What to Do Following a Hit-and-Run Motorcycle Accident in Kentucky
A motorcycle accident can leave you with serious physical injuries, including head and brain injuries and broken bones. Unfortunately, there are many irresponsible drivers in Kentucky who may cause motorcycle accidents and flee the scene – potentially worsening your injuries by failing to render aid or call an ambulance. If you get injured in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident in Kentucky, you have legal rights and options. Protect yourself by taking the following steps.
Ensure Your Personal Safety
Put your safety first. If you can, move yourself and your disabled motorcycle out of the road to prevent further collisions. You most likely have injuries from the crash. Even if they are minor, such as scrapes and bruises, limit how much you move until paramedics can help you. You may have a more severe injury that your adrenaline is masking, such as a spinal cord injury.
Call 911
Always involve the police in a hit-and-run accident case. The police can investigate the crash site to search for evidence that may lead to the identification of the at-fault driver, such as pieces of the driver’s car or video surveillance footage from a nearby business. The police accident report can contain important information and facts about your crash, such as the exact location and time, as well as eyewitness information. Write down your police report number before you leave, as you will need to give this to your insurance company.
Take Pictures
If possible, take pictures while you are still at the scene of the hit-and-run accident. The more evidence that you collect, the greater the chances are that the police will be able to find the culprit. Use your cell phone or a camera to take pictures of your damaged motorcycle and the scene of the accident as a whole. If you are too injured to take pictures and videos yourself, have someone at the scene do so for you. The police can also help by capturing official photographs.
Speak to Eyewitnesses
The ultimate goal after a hit-and-run is to identify the at-fault driver so that you can hold them accountable. If anyone saw your crash take place, get their names and phone numbers so that you can collect signed statements later. An eyewitness may have seen something that eventually leads to the driver’s arrest, such as a partial license plate number.
Go to a Hospital
Part of ensuring your personal safety is going to a hospital in Kentucky without delay. Seeking immediate medical care can show your insurance company that you did what you could to mitigate your injuries and losses. Keep copies of all of your medical bills and related documents to use on your insurance claim later.
File a First-Party Insurance Claim
Call your own auto insurance company to file a claim. All motor vehicle operators in Kentucky are required to carry personal injury protection insurance. This is a first-party type of insurance that will pay for your own medical bills after a collision, regardless of fault for the crash. It will also pay your bills if you do not know the identity of a hit-and-run driver. If you have uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance on your policy, this could provide additional coverage for a hit-and-run accident.
Consult With an Attorney
Your car insurance company will not want what is best for you during the claims process. Instead, it will want to minimize your payout to protect its own profits. A motorcycle accident attorney in Louisville, on the other hand, will work hard to obtain the best possible results for your hit-and-run motorcycle accident case.
You can trust an attorney to expertly handle legal matters on your behalf, including investigating your crash, exploring the possibility of holding a third party responsible (e.g., a motorcycle manufacturer or the government), and negotiating for maximum financial compensation on your behalf – even if that means taking your case to court.
For more information and legal advice about what to do after a hit-and-run motorcycle accident in Kentucky, contact Hendy | Johnson | Vaughn | Emery to request a free consultation.