Steps to Take After a Motorcycle Accident in New York
What are my rights in a motorcycle accident?
If you’re a motorcyclist who was struck by another vehicle, or a driver who was struck by a motorcyclist, you have the right to fair compensation for your injuries, property damage, and even death.
Do you live in the Bronx, Queens, or any other burrough of New York and have experienced the life altering reality of a motorcycle accident?
After the police are called to the scene, what do you do? What are your rights whether you’re at fault or not? Have you received fair treatment from authorities no matter what happened in the crash?
Are you the motorcyclist or the driver in the car during the incident? Was the vehicle on the road or was it a parked car? Who was driving what vehicle, and should they have been on the road? Were the police called? Was someone killed?
There are so many variables in a motorcycle accident New York.
Rights of the Motorcyclist
You’re riding along on your motorcycle, enjoying your usual Thursday afternoon in Queens, and you’re struck by another vehicle on the road. You are a motorcyclist, which means you do not have the same safety features other motor vehicles have. You sustain an injury that will keep you from work, which means loss of income, which can be catastrophic for you and your family.
Or you are the family member left dealing with the loss of your motorcyclist loved one who was killed in an accident.
You have rights, and those rights include compensation for loss of wages, the costs of medical bills, the loss of property or property damage, and wrongful death in the event someone was killed.
Rights of the Vehicle Driver
Motorcyclists aren’t the only ones who are injured or lose property in a crash. There have been many cases of motorcyclists hitting parked cars, pedestrians, and other vehicles.
After the crash, you call the police to the scene, and when the NYPD arrive, do they focus on you? Do they care that you’re hurt, or that your parked car is damaged? You have the right to fair consideration in a police investigation.
If you’re not the man or woman at fault in the crash, you have the right to financial compensation.
Injuries and Property Damage
A motorcycle vs. motor vehicle crash is a life-changing experience. Whether you were the motorcyclist or the driver in the car, you may have sustained injuries that require immediate medical attention.
You have the right to sue for the cost of your medical bills, no matter the number or severity of the injury. You can also seek money to cover loss of income if you are out of work because of your injury. If your motorcycle or vehicle are damaged, you can demand compensation to repair or replace your property.
If someone you love died in a crash where either the car or the motorcyclist lost control, leading to the death, you have the chance to seek closure.
Your first step to take after a motorcycle accident in New York is to contact the authorities–then you contact a lawyer who handles accidents involving motorcycles in New York City.