What should I do after a motorcycle accident, and when do I need a lawyer?
After a Georgia motorcycle accident, get to safety, call 911, see a doctor even if you can stand, photograph the scene and keep your helmet and gear as they are. Call a lawyer before you give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement. The Scott Pryor Law Group offers a free consultation. Phones answered 24/7.
Key takeaways
- Get medical care first. A concussion or internal injury may not show right away.
- Photograph the scene and keep your helmet and gear exactly as they are.
- Do not admit fault or give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement.
- An early offer may not cover surgery, therapy or the work you will miss.
- Georgia sets a deadline to file a lawsuit. Call early.
What should I do at the scene of a motorcycle accident in Georgia?
At the scene of a Georgia motorcycle accident, get out of the road if you can, call 911, check yourself and others for injuries, stay calm with the other driver and do not admit fault. The Scott Pryor Law Group tells riders one thing above all: if you are badly hurt, medical care comes before every other step.
- Move to a safe place. If you can move, get out of the road and away from traffic.
- Call 911. You need emergency help, and you need a police report that records what happened.
- Check for injuries. Check yourself and anyone else in the crash. Do not assume you are fine because you are standing.
- Stay calm with the other driver. Do not argue. Let the police take the report.
- Do not admit fault. Even if you feel shaken or sorry, you may not know the full story yet.
A motorcycle crash is different from a car crash. Riders do not have the physical protection people in a car have, so even a low-speed collision can cause broken bones, road rash or a brain injury. Some of that damage is not obvious right away.
If you are able, the next steps are about evidence.
What evidence should I collect after a motorcycle crash?
After a Georgia motorcycle crash, collect photos of the scene, contact details for the driver, witnesses and the officer, your own written account, and your helmet and clothing as they are. The Scott Pryor Law Group uses that evidence to answer insurers who assume the rider was at fault.
What you do at the scene, and right after, can make a real difference to your case.
- Photos. Your motorcycle, the other vehicle, skid marks, traffic signs, your injuries and anything else that seems to matter.
- Contact details. The other driver, every witness and the police officer who takes the report.
- Your own account. Write down what happened as soon as you can. Small details fade fast.
- Your helmet and clothing. Keep them. Do not wash, repair or throw anything away. The damage helps show how severe the crash was.
- Your bike. Photograph it before any repair, from every side.
Evidence matters more for riders than for most drivers. Insurance companies often assume a motorcycle rider was speeding or riding recklessly, even when that is not true. Photos, witnesses and the damage to both vehicles are how you answer that assumption.
Some evidence disappears on its own. Video from nearby businesses and traffic cameras can be recorded over, and witnesses become hard to find. The sooner a lawyer asks for it, the more of it survives.
Should I see a doctor after a motorcycle accident if I feel fine?
Yes. See a doctor after any Georgia motorcycle accident, even if you feel fine, because a concussion or internal injury may not show right away. The Scott Pryor Law Group also tells riders that medical records carry a lot of weight in a claim, so the visit protects your health and your case.
When you leave the scene, go to the emergency room or see a doctor. Tell them you were in a motorcycle crash and describe every symptom, even the small ones.
Then follow through:
- Keep every record. Save each record, bill and receipt from that first visit on.
- Follow the treatment plan. Go to the follow-up visits and the therapy your doctors order.
- Keep your own log. Write down your symptoms, your treatment and the days of work you miss. It fills in what the medical charts leave out.
Road rash, broken bones and head injuries can take weeks or months to show their full effect. The records you build in that time become the proof of what the crash cost you.
What should I say to the insurance company after a motorcycle accident?
Say as little as possible to the other driver’s insurer after a Georgia motorcycle accident until you have talked to a lawyer: no recorded statement, no signed forms and no quick settlement. The Scott Pryor Law Group takes those calls for riders once hired, so you can focus on getting better.
Expect a call soon after the crash, sometimes the same day. The adjuster’s goal is to close the claim quickly and for as little as possible. Insurance companies handle claims like yours every day. Most riders handle one.
Keep three rules in mind:
- No recorded statement. Do not give one to the other driver’s insurer before you talk to a lawyer.
- Nothing signed. Do not sign anything until you fully understand what it means.
- No early settlement. A quick offer may sound helpful, but it likely will not cover long-term costs like physical therapy, surgery or missed work. Once you settle, you give up the right to claim more later, even if new problems appear.
Your own insurance company may also try to reduce or deny coverage, depending on your policy. Bring the policy when you meet with a lawyer.
Whether to accept a first offer is its own question. Our Georgia car accident lawyer page covers how to judge one, and the same thinking applies to a motorcycle claim.
What can I recover after a motorcycle accident in Georgia?
After a Georgia motorcycle accident caused by someone else, you can seek compensation for medical bills, lost income, repair or replacement of your motorcycle, pain and suffering, and long-term medical care. The Scott Pryor Law Group documents each loss before it talks about value, because some costs are not clear until treatment ends.
Georgia’s fault rules decide who pays, and how much:
- Georgia follows an at-fault system: whoever caused the crash is liable. O.C.G.A. § 51-1-6
- If you are less than 50% at fault, you can still recover damages, reduced by your percentage of fault. O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33
If the other driver was drunk, distracted or speeding, that can strengthen your case. A driver who was none of those can still be responsible for failing to drive safely.
A claim can include:
- Medical bills. The emergency room, surgery, therapy and the care your doctors expect you to need.
- Lost income. The wages you missed, and lost earning ability if you cannot go back to the same work.
- Your motorcycle and gear. Repair or replacement of the bike, helmet, jacket and other gear.
- Pain and suffering. The pain, the stress and the things you can no longer do.
How much a claim is worth depends on more than this list. Our Georgia motorcycle accident lawyer page explains how we value a rider’s case.
When do I need a lawyer after a motorcycle accident?
Call a lawyer after a Georgia motorcycle accident if you were seriously hurt, your bike is totaled or the insurer is not treating you fairly. If you are not sure, a free consultation with The Scott Pryor Law Group gives you a clear answer, and you don’t pay unless we win your case.
Georgia sets a deadline to file: Victims generally have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33
The evidence that proves a motorcycle claim fades long before that deadline. Calling early gives us time to use it.
Once you hire us, we take the pressure off you:
- We deal with the insurance companies directly.
- We gather your medical records and the accident reports.
- We talk to witnesses and bring in expert investigators when the insurer disputes how the crash happened.
- We add up the full cost of your losses, now and later.
- We prepare your case for trial if a fair offer does not come.
The first call is free and there is no obligation. A real person listens to what happened, explains your options and tells you honestly where you stand.
U.S. Marine Corps veteran Scott Pryor founded the firm. We represent riders across Georgia from our offices in Peachtree Corners and Lawrenceville, and our Lawrenceville motorcycle accident page covers crashes near that office. Schedule a free consultation. Phones answered 24/7.
Hurt in a motorcycle crash in Georgia? The consultation is free. You don't pay unless we win your case.
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