Riding an exposed vehicle like motorcycles gives you less protection when an accident occurs. The damage sustained by both the vehicle and the rider can be much more than those sustained by a passenger car or van. When one gets into a crash, the troublesome part is always the aftermath. There are many details to attend to in order to get your settlement money which would cover your car repair and medical costs. As this may be a complicated process for those of us with little knowledge of such processes, hiring a lawyer to assist you with this will be your best choice. These are some things you will need to take note of not to do when engaging a motorcycle accident lawyer.
Delaying Seeing a Doctor
After an accident, some people feel that it is not necessary to see a doctor promptly as either their injuries don’t seem serious enough to warrant seeking medical help or they do not appear to have injuries. Since accidents happen quickly, sometimes you are unaware that you could be in shock and thus are unable to properly assess the extent of your injuries. Also, not injuries are visible. You could have sustained a brain injury or spine injury that you will only be made aware of after getting medical attention. Some injuries may also only surface several days or weeks later. You should consult a medical professional immediately after the accident so that they can evaluate your condition and document your condition. This will serve as evidence that will come in handy in filing your claims.
Inappropriate Dealing With Insurance
You need to contact your insurance company right away after the collision. There are many people who will avoid doing so as they fear that it will mean that their rates will increase. However, most state laws prohibit insurance companies from doing so on the driver that are not responsible for the accident. All you need to do is just report the accident to them, hire a lawyer and leave the liaison to your lawyer.
Engaging An Inexperienced Lawyer
One of the biggest mistakes people make is hiring an inexperienced attorney. You should select one that is well-versed with your state laws and relevant court processes. It will be even more advantageous for you to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer to handle your personal injury claims. Although there are lawyers that claim to be conversant in auto-accident cases, they may not have handled many motorcycle accidents before. You should find one that focuses on this area as their prior experience would mean they are very likely to help you secure a higher settlement amount.
Skipping Lawyer Reviews
It is always important to read customer reviews whenever you purchase something or engage a service. It is no different with hiring a lawyer is no different and perhaps even more important to do so. Choosing the wrong lawyer may result in you losing out on getting the compensation you deserve. Read online reviews on the law firm’s website, online forums like Yelp and Reddit, as well as speak to real clients if you are able to contact them. There are some companies that pay for fake reviews so do look out for repetitive phrasing in their reviews.