Automotive Journal

If you are a motorcyclist, the statistics indicate you are highly likely to be involved in an accident at some point in your life. No matter how experienced a rider you are, it is all too easy to find yourself in the path of a driver who does not see you there.

Visibility is a problem you can do little about besides donning reflective clothing and making sure your headlight is on. Car and truck drivers have far too many distractions, such as road signs, flashing lights, cell phones, iPods, crying babies, and squabbling kids. Motorcycles are diminutive and, as faulty drivers would have everyone believe, prone to coming out of thin air.

So if you are a seasoned biker and have still managed to find yourself the victim of a crash, maintain calm and follow a few straightforward tips. Get names, contact numbers, insurance information, and license plate numbers from each driver involved. If you have a camera, get shots of of the accident scene.

Do not forget to get the names, contact information, and license numbers from any witnesses. Asking and jotting down what they saw is a good idea, but it is never advisable to say much yourself; it would be admissible as evidence later, and you never want to damage your case by a careless word or something said in the traumatic aftermath of a wreck. If the damage looks like it will amount to over $500, it is a good idea to involve the police.

Seek medical help immediately. The thing most people kick themselves over later is not visiting a doctor immediately after a wreck, then having the injury finally show itself weeks later, When this happens, it is a simple matter for the other driver to argue that your injuries were not were not incurred in the accident.

Finally, find the help of a reputable bike accident lawyer. A motorcycle lawyer will fight for you like a lion, usually garnering a much higher settlement and freeing you of all the hassles involved in gaining restitution after a wreck.