Everywhere that you look you see the “look twice, save a life” stickers and decals when you are driving down the road. That is because in 2015, almost 1,500 motorcyclists were killed in motor vehicle collisions and about 88,000 suffered some type of injury. What should your next step be if you get hurt while on a motorcycle? Another question is this: What should you avoid doing? Read on to learn the five mistakes that those hurt in a motorcycle injury have made.
Not Calling the Police Right Away
It may not be the first thing on your mind after an accident. You’re hurt, shaken up, upset-we get it. You aren’t thinking about calling 911. But it is important to get checked out by medical professionals and taken to a hospital if needed. The police will also file a report which will be necessary if you have a personal injury lawsuit later on. It will show that you in fact needed medical attention due to the accident.
Driving a Bike That Isn’t Street Legal
When you are riding a bike that isn’t legal to be on the road, you may not realize that there are problems that could cause an motorcycle accident. Some bikes may not have the proper equipment to be out on the street. There was a report of an illegal bike not having proper lights, which then caused a fatality. Riding on an illegal motorcycle can increase your chances of being injured or killed in an accident. Not only that, you may decrease your chances in the courtroom if your bike was not supposed to be on the road in the first place.
Not Getting Looked At
You may think you are feeling ok and just have a few cuts and bruises. But once you get home or a couple of days pass by, you may find that you are in a lot more pain than you thought. Get checked out right away to ensure you get the proper documentation of your injuries in case you need to go to court.
Missing Follow-Up Appointments
So you went to the doctor one time and now you think you are fine. But you need to show that you are taking your pain seriously in court by going to every doctor follow-up that is recommended to you. This will help if you are part of a personal injury lawsuit in the future. Not only that, it will help your injuries to not get worse over time.
Not Calling an Attorney ASAP
Call 911 first and get checked out. Next, call a personal injury lawyer right away. Your livelihood and health depend on it! You may not be able to go to work or school because of the injuries you suffered during the accident, so beginning a case with a personal injury attorney is the right step. You deserve the compensation.