If you ride, you’re in good company in Houston and throughout Texas. There’s no better way to get around than with the wind in your hair—albeit under a helmet!
Hitting the road on two wheels is a great way to take advantage of everything the area has to offer. There’s a good reason why Texas has one of the largest numbers of registered motorcycles in the United States! Unfortunately, every motorcycle rider knows the high potential for accidents—especially around traffic that is filled with distracted, aggressive, or otherwise impaired drivers.
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident that someone else’s negligence caused, you know the trauma involved. Motorcycle accidents cause exceedingly dangerous and terrifying injuries.
After an accident, you need the help of an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer. The dedicated legal team at Trust Guss Injury Lawyers, in Houston, has the experience, skill, and tenacity to battle the insurance company and stand up for your rights. Our nationally recognized motorcycle accident attorneys have taken on insurance companies for decades, and we’re good at what we do. Please call (800) 898-4877 or contact us now by clicking HERE to discuss your rights for FREE.
After Your Motorcycle Accident
Motorcycle accidents can upset anyone, and if you’re in a motorcycle accident that someone else’s negligence caused, you’re likely at a loss for what to do. You, however, can help protect both yourself and your claim by taking the following steps.
Safety first - After an accident, always make safety should your top priority. Call 911 immediately. Obtaining medical attention is important even if you don’t think you were seriously injured. Serious injuries can develop with time—even if they don’t present immediate symptoms. Remember that early diagnosis is closely associated with an improved prognosis. Furthermore, both the accident report and the medical report that ensue will bolster the strength of your motorcycle accident claim.
Gather evidence - The evidence gathered at the scene of the accident is critical to your claim. If your injuries permit you to gather the evidence yourself, do so. If not, enlist a bystander to help. Once contacted, your motorcycle accident attorney will immediately set to work in an effort to secure all pertinent evidence before it disappears. Your evidence gathering should focus on:
- Taking pictures and videos with your smartphone that capture the entire accident scene. Don’t forget to include overall views that illustrate the big picture along with close-up shots that establish the details.
- Recording eyewitness testimony that corroborates the details of the accident. Don’t forget to obtain eyewitness contact information.
- Writing down your recollection of exactly how the accident happened—including as many details as possible—as soon after the accident as you can. The aftermath of a motorcycle accident is extremely chaotic, and your memories are likely to become hazy. This written narrative will help you establish the details of the accident and will aid your lawyer’s ability to successfully navigate your claim.
- Making a quick sketch of the scene of the accident to establish its exact location, the directions in which both you and the other vehicle traveled, the point of impact, and any mitigating circumstances—including bad road conditions caused by inclement weather, a damaged roadway, and road construction; any obstructions to a clear view of the road; poor or faulty signs; and any other relevant factors.
Your Costly Damages
Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable to serious injuries, and if you’re injured in a motorcycle accident due to the negligence of another, you’re likely facing significant medical damages. These often-extensive damages can include emergency transportation and care, surgeries and aftercare, medical appointments and treatments, ongoing care, prescription medications, physical therapy, adaptive medical devices, and home adaptations.
Your physical damages are overwhelming enough, but a bike accident is likely to cause many further damages. If you were seriously injured, you probably lost hours and wages at work, but you may also experience diminished earning potential far into your future. Such diminishment is not only financially damaging but also emotionally scarring. Many people derive a strong sense of belonging in the world from their careers, and overcoming a decline in career trajectory can prove difficult.
Motorcycle accidents are uniquely terrifying because there’s so little to protect bikers from the violence of the crash. Victims of motorcycle accidents are prone to significant emotional and psychological trauma, including depression, increased anxiety, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. All told, the damages wrought by a serious motorcycle accident are difficult to overstate, and while no settlement amount can ever give you back what you lost, rightful compensation can provide you with the tools you need to move forward with your life.
Dealing With the Insurance Company
If someone else’s negligence has left you injured in a motorcycle accident, you’re going to deal with an insurance company or two. However, this does not obligate you to give a statement to the negligent party’s insurance company. In fact, you should limit all statements and contact altogether. Most, if not all contact with the insurance companies should be handed off to an attorney. Your experienced motorcycle accident attorney will provide the insurance company with everything it needs to know, while still protecting the integrity of your case.
Insurance companies are in business to make money for themselves by keeping as much payout from you as possible, and they’re not above stooping to sketchy practices to do so. That recorded statement they’re asking you to make is usually designed to trick you into admitting fault or that you’re not as injured as you actually are. It’s ALWAYS in your best interest to hire a lawyer to handle your insurance claim.
If a Motorcycle Accident Injured You, Consult an Experienced Houston Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today
Houston is a perfect city for riding, but if another driver’s negligence left you injured in a motorcycle accident, you need an experienced motorcycle accident attorney. The dedicated legal team at Stewart J. Guss, Attorney at Law, in Houston has tackled insurance companies and aggressively advocated for motorcycle-accident victims’ just compensation for decades—and we’re here to help you. You won’t owe a DIME unless we recover compensation for you. We don’t get paid unless you do! Please don’t hesitate to either contact or call us at 800-898-4877 today for a COMPLETELY FREE case evaluation.