You love riding your motorcycle. Whether for work or fun, a motorcycle is an excellent alternative to driving a car or taking the bus. However, motorcycles are not immune from accidents.
A motorcyclist is vulnerable to sustaining severe and catastrophic injuries. If you or a loved one is a motorcycle accident victim, we know you face many challenges. And you should never face them alone. Insurance companies are heartless and uncaring, and dealing with them may only further your anguish. Concentrate on your injuries and your family. Let a Lafayette motorcycle accident lawyer file your claim, deal with the insurance company, and protect your rights.
If you have been in a motorcycle accident, you may be overwhelmed and unsure what to do. We recommend taking the following steps.
After a motorcycle accident, call 911. Health and safety always come first. Colorado law requires any vehicle driver involved in a traffic accident that caused personal injury, death, or property damage to report the accident to the police. Paramedics will arrive at the accident scene as well. A motorcycle accident can leave you with serious injuries. You need to be examined, even if you feel fine. Following up with your primary care doctor is also recommended.
Take photos of the accident scene, including your motorcycle, other vehicles involved, and any property damage. Take note of any security or traffic cameras, as they may have captured the accident. Take down the license plate and the make and model of the other vehicles involved. Also, get the names and contact details of the other parties involved and any witnesses to the accident. Remember to get the insurance information for all the other drivers as well. Finally, don’t forget to save records of any medical bills. Motorcycle accident attorneys in Lafayette take this evidence and use it to build your claim.
As soon as it is safe to do so, contact an attorney for assistance in filing your motorcycle accident claim. An attorney may still be able to visit the accident scene and survey the aftermath of the accident. And evidence preservation is essential. So, the sooner an attorney is contacted, the better.
Your attorney will negotiate on your behalf with the insurance companies and will fight to get you the best compensation possible.
Motorcycle accident claims are based on the doctrine of negligence. Negligence refers to the failure to take reasonable care that an ordinary person would have taken in a similar situation. To bring a successful negligent claim, you must prove the following elements:
If these elements are present, you may be able to prove the other party’s negligence.
If you are in a car accident, most of the time, the car itself takes the initial impact. The car doors, ceiling, and floor protect you. You can still get hurt, but you do have some protection against the impact coming from another vehicle or stationary object. On a motorcycle, however, there is no protection—you are hit first. Because of this, motorcycle accidents can sometimes cause more severe injuries than car accidents.
Common motorcycle accident injuries include the following:
Motorcycle accidents can also be fatal. If someone you love died in a motorcycle accident, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim.
Colorado’s statute of limitations allocates a three-year deadline for personal injury claims. This includes motorcycle accident claims. Once this deadline passes, apart from a couple of exceptions, you can no longer file your claim. Therefore, contacting a motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible is essential in preserving your claim.
Sloat, Nicholson, & Hoover, P.C. has dedicated its legal practice to personal injury law. Our team has over 100 years of combined legal experience and are firm believers in giving back to our community. Therefore, we are involved in many charities, such as the Boulder Community Hospital Foundation, the Boulder Valley Humane Society, and the Boulder County Safe House.
The aftermath of a motorcycle accident can be a nightmare. You may find it hard to continue your job, or you may have to take a long time off work to heal. Or maybe your injuries are permanent, and you cannot work anymore. Paying the bills every month is hard, and your injuries are excruciating. If someone else’s negligence caused your injuries, our Lafayette motorcycle accident attorneys can help. Contact Sloat, Nicholson, & Hoover, P.C. now for a free case evaluation and learn how we can help.