If you’re involved in a Utah motorcycle accident caused by another driver’s negligence, you have the right to pursue compensation for your injuries and losses. Immediately after the crash, your primary focus should be on recovering – but the reality is, you’ll need to gather evidence to support your claim in order to stand a chance of obtaining a fair amount of monetary damages.
What evidence do you need to collect? An experienced Utah personal injury attorney with expertise representing motorcycle accident victims can take the lead in gathering the necessary evidence, but if possible, you’ll want to provide the following.
After being involved in a Utah motorcycle accident, you should seek medical attention for any serious injuries. Then, if you’re physically able to do so, you can start the process of proving negligence, liability and damages by collecting evidence at the scene of the crash.
Photos of Every Vehicle Involved
Use your cell phone to take pictures of the other vehicles involved in the motorcycle accident. Be sure to capture their relative positions and any areas of damage – and snap photos from multiple angles, heights and distances to ensure you don’t miss anything important.
Photos of the Entire Accident Scene
Providing a complete view of the crash scene helps others understand what happened. To that end, take wide-angle photos of the entire area from a few different perspectives, then zoom in for close-up shots of traffic signs, skid marks, roadway hazards and vehicle parts on the road. And, don’t forget to document the weather conditions.
Photos of Any Visible Injuries
If you suffered any scratches, abrasions, road rash, puncture wounds, lacerations or other visible injuries as a result of the motorcycle crash, they’ll need to be documented. Take photos of each injured area, and make sure your pictures clearly show the size, severity and location of your accident-related injuries.
Witness & Motorist Contact Information
After a Utah motorcycle accident, talk to people at the scene. Get the names, phone numbers and vehicle information of the other drivers involved and any that of any passengers and witnesses to the crash – opinions as to what happened may vary, but a personal injury attorney may need that information to prepare your claim.
In Utah motorcycle accident claims, victims bear the burden of proving that another party was at fault for the incident. As such, providing your motorcycle accident attorney with the following evidence can be instrumental to protecting your right to compensation.
Your Motorcycle
Personal injury attorneys and accident experts can look to your damaged bike to demonstrate how the crash happened. Store your motorcycle in a safe place for potential later use as evidence – or, if you must get immediate repairs, take detailed photos of the damage to show the intensity of the collision.
Your Protective Gear
In Utah, motorcyclists who are at least 21 years of age aren’t required to wear a helmet, boots, gloves or other protective gear – and if you weren’t, that can’t be used as evidence against you in a Utah motorcycle accident claim. But if you did wear any such gear, keep it, as damage to the items could help prove that the accident was severe.
Your Recovery Journal
You should start a daily journal to document your recovery, noting the pain you’re feeling as well as the mental struggles you’re facing – a day-by-day chronical could help your personal injury attorney establish a strong motorcycle accident claim.
An experienced Utah personal injury attorney can help you recover the maximum in compensation for your losses, but the amount you’ll be able to obtain is largely dependent upon the particular damages that apply to your motorcycle accident claim.
You’ll need evidence of the actual, measurable monetary losses you’ve incurred as a result of the motorcycle crash. Referred to as economic damages, these losses can be proved with:
You may also be able to include non-economic damages, or intangible losses resulting from the crash, in your motorcycle accident claim. This includes pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment and loss of consortium – none of which are easy to prove. Doing so may require the use of expert witnesses, like medical specialists, mental health professionals and vocational rehabilitation experts. Rest assured, an experienced Utah personal injury attorney will know how to evidence to support a claim for compensation.
If you’re the victim of a motorcycle crash, you’ll need substantial evidence to secure monetary damages from the at-fault party’s insurance company or in a Utah court of law. Working with a seasoned personal injury attorney is in your best interests, as a lawyer who routinely handles motorcycle accident claims will have the resources to conduct a thorough investigation and to gather the proof you need to get every dollar you deserve.
For expert legal help with a Utah motorcycle accident claim, turn to William R. Rawlings & Associates. Our personal injury attorneys have decades of experience helping injured motorcyclists recover compensation – and when insurance adjusters fail to provide favorable settlement offers, we’re prepared to take the matter to court.
To discuss your Utah motorcycle accident claim with a highly skilled personal injury attorney, contact William R. Rawlings & Associates and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation today.