Everyone knows the odds are not in your favor if you’re a motorcyclist involved in an accident. What you may not know is that sometimes the odds are stacked against you afterwords as well. Insurance carriers aren’t inclined to sign off on a motorcyclist’s claim as easily as someone injured in an auto accident; for that reason and several others you need a skilled San Diego motorcycle accident attorney if you’ve been in a motorcycle crash here in the County.
It’s not always easy to interpret the evidence at the scene of a motorcycle accident, so if it happens to you and you’re fortunate enough to still be thinking clearly, try to accomplish as much as you can at the scene.
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- Contact the police. You need a professional analysis of the crash site and a formal report prepared.
- Collect the usual information from the other participants ‘ including the observations of any passengers in the other vehicle. An immediate description of events from an observer may be very different from the description given by the driver days later.
- If there should happen to be bystanders, get names and numbers even if you’re not capable of taking down testimony.
- If you or a bystander has a camera, a picture of the scene is worth two or three sworn statements. Reconstructing a motorcycle accident is not an easy task after the evidence has been cleaned up, so a photograph may be invaluable.
- See a doctor. Trauma injuries may seem minor at the time and turn into something major within a few days. You’ll also be protecting your rights to insurance compensation by seeking immediate medical care. Conversely, if you don’t seek medical treatment your subsequent claims for injury and treatment may not be credible.
Like it or not, there is an unspoken prejudice towards motorcyclists when it comes to traffic and traffic accidents. That’s why a motorcycle accident is going to require experienced investigation along with quality legal representation. The evidence at a motorcycle collision scene is soon cleared and traffic is rolling once again. Reconstructing the true sequence of events takes someone who knows what the right questions are and who to ask.
One third of all motorcycle accidents in San Diego County in 2008 occurred in unincorporated areas of the County. Those were likely on quiet roads without a lot of foot traffic, passing witnesses or traffic lights. While statistics show that the great majority of motorcycle accidents are the fault of the other driver, sometimes it takes a smart attorney and a good investigative team to prove it.
Motorcycle accidents may also be caused by a poorly maintained road, inadequate signage, faulty road construction, or some other physical characteristic of the landscape. Your insurance company isn’t going to make that argument for you, but an experienced motorcycle accident attorney will. Contact the Offices of Anna R. Yum if you quality support for your case.
