Attorney Michael L. Saile
Navigate This Page
- Steps To Take After Getting in a Motorcycle Accident
- How Motorcycle Insurance Works Differently in Pennsylvania
- What Compensation Can You Claim After a Motorcycle Crash?
- Understanding Your Legal Timeline After a Motorcycle Accident in Pennsylvania
- Let Cordisco & Saile Help You Get the Compensation You Deserve From Your Motorcycle Accident Claim
Knowing what to do after a motorcycle accident can help you protect your health and legal rights. Some of the most important steps include getting immediate medical attention, being careful about what you say to insurance adjusters, and working with an attorney.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle crash in Pennsylvania, contact Cordisco & Saile LLC to get started with a free consultation.
Steps To Take After Getting in a Motorcycle Accident
The actions you take immediately after a motorcycle accident can affect your ability to recover fair compensation. Consider following these steps to protect your rights and strengthen your personal injury case.
Get Immediate Medical Attention
If your injuries are severe, go to the emergency room immediately. If you have mild symptoms or don’t feel injured, visit urgent care or your primary care doctor as soon as possible.
Get prompt medical attention even if you think your injuries are not serious. Some serious motorcycle accident injuries take time to show symptoms. Meanwhile, if you wait to see a doctor until symptoms develop, the insurance company might argue that a later incident caused your injuries instead of the crash. Prompt medical attention makes it easier to prove a direct link between the accident and your injuries.
Collect Evidence
Get copies of your medical records after you receive medical care. You’ll also want to keep track of all your expenses related to the accident and hold on to any receipts or bills you receive.
Consider keeping a journal to record how your injuries affect your daily life. Document your pain levels, limitations, missed work, and mental health. All this evidence together can establish liability and prove the extent of your damages.
Avoid Posting on Social Media
Insurance adjusters often monitor victims’ online activity, looking for posts they can use to downplay injuries or shift blame. Even seemingly harmless content can hurt your case. For example, a photo of you smiling at a family gathering or a comment about “feeling better” might suggest that your injuries aren’t as serious as you claim.
It’s safest to stay off social media entirely until your claim is resolved. Ask friends and family not to post about you, either.
Be Careful What You Say
The at-fault party’s insurance company will likely contact you soon after the accident. The adjusters may act like they’re on your side, but their only goal is to minimize their company’s payout. They may use various tactics to convince you to say something that hurts your case.
Approach every conversation with caution and never admit fault or downplay your injuries. Avoid giving recorded statements without legal advice. In most cases, it’s best to say nothing and refer the adjuster to your attorney.
Pause Before Accepting a Settlement Offer
The insurance company may quickly present a settlement offer after a motorcycle accident. A fast resolution may feel tempting, but don’t rush to accept it. Early offers are often too low to cover the full extent of your damages.
You have no obligation to accept a settlement offer. Instead, consult an experienced and knowledgeable motorcycle accident attorney. Carefully review the offer with them, and consider negotiating for a higher amount.
Reach Out to Our Attorneys
Hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer gives you the best possible chances of receiving the compensation you deserve. Our experienced attorneys can do the following while you focus on your health:
- Investigate the accident to determine who’s liable
- Gather evidence proving the at-fault party’s negligence
- Calculate your damages to determine how much your case is worth
- Explore and pursue all possible sources of compensation
- Negotiate with insurance adjusters on your behalf
- File a lawsuit and fight for you in court if the insurance company refuses to make a fair settlement offer
Our consultation is free, so it costs nothing to explore your rights and options. If we agree to represent you, there are no fees unless we win.
"In every motorcycle case, every piece of information is important. Whether it be on the roadway or the actual motorcycle itself. The damage to the area where a motorcycle is hit is very important. A lot of times, as with other vehicles that are involved, property damage can be critical to reconstructing how an accident occurred. So it's not only the roadway, it's not only witnesses, it's the damage that's done to any and all vehicles that are involved in a crash."
How Motorcycle Insurance Works Differently in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has a no-fault system for motor vehicle accidents that requires drivers to carry Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, coverage. Under this system, their own insurance covers their medical expenses regardless of who caused the accident. However, motorcyclists are excluded from this system.
Pennsylvania law only requires motorcyclists to carry liability insurance. In fact, insurance companies typically don’t even offer PIP coverage to motorcyclists. Therefore, your own insurance company may not cover your damages if you’ve been injured while riding a motorcycle in Pennsylvania.
Instead, you may seek compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. If the at-fault driver doesn’t have adequate insurance coverage, you could be left paying out of pocket unless you’ve added optional uninsured/underinsured coverage to your policy.
Many motorcyclists are unaware of these coverage gaps. Our lawyers can review your policy and explain your compensation options after a crash.
Get legal help from a team that will never stop fighting for you.
What Compensation Can You Claim After a Motorcycle Crash?
If someone else is at fault for your accident, you can seek compensation for any losses your injuries have caused. This includes economic damages and non-economic damages, such as the following:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Property damage costs, such as motorcycle repair or replacement
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Surviving family members of motorcyclists killed in accidents are often entitled to wrongful death damages. These may include funeral expenses, lost financial contributions, lost companionship, and more.
Each case is worth a different amount. Your compensation will depend on factors such as injury severity, recovery time, the impact on your quality of life, and insurance limits.
If you’re partially at fault for the accident, that may also affect how much you can recover. Under Pennsylvania’s modified comparative negligence system, you can still recover damages if you’re less than 51 percent at fault. However, your compensation will be reduced by your share of the fault.
Additionally, hiring an experienced lawyer can impact your claim’s value since they can protect you from the pitfalls and mistakes that might reduce your compensation.
Understanding Your Legal Timeline After a Motorcycle Accident in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years. Thus, you have two years from the accident date to file a lawsuit.
Our lawyers can help you file your claim before the deadline. The sooner you contact us, the more time we’ll have to build a strong claim before crucial evidence fades.
Let Cordisco & Saile Help You Get the Compensation You Deserve From Your Motorcycle Accident Claim
Once you’ve taken care of your health, our attorneys can guide you through what to do next after a motorcycle accident. We’ve won over $100 million for our clients, including many injured motorcyclists and their loved ones.
You don’t have to face this difficult time alone—let us put over 30 years of experience to work in your favor. Call 215-642-2335 today for a free consultation, and learn more about how our Pennsylvania motorcycle accident lawyers can help.
