follow up with those witnesses to build your case.

See a Doctor

As soon as possible, you should be assessed by a healthcare provider. Some injuries may be serious but may not result in immediate symptoms.

Contact a Shreveport Motorcycle Crash Lawyer

Another critical step after a motorcycle crash is to get in touch with a Shreveport motorcycle injury attorney at Rice & Kendig, LLC who can assist you with your case. At Rice & Kendig, LLC, we get all medical records and police reports for our clients as we work to build strong personal injury cases. Do not hesitate to get in touch with us to find out more about how we can assist you.

Sources:

injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/road-users/motorcycles/

crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813306

By Rice & Kendig, LLC | Posted on January 31, 2023

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