Before you get to the settlement phase of any negotiation, you must first file a motorcycle accident insurance claim after the accident.
What we do in this step and how thorough we are with the information we collect will directly affect how much money we will be able to receive in your motorcycle accident settlement.
First, immediately after a crash make sure you take pictures of the accident and the surrounding area if you are physically fit to do so. Keep these backed up and private as an ace up your sleeve for your New Jersey motorcycle accident attorney to use in any negotiations with the insurance company.
If you did not get a copy of the police report my motorcycle law firm will get a copy of the police report and any tickets that assign blame for the crash.
If you think you may have suffered a personal injury in any way make sure you visit the emergency room. Whether or not you seek care from a medical professional is how insurance companies determine if you were injured or not.
If you do not seek care immediately they can make a case that the motorcycle accident injury was caused by something other than the incident.
Keep All Medical Records Resulting from the Accident
If you need continuing treatment for any injuries sustained in the auto crash make sure that you keep copies of all of your medical records related to the auto accident.
Also keep records of lost wages from missing work as well as money and time you spend traveling to and from medical facilities.
Motorcycle accident attorneys use all of this documentation during negotiations to determine the amount of accident compensation in your motorcycle accident settlement in New Jersey.
If your bike was damaged in the crash, take it to a shop that you trust and be sure to keep all records of what was repaired. Some insurance companies have certified body shops that you can take your motorcycle to so that in the event the repaired parts fail you are covered.
It is okay to take your cycle to a second shop to verify that all repairs were done correctly.
Talk Only to Me
It is very important that you use me as your “mouthpiece” after the crash. This means letting me talk to the insurance companies – both your own, and the company that represents the person who caused your accident. Never give a recorded statement.
This also means that you should not “talk” about it on social media.
Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts can be accessed by the insurance company negotiators, and what you say can definitely be used against you, or at the least make us have to explain much more than otherwise necessary.
If you have performed the steps above and kept thorough records of everything dealing with your car crash, experienced New Jersey motorcycle injury lawyer Lee D. Gaber, Esquire, will be in a much better position to negotiate your injury compensation package with the insurance company.
Call me at 1-888-292-5352 (1-888-Cycle-Law) 24/7 if you have been involved in an motorcycle accident in New Jersey or Pennsylvania. I’ll take it from there!