How to Handle Insurance Claims After a Motorcycle Accident
We have motorcycle insurance partly because it’s required, but also in the hope that it will help us when we’re in a motorcycle accident. Unfortunately, insurance isn’t always as helpful as we would like.
Often, your actions will make a big difference in the amount of help you get from insurance. If you want to make sure you get as much help as possible, follow these tips.
Document the Accident Location and Your Injuries
Any information you collect immediately after the accident can help you get the compensation you deserve. Here are some things to try to document at the site:
- Collect the other driver’s information: At a minimum, you should get the information from the other driver or drivers. Get names, addresses, and insurance information. Take a picture of their insurance cards and their cars (in case these don’t match). It’s also good to get a picture of the other drivers and their licenses, in case they aren’t who they say they are.
- Talk to witnesses: If there are any witnesses around, ask them about what they saw, and try to get contact information from anyone who saw something and would be willing to testify.
- Take pictures: Photo evidence can be very important for reconstructing the accident. Get pictures of the roadway, especially any skid marks related to the accident, the debris field, and the damage to all vehicles.
- Note surveillance cameras: Surveillance cameras are objective witnesses that can help you when the other driver is claiming that you caused the accident. If there are any cameras that might have seen the accident, get in touch with their owners ASAP to see what information they might have.
If you were injured in the accident, you might have to delegate collecting this information to a friend or family member. If you were on a group ride, have another rider that you trust get the information because they’re on-site and can get information before it disappears.
Get medical care for your motorcycle accident injuries, even if you think they are minor. These days, most doctors or nurses will document injuries with pictures, but if they don’t take pictures with their own smartphones, have them take pictures with yours.
Contact Your Insurance Carrier as Soon as Possible
Your insurance company wants to be informed about your accident ASAP. Your policy also likely gives you a specific timeframe for making contact, and if you miss that window, you might have a hard time getting compensation.
Prioritize treatment for serious injuries, but once you are out of immediate danger, let your insurance company know you’ve been in an accident. You don’t have to give an official statement at this time, just an initial notice that you’ve had an accident.
Understand Your Coverage
Take some time to understand your coverage before giving an official statement about the accident. You want to know what is covered and what is not so that you don’t mistakenly give the impression that your accident shouldn’t be covered when it should be.
Also be aware of the limits of your coverage so you will know if your insurer is offering you less than they can or should pay.
Be Careful When Giving Official Statements
At some point, you will have to give an official statement of the accident, either recorded or in writing – sometimes both. Give a full account of the facts of the accident as you saw them. Don’t infer the other driver’s state of mind and don’t convey your own. Just share what happened as you perceived it: the sights and sounds of the accident as it occurred as well as any information you gathered after the fact.
If you are concerned that your statement might diminish your compensation, especially by implying that you were at fault for the accident, contact a motorcycle accident lawyer before giving an official statement.
Don’t Describe Injuries Before You Know What They Are
Your insurance company will probably want you to describe your injuries. Include a brief, factual account of your injuries as diagnosed. However, make it clear that:
- This may not be all my injuries: Sometimes the extent of your injuries is not immediately clear. In addition, initial injuries may have secondary effects on your body and your health that may not have developed yet.
- The prognosis is not clear: Doctors may make statements about how long it will take to recover and what your maximum recovery might look like. However, in the early stages of your recovery, these statements are essentially guesses.
Essentially, it’s important to be aware of the limitations of what doctors know about your injuries at this point. Don’t imply more certainty than anyone has at this point. If you do, your insurance company may try to use your statements to limit compensation later, even if your injuries are worse and recovery slower and more limited than initially thought.
Check for Other Coverage
Once you’ve filed a claim with your motorcycle insurance, you should consider whether you have other insurance that might cover your accident. Some potential sources of coverage include:
- “Umbrella” insurance policies
- Homeowner’s insurance
- Credit card insurance policies
You should look over all insurance policies to see if any of them might cover this accident.
Keep Track of Expenses
To make sure you get full compensation for your injuries, you need to account for their full cost. This means keeping track of everything you spend because of your injury. This goes beyond medical expenses. Also keep track of investments trying to make your home into a livable space (such as adding a wheelchair ramp), or accommodations necessitated by your injury (such as ordering in on days you used to cook).
Don’t Accept a Settlement That Seems Low
When your insurance company makes a settlement offer, take a good look at it. It may initially seem like a lot, but remember that this is supposed to be the settlement for your entire accident. It is supposed to make up for the effects of your accident for your life. Look at how much you’ve spent so far, and consider any potential additional medical treatments you might need over the next 10, 20, 30 years or more. Does it look like a lot now?
Some people feel pressured to take a low settlement because it will pay their current outstanding bills. However, when you work with a motorcycle accident lawyer, they can help you find solutions to postpone or reduce your outstanding bills so you can hold out for the compensation you deserve.
Consider Claims against Other Drivers’ Insurance
Of course, it’s important to consider whether you might be able to make a claim against other drivers’ insurance. If the accident was not your fault, neither you nor your insurance should be responsible for the accident’s costs.
A motorcycle accident lawyer can help you pursue claims against those responsible for your accident to make sure they pay for the damage their actions caused.
Denver Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Brian Pushchak Can Help
If you are having difficulty getting your insurance company to pay what they should after your motorcycle accident, get the help of a motorcycle accident lawyer.
At Pushchak Law, we specialize in motorcycle accidents. We understand how hard it can be to get insurance to pay for your injuries and other expenses. We specialize in motorcycle accidents, and we know how to get people the compensation they deserve by holding other drivers responsible for their actions and holding your own insurance to its commitments in your policy.
You will also benefit from our exclusive Informed Decisions™ Approach. We start by taking the time to listen to your goals so that we can take the steps necessary to achieve your priorities. That’s because we care about you and know that your case is specific to you: it’s not just another case. We will help you make all these important and difficult decisions. We will also give you our personal contact information so that you can get ahold of us when you have questions or decisions about your case. Remember: it’s always your case, and you will always have the final say in how we proceed.
To learn how Pushchak Law can help after your motorcycle accident, please contact us today for a free initial consultation. We serve clients in Denver and the surrounding areas.
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