More Americans are riding around on motorcycles right now than ever before. According to recent reports, about 8% of households have at least one motorcycle owner living in them. People love the feeling that comes along with jumping onto a motorcycle and spending an afternoon cruising around on it. But if you own a motorcycle, you should be aware of the risk that can come along with riding one.
There is a decent chance that you might be involved in a Houston motorcycle accident at some point in time. If you are, it’s going to be very important for you to contact the right people in the immediate aftermath of it. From the police to a Houston motorcycle accident lawyer, you’ll need to get in touch with people who can lend a helping hand to you following a motorcycle crash. Learn about who you should speak with after getting into a motorcycle accident in Houston below.
Police
The very first call that you should make following a Houston motorcycle accident should be to the police. You should take out your smartphone and call 911 sooner than later so that an operator can send the police out to the scene of your crash. If you’re not able to get to your phone to call 911 yourself or if you’re badly injured and can’t physically pick up the phone to make the call, you should see if someone who witnessed the crash can do it for you. But whatever the case, you should always contact the police right away after a motorcycle accident. The police will be able to come out and launch an investigation as far as what happened in the moments leading up to your accident. They’ll speak with those involved in the crash and those who witnessed it to piece together what took place. They’ll then produce a police report that your insurance company will use down the line.
Paramedics
If you’re ever involved in a motorcycle accident in Houston, the odds are that you’re going to get injured during it. There are about 90,000 people injured in motorcycle accidents every year. In some cases, you might only sustain some minor bumps and bruises. But in others, you could sustain serious head injuries, broken bones, and other injuries that will require extensive medical care. Regardless of how severe your injuries might be, you’re going to want to get access to medical care as soon as you can. It’s why, in addition to reaching out to the police following a motorcycle accident, you’re also going to want to let a 911 operator know that you need paramedics to come to the scene. Even if you don’t think you’re hurt badly during a motorcycle accident, you should still get checked out from head to toe. It’ll ensure that you don’t leave the scene of an accident and start suffering from unexplained injury symptoms later on.
Family
Your family probably spends at least some time worrying about you when you’re out on your motorcycle. They know how risky it can be to ride around on a motorcycle, so they’re likely a little concerned about the possibility of you getting into a Houston motorcycle accident. With this in mind, you should connect with them as soon as you can if you’re ever in a motorcycle crash. The last thing you want is for them to hear through the grapevine that you’ve been in an accident and then not be able to reach you.
You might not be able to talk to your family for too long about your accident. But if you can swing it, you should, at the very least, call them and tell them that you’re OK and that you’re getting medical care. This will help to alleviate some of the concerns that they might have about your Houston motorcycle accident. It’ll also let them know where they can come to see you and potentially pick you up and give you a ride home.
Insurance Company
At some point following your Houston motorcycle accident, you’re going to need to give your motorcycle insurance company a call to let them know about your crash. They are, after all, going to be the ones footing at least some of the bill when it comes to your medical costs and your motorcycle repair costs. Before reaching out to your insurance company, you should gather insurance information for any other drivers involved in your crash. You should also see if you can get a copy of the police report connected to your crash. Additionally, you should spend a few minutes writing down what you remember about your motorcycle accident. Your insurance company is going to ask you a bunch of questions about your crash, and it’ll be good for you to be able to provide them with detailed answers.
Motorcycle Accident Attorney
If your insurance company agrees to cover all your medical bills and motorcycle repair costs following your accident, you might not need to worry about hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer in Houston. It’ll be an unnecessary expense for you. But more often than not, insurance companies will make it difficult for people to get their accident claims approved. This can make it very challenging for them to pay off any medical bills and motorcycle repair costs that they might accumulate.
It might also make it challenging for them to get more medical assistance in the future if they sustain a nasty injury in a Houston motorcycle accident. It’s why you should strongly consider hiring a Houston motorcycle accident lawyer to assist you in working your way through the aftermath of a motorcycle crash. Don’t trust just any motorcycle accident attorney in Houston, either! You only want one of the best lawyers in the business on your side. You can find one by visiting bayoucitylaw.com.
Physical Therapist
Some people swear off riding motorcycles forever after getting into motorcycle crashes. They don’t ever get back on a bike again. But the vast majority of those involved in motorcycle accidents want to be able to climb back onto their bikes at some point. If that’s going to be your goal, you’re going to need to nurse yourself back to health first so that you’re able to resume riding around on your bike.
Your primary doctor can provide you with some of the medical care that you’ll need to heal. But you might also need to begin making regular appointments with a physical therapist. A physical therapist can help you regain a full range of motion in all the various parts of your body. They can also help you build up muscle so that you’re strong enough to start riding your motorcycle again. It would help if you had a long discussion with your doctor about how physical therapy might help you. You should also talk with your Houston motorcycle accident attorney to see if you can get all your physical therapy appointments paid for by someone else.
Motorcycle Safety Teacher
Do you feel like you were involved in a Houston motorcycle accident because of something you did wrong on your bike? If so, you could benefit from enrolling in a motorcycle safety class before getting back on your motorcycle. Experienced riders might not learn a whole lot in a class like this. But those who are still pretty new to riding a motorcycle might be able to learn a thing or two so that they’re able to stay safe on their bike from now on.
It would help if you didn’t discount the idea of taking motorcycle safety classes. A single course could show you some great ways to keep both yourself and other drivers safe when you’re out on the road. Look around to see which motorcycle safety teachers are operating in your general area right now. Then, contact one to see if you can sign up to take a class with them. This will show your family that you’re committed to being a safer motorcycle rider. It’ll also instill more confidence in you when you get back on your bike and make you feel more comfortable on it.
Don’t Let a Houston Motorcycle Accident Keep You Off Your Bike for Too Long. Just because you’re involved in a Houston motorcycle accident doesn’t mean you can’t continue to ride around on your bike. It just means that you’re going to need to be even more careful than you already were on your motorcycle from now on.
Reach out to every person we’ve discussed here to get on the road to recovery following a Houston motorcycle accident. You can get back to riding on your bike sooner when you take the right steps and speak with the right people. Want to get your hands on more tips for finding a Houston motorcycle accident attorney? Check out all of the informative legal articles found on our blog.