If you're knocked down by a motorist when riding your motorcycle, your injuries can change your life forever. Luckily, you can mitigate the impact the crash may have on your life if you get compensation to cover all your losses. However, your success will depend on the measures you take immediately after the collision. Even the slightest mistake when preparing your claim or handling the compensation process could make you lose the entitled payments. On the other hand, taking the following steps will enable you to protect your rights and increase your chances of getting justice.
Check on the Possible Injuries
If you're accidentally knocked down when riding a motorbike, move to the side of the road and check your injuries. There is a possibility that you may not feel any pain after the accident because of the shock and adrenaline rushing through your body. Therefore, you should not assume you are fine if none of your body parts are aching. Getting a thorough medical examination and treatment for your injuries is imperative. Doing so protects your rights because the medical reports you get will be helpful when preparing your claim. It would help if you also preserved all your receipts after the medical services for accident-related injuries. In addition, you need to follow the doctor's guidelines until you recover.
Gather and Preserve All the Evidence You Can
Gather and preserve all the evidence you can, including pictures of the crash scene and your damaged bike. Then, move around the area and gather any other useful information you can access. It may include the name of the people involved in the crash, the contact information of pedestrians, and witnesses who may be willing to testify for you. Finally, you need to check the nearby shops or restaurants to determine whether there are cameras that could have captured the accident. If there are, request the business owners to give you the video footage.
Get Legal Help If Your Case Will Go to Court
Legal representation is necessary, especially if you plan to file a lawsuit in court. An attorney will speak on your behalf to convince the judge that you never did anything wrong. They will table all the legal evidence necessary to dispute claims of involvement. They will then present information showing the damages you had to deal with and the injuries you've endured since you were involved in the crash.
The measures above are critical in preserving your rights after a motorbike crash. Therefore, if a motorist accidentally knocks you down, ensure you hire an attorney—such as Smith Morgan, LLP—to help you navigate these steps and recover an acceptable compensation for your damages.