Accident Damage Claims – Tips for Motorcyclists

When a motorcyclist gets involved in an automobile accident, there are unique challenges he/she has to face in filing an accident claim.

In general, there is often a negative perception that motorcyclists are all reckless, which does not bear any relation to reality. When a motorcyclist gets involved in an auto accident, apart from proving who was at fault, they frequently have to dispel these myths about motorcyclists to get a fair hearing or trial.

If you or a loved one gets involved in a motorcycle accident, there are certain tips that you can follow which can help not only with your case but also with your argument about the cause of the accident and who is at fault. These tips are as follow:

• Formal training for motorcycle riding: While learning to ride a motorcycle, if you have received any formal training, you should inform the insurance adjuster about this. Documentary evidence would be even better.

• Length of time and regularity of riding: If you have been riding the particular motorcycle or bicycle, or even a similar one for a long time, it may help strengthen your case as it shows that you are not a novice rider. The regularity of riding is another aspect and if you have been commuting to work or school on the same motorcycle or bicycle, informing the insurance adjuster about the number of miles covered in a day may help your case.

• Type of riding experience: Riding experience in various conditions comes in handy. If you have been injured on a city street, you can demonstrate your experience riding on city streets. The same holds true for high-density traffic, rush hours, highway riding, and riding in wet weather.

• Familiarity with the roads: There is a wrong notion that motorcyclists do not know how to handle traffic situations and that they panic and end up causing an accident. To dispel this image, you can inform the regulator about your familiarity with the road on which the accident happened.

• Familiarity with road hazards: Your familiarity with a particular roadway may work to your benefit in case you get into an accident with another vehicle. However, if the accident is caused by a hazard on the road, the principle of familiarity would be applicable depending on the type of hazard. For example, if the accident is caused by a pothole that has been there for long, the insurance company may contend that you should have been aware of it and avoided it. On the other hand, if the hazard is unexpected, such as recent construction activity, you could not have been prepared for it.

• 2-wheel and 4-wheel driving record: Although you are not required to present your driving record, at the time of negotiations if you present favorable driving records it could help show that you are a cautious driver.