Talk to any motorcycle enthusiast, and they will tell you there is nothing as exhilarating as cruising down the highway on your motorbike on a sunny day. That feeling of freedom with the wind in your face quickly becomes a way of life. However, this also comes at a price.
Statistics show that motorcycles are involved in more fatal collisions than cars. The risk of dying in a motorcycle crash is 35 times greater than in a passenger car. On top of that, about 80 percent of collisions involving motorcycles lead to death or injury compared to only 20 percent in car crashes. This is because a car provides a steel protective barrier for passengers that a motorcycle does not.
This high number of collisions cannot be blamed solely on the motorcycle rider. When a collision happens, many drivers of the vehicle at-fault state that they were not aware of just how close the motorcycle was before the accident. Therefore, if you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, you need to know what kind of evidence to present to successfully lodge a compensation claim.
Here are three pieces of evidence necessary to make a substantial claim:
Police Report
The official police report should be the primary piece of evidence when making your case after a motorcycle accident. If someone was seriously injured in the accident, then the police must be called in. Make sure you get the names and badge numbers of the police officers who responded to the accident scene. They will draft a police report that should contain the full details of the accident, testimonies from everyone involved including witnesses, accident photos, etc.
Photographic and Video Evidence
You need to know whether there are any CCTV cameras in the area of the accident. If there are, then make sure that you get a copy of the footage from the relevant authorities. Ensure that the video footage supports your claim for compensation. Most motorcycle riders these days have GoPro cameras fixed onto their helmets or the bike itself. This is just another reason to ensure you wear a motorcycle helmet. You can also use cell phone photos or videos taken by eyewitnesses. In case there is no video footage, then you may need to rely on photos of the accident scene. If you can take the photos yourself, make sure to document the skid marks, weather conditions, and the traffic signals nearby. Such photos may enable experts to reconstruct how the accident happened
Hospital Bills
Once you have proved liability using the evidence collected in the form of police reports and photo and video footage, you must show the damages that you incurred. You can present hospital bills, pharmacy receipts, and medical records to prove your injuries. You can also use income statements to highlight the fact that you lost income due to missed work after the accident. All this evidence can help in estimating the cost of damages and compensation.
Collecting evidence to support your claim is a complex but vital process. With insurance companies against you, this is one battle that you shouldn’t fight alone. Get yourself a competent lawyer to help you receive the compensation you deserve.
