What Should You Do After a Motorcycle Crash in Utah?
If you’re ever in a motorcycle accident, you need to understand that nobody’s going to do all the work for you. The biggest advocate for your rights and defender of your personal injury claim will be you. You must take the right steps following a crash to safeguard your claim.
Immediately after a motorcycle wreck, you must call the appropriate authorities. Contact law enforcement to summon police to the accident scene. A police report will be valuable evidence to your personal injury lawyer. Additionally, you should summon paramedics if anyone has been hurt in the motorcycle crash. Even if you believe your injuries to be relatively minor, you must seek emergency medical attention, as some injuries may worsen with time. Also, if you fail to get adequate medical treatment after sustaining injuries, your personal injury case could be devalued or dismissed by insurance companies.
While awaiting the arrival of law enforcement and the ambulance, take photos and videos of the accident scene. This may include getting photographic evidence of your injuries, the state of your motorcycle, roadway conditions, and more. The more precise and more accurate the evidence, the easier it will be for your legal representative to establish liability and seek the compensation you may deserve.
While remaining polite, attempt to get all relevant contact and insurance provider information from other motorists involved in the collision. Never go so far as to admit fault or diminish the severity of your injuries. If there were any eyewitnesses to the crash, get their contact information because eyewitness testimony could be essential to proving your case.
Before contacting your insurance company, you should contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer in your area. Please contact our law office to schedule your free initial consultation today.
Are Motorcycle Accidents More Dangerous Than Most Other Auto Accidents?
Although motorcycles make up a tiny percentage of all registered vehicles in Utah, they nonetheless account for nearly 15% of all traffic accident-related fatalities across the country. Because of the relative size, weight, and exposed nature of a motorcycle, motorcyclists are more prone to suffering catastrophic injuries and even wrongful death in collisions.
According to the National Safety Council, motorcyclist and motorcycle passenger fatalities are on the rise, with statistics showing an increase in deaths of nearly 32% over the last decade. Non-fatal motorcycle accident injuries have also increased.
According to some data, you are nearly 10 times more likely to die in a motorcycle crash than in any other type of motor vehicle accident.
What Factors Can Impact Your Motorcycle Accident Claim?
If another party’s negligence or recklessness caused your motorcycle accident, obtaining financial compensation for your injuries and other losses may be possible. However, every personal injury claim is unique, and certain factors can impact how much compensation may be recovered (if any at all).
While motorcyclists are provided the same legal rights to operate their vehicles as any other motorist on Utah’s roads, there tends to be a bias against motorcyclists, whether they’ve done anything to deserve that bias. This unfortunate bias against motorcyclists can extend to courtroom judges, insurance company adjusters, and even the public. The result of this bias is that motorcyclists often find their motorcycle accident claims to be an uphill battle as they must prove that they were not negligent parties.
Even if another motorist was the one who caused the motorcycle accident, their insurance company is invested in disproving their fault, reducing how much they need to pay out in terms of economic or non-economic damages, and perhaps even shifting the blame onto your shoulders. A motorcycle accident lawyer can help defend your claim and support your legal rights while attempting to establish that fault rests on the shoulders of the other driver.
Motorcycle accident settlements are also more costly than most other car accident settlements. The simple reason for this is that motorcycle riders often suffer more serious injuries than drivers and passengers in most other types of motor vehicles. Because of the increased cost of a financial settlement, the case may become more complex.
The severity of your injuries, including expenses for long-term care, new disabilities, and effects on your quality of life, can also impact your motorcycle accident claim. Similarly, the at-fault party’s ability to pay can determine the amount the claimant can hope to recover.
There is also a time limit for how long you must file a motorcycle accident claim in Utah. You are usually allowed four years from the accident date to bring a claim. If you do not file your personal injury claim within the statute of limitations, your claim will be dismissed. However, it is essential not to delay beginning legal proceedings, as evidence and eyewitness testimonies may deteriorate or fade with time.
How Can a Utah Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Help Your Case?
If you or a loved one have suffered severe injuries because of someone else’s negligence, the last thing you should be forced to do is pay for the costly medical bills and other expenses related to the accident. Nor should you be forced to settle for less than what you deserve. However, suppose you do not retain professional legal representation. In that case, you may be stuck paying for these costly expenses as insurance companies and other parties seek to take advantage of you and your lack of legal counsel.
A motorcycle accident attorney can help you investigate the accident scene, gather evidence, interview witnesses and obtain statements, track all your accident-related expenses, calculate your economic and non-economic damages, negotiate with the insurance company for better terms, and communicate with lawyers for the defense.
A successful motorcycle accident claim can recover lost wages, earned income earning capacity, past and future medical expenses, funeral bills, property damage, wrongful death damages, and more.
Please get in touch with our Utah law firm for a free 15-minute phone consultation with our motorcycle accident attorney.
Contact Us for a Free Initial Consultation with an Experienced Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today
Motorcycle accidents typically result in severe injuries and sometimes wrongful death. There are additional factors that can also influence the outcome of a motorcycle accident case, including determining liability, the use of a safety helmet or other safety gear by the motorcycle rider, the speed of the vehicles, the existence of drugs or alcohol in either driver’s system, and more. In pursuit of the maximum compensation for your case, it is often necessary to retain professional legal counsel from experienced motorcycle accident lawyers.
Our law firm has years of experience representing the interests of injured motorists and we would be proud to represent your rights in pursuit of financial recovery. To learn more about our legal services, please get in touch with our law office to discuss your case in a free 15-minute phone consultation with our attorney.
You can reach us at 385-483-4703.
