What Should You Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Greensboro
After a motorcycle accident, you must act quickly to protect your health and legal rights. However, you might not know what steps to take after an accident. This article provides several tips that could help you protect your safety, health, and right to recover financial compensation for losses when someone else was at-fault for a motorcycle crash that injured you.
Contact Ward Black Law today for a free initial case review. We can discuss the next steps you should take to pursue compensation for the losses you’ve suffered due to a motorcycle accident in Greensboro or elsewhere in North Carolina. For over 30 years, we’ve guided injured people through the recovery process after they were hurt by the carelessness of others.
Steps to Take After an Accident on a Motorcycle in Greensboro, NC
The shock of a motorcycle crash can make it challenging to think about the steps you need to take after the accident. You should focus on treating your injuries to protect your health but don’t neglect taking steps to preserve your rights to pursue compensation from those who caused the accident.
- You should seek prompt medical attention for any injuries you have suffered in the crash. Your health and safety should be your priority. The adrenaline rush after a traumatic incident like a crash can mask symptoms. Even if you initially think you didn’t suffer any major injuries, you should still get a complete medical exam as soon as possible. Your doctor could detect potentially life-threatening injuries that are not yet producing symptoms. Starting treatment right after the crash can improve your prognosis.
- You should report the accident to the authorities immediately. Cooperate with the officers and answer their questions as best you can, but do not admit fault or speculate about the cause of the crash. Remember to request a copy of the police accident report if officers respond to the crash scene.
- Gather evidence from the accident scene, such as photos, videos, helmet cam footage, eyewitness statements, and contact information for other drivers and witnesses.
- Keep copies of all bills, invoices, and receipts for expenses you incur due to the accident, including motorcycle repairs and medical treatment.
- Gather your pay stubs or income statements if you need to take time off work to recover from injuries. These documents could be crucial if you earn less than before the accident because you must take a part-time or modified-duty position that pays less than your regular job.
- Request copies of medical records of treatment and rehab for your injuries.
- Consider keeping notes about your recovery to document physical pain, limitations on daily activities, and emotional distress you experience due to your injuries and subsequent medical treatment.
- Avoid posting about the accident or your injuries on social media or posting or tagging yourself in photos or videos while treating your injuries. Insurance companies sometimes monitor accident victims’ social media accounts for posts they could take out of context, twist, and use against them.
- Contact the motorcycle accident attorneys at Ward Black Law as soon as possible after a crash. We are ready to explain your legal options and recover evidence to build your case for financial recovery.
Motorcycle Accidents Can Cause Permanently Disabling Injuries
Without the protection of a vehicle body, seatbelts, or airbags, motorcycle riders frequently suffer catastrophic, life-altering injuries such as:
- Spinal injuries, including spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Amputation or limb loss
- Back injuries, including herniated discs
- Joint damage, especially knees, hips, shoulders, wrists, and ankles
- Severe lacerations and scarring
- Broken bones
- Facial injuries
- Ligament, muscle, and tendon tears
- Nerve damage
- Whiplash
How Long After a Motorcycle Accident Do I Have to File a Claim in Greensboro?
Under North Carolina’s statute of limitations, you usually have three years to file a motorcycle accident lawsuit after a crash. Although specific circumstances may extend your time to file suit, filing a lawsuit after the limitations period expires on your claim means the trial court can dismiss your case regardless of its merits. Talk to the Greensboro motorcycle accident lawyers at Ward Black Law as soon as possible after a crash to ensure you file your claims on time.
Do You Need a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?
Although you could pursue a motorcycle accident claim alone, having legal representation will almost certainly improve your chances of recovering maximum compensation. Hiring our motorcycle accident lawyers means you can focus on your medical treatment and rehabilitation while we handle all the details of preparing and pursuing your legal claims, including:
- Investigating the accident and securing evidence
- Identifying liable parties and options for financial recovery
- Documenting your injuries and losses
- Drafting and filing insurance claims and demand letters
- Communicating with insurance adjusters and defense lawyers
- Negotiating for a full and fair settlement, if possible
- Filing lawsuits and representing your interests in court and at trial
Our motorcycle accident lawyers are ready to protect your rights and interests when insurance companies try to minimize or deny your financial recovery. At Ward Black Law, we represent injured motorcycle riders across North Carolina. Our legal team is dedicated to seeking justice for injured people. Our peers have recognized us for our commitment, including recognition as one of the “Best Law Firms in America” by US News and World Report for over a decade.
Our founding attorney, Janet Ward Black, has served as president of the North Carolina Bar Association and the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers – one of only two lawyers to have served as president of both organizations. We leverage strategic planning and cutting-edge technology to provide outstanding legal representation to clients.
Talk to Our Experienced Greensboro Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Today
If you have more questions about what steps to take after a motorcycle accident in North Carolina, contact us online or call Ward Black Law for a free, no-obligation case review. Our experienced motorcycle accident attorneys are ready to answer your questions. Let us provide the advice and support you need to pursue financial compensation for injuries and losses you’ve suffered in a motorcycle crash.