Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Explains How to Work With the Insurance Company

As motorcycle accident lawyers, we help a lot of people that have been injured and are unsure of how to work with the insurance company (whether it be their own or the other driver’s) or what their next step should be.  This is understandable since most people do not often deal with another party’s insurance company, and are even less familiar with how to proceed with their own insurance company if the driver that hit them does not have enough insurance coverage, or no insurance. With that in mind, here are a few tips –

One of the first steps is to call your insurance company’s claim department.  Most have one that is available 24/7.  On this call, you will be speaking with a service representative that will take down your personal information and the basic facts of what happened in the accident. The purpose of this call is for you to open a claim and have a claim number assigned to you.  Your insurance company will also likely ask you to give a “recorded statement,” in which they will question you about the details of the accident and record the interview/call.  Because this process is unfamiliar to most people and even intimidating to some, and because you want to make sure that your account of the accident and your injuries is correctly stated, it is often helpful to meet with your motorcycle accident lawyer prior to giving such a statement so you will know what to expect.

You should always attend to your injuries right away; get checked out by a doctor and follow his/her recommendations. Give them your auto insurance information and claim number as well as your health insurance information. That way, your medical bills will be properly submitted and lessen your out-of-pocket expenses for medical bills that you did not cause.
We will be happy to meet with you and discuss what happened leading up to and during the accident.  Every detail can be valuable for building your case, so try to remember as much as you can and do not leave anything out, including what was around you, the road and weather conditions, etc.  You never know what will be used at a later date to prove your case.   If you do retain our services, we can then work with the insurance company on your behalf so that you will not have to worry about gathering your medical records, medical bills, wage loss information, etc., compiling that information and getting it to them.

As motorcycle accident lawyer, we will warn you that most insurance companies aggressively defend personal injury claims; therefore, you may be required to answer written questions under oath (interrogatories) or to appear for a deposition (where you are questioned under oath by the opposing party’s attorney).  The result of this discovery process will determine whether or not they make a settlement offer and, if so, how much they are willing to offer.  We can negotiate on your behalf to ensure that you receive the compensation you require, and if the insurance company’s offer is unreasonable, we can go to court and allow a jury to decide.