You are driving down the freeway trying to get to work when suddenly, a motorcycle appears in front of you. You try to slow down, but you end up hitting the bike. You did not see the motorcycle coming, and both you and the motorcycle rider are injured. As you wait for the police to arrive, you wonder if you will be held responsible for the accident and the rider’s injuries.
According to motorcycle accident attorneys, the police will look at the facts in the case, just as they would with any other accident. In the state of California, a person who causes an accident is responsible for the associated bills.
What Happens at the Scene
When you have a car accident of any kind, the police should be called, and you should wait for them to arrive. When they arrive, they will check if you are injured and ask questions about the accident. You should never admit fault for the accident. Accidents happen very quickly, and you may not be aware of all the factors that caused the collision.
It is a good idea to take pictures if you can and get the names and telephone numbers of witnesses to the incident. You should also get a copy of the police report when it is complete.
If you go to the doctor, you should save all your accident-related bills. You should also save receipts for medications you take and any services you need related to the crash.
What Happens When You Call Your Insurance Company
When you call your insurance company, they will ask you a series of questions about the accident. Insurance adjusters are extremely concerned about proving fault in a case because of the laws in California.
California is a pure comparative fault state. This means that each party will pay for the portion of the accident for which they were responsible. So, if you are 10% responsible for the accident and the motorcycle rider is deemed 90% responsible for the accident, the other driver’s insurance will pay for 90% of your bill, and your insurance will pay for 10% of their bill.
A motorcycle rider is likely to experience much more severe and constant injuries than a person in a sedan and is 29 times more likely to die in an auto accident. Hence, if you are held responsible for even a small portion of the accident, your insurance company will have to pay a lot.
It is important to have an experienced personal injury lawyer to help you file your insurance claim. An injury attorney will make sure that you are not held responsible for an accident you did not cause. They can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf and ensure that your injuries are paid for if the biker caused the accident.
Hitting a motorcycle can be terrifying. Establishing who caused the accident is critical to determining who should pay for it.