All motorists are charged with a duty to act as a reasonable and prudent person would under the circumstances and have due care for others on the roadway. Heavy traffic conditions heighten that duty to other individuals. Unfortunately, accidents occur daily between motor vehicle and motorcycles. As with any other accident, the most important thing is to get appropriate medical attention. If the accident is not serious, the individual should remain at the scene. The important thing is to give appropriate statements to police officers working on the accident.
Those who have been injured in a motorcycle crash should not try to handle their case alone. Let a diligent motorcycle accident attorney help. They could help you understand what to do after a motorcycle accident in Pascagoula.
Whenever there is damage to property or injuries, the individual should contact their insurance company unless it is minor. In many cases, the accidents are well established as to who is at fault. While it is not necessarily damaging to directly correspond with the at-fault party’s insurance, it is always a good idea to speak with an attorney to make sure it is appropriate to communicate with the other side’s insurance company. The at-fault insurance company wants to reduce their liability as much as possible and is not acting on their client’s behalf and in their best interest.
When an injured person does not have insurance, and they are not at fault for the accident, they should contact the insurance company of the person who caused the accident and an attorney. By contacting an attorney, they get appropriate advice on what to do after a motorcycle accident in Pascagoula. If an individual is at fault and does not have insurance, they need to be on notice because they could be personally liable for any injuries they caused.
Insurance is mandatory for Pascagoula motorcycle drivers. The state minimums are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. Many people have more coverage. Some people operate vehicles and motorcycles in the roadways without insurance even though it is mandated by law.
The possible penalties for not having insurance are fines and tickets if a law enforcement officer determines someone is operating a vehicle without proper insurance. Usually, those tickets are reduced if the individual subsequently gets insurance. However, a person is never totally absolved if they failed to have insurance at the time of the ticket.
If someone is injured and the at-fault party does not have insurance, it is difficult to recover from the individual who caused the accident. The average driver without insurance is judgment proof, meaning they don’t have sufficient assets to cover losses. However, if the injured party maintained insurance and has uninsured motorist or underinsured motorist coverage, she could get compensation from their own insurance company.
The best thing an individual can do after a motorcycle accident in Pascagoula is to seek medical attention immediately. However, the injured person or someone on their behalf should document the accident scene by taking pictures, getting witness names, addresses, and telephone numbers, and speak with law enforcement officers to properly document and set out the accident report correctly. If the injured person contacts an attorney immediately, the attorney sends investigators to the accident scene to speak with witnesses and follow up.
An attorney could guide someone who was involved in a motorcycle accident in the appropriate actions to take and the best way to document the accident scene.
There are many things that people do not necessarily think about after the accident. They may be injured, confused, and shaken up, and may not be thinking clearly after the accident. As soon as possible after a motorcycle accident, an attorney may advise a person on how to best handle the situation. If there is nothing more than property damage, then there is no reason to retain an attorney unless the insurance doesn’t pay for property damage. An attorney will go to work for you immediately to protect your rights and get you what you need.
The risk of not having an attorney assist with a claim for a motorcycle accident is that a person could be denied completely and will not get compensation for their injuries. Call today to speak to an attorney to learn about what to do after a motorcycle accident in Pascagoula.