What to Do After an Injury in a California Motorcycle or Bicycle Crash
The lawyers of the Dolan law firm have helped dozens of victims of California motorcycle crashes and bicycle accidents. Our lawyers know what steps to take to make sure that you get all the compensation you deserve. If you are involved in an accident, you should take the following steps to care for yourself and your passengers and to protect your legal rights.
- Do not admit fault for the accident to anyone, especially not to the police or your insurance company. Do not sign anything they give you or agree to make a statement -- they can use that information against you, to give you less compensation than you deserve.
- Stop. You must stop if you are involved in an accident. Failure to do so may constitute a felony for hit and run.
- Check with the people involved in the accident to see if they have been hurt. Call the police. Call an ambulance if one is necessary. Obtain medical treatment for your injuries.
- Obtain the driver’s critical information including name, address, phone number, drivers’ license number, vehicle registration certificate, insurance carrier, insurance agent, insurance policy number and phone number for the insurance agent. Also obtain the vehicle make, model, license plate number and date of registration expiration.
- Gather information regarding all the occupants or riders from the vehicles involved in the collision. They may be witnesses to the events.
- Gather the names of all other witnesses to the events.
- Obtain pictures of your vehicle and any other vehicles involved in the collision. Take photographs showing the damage and the accident site, any traffic control signals and devices and any physical injuries you have suffered.
- If the police do not come to the scene of the accident, you should go to the nearest police station as soon as possible and make a report listing your version of the events. Additionally, you are required by statute to file a report with the Department of Motor Vehicles should your accident involve injury to a person or property damage of a significant amount (in excess of $500.00).
If the police do not respond to a collision, contact the lawyers of the Dolan Law Firm immediately. Even if they do respond, their police report might not be accurate. Our attorneys can meet with you for a free case evaluation and find out who is really at fault for your motorcycle crash or bicycle accident.
Contact Our Attorneys
The California motorcycle crash lawyers and bicycle accident attorneys of the Dolan Law Firm do all work on contingency -- we charge you nothing and collect no fee unless we collect damages. Please contact our attorneys today for a free case evaluation. There are time limits that require that you act promptly to protect your rights. For information on time limits, see our page on statutes of limitations.
