A motorcycle accident can change your life in the blink of an eye. While each case varies in severity, it's important to know what to do next. In the immediate aftermath, a million thoughts have to be racing through your head. It's important to take a step back mentally and think of your next course of action. Here are the next steps to take after your motorcycle accident.

Get the Police Report

This one depends on what kind of state you are in immediately after your accident. If you are able to walk or move around, you could talk to the police officers who come to the scene. You might want to see about finding witnesses, too. If you are rendered unconscious, then you will have to follow up after you get out of the hospital.

Get Medical Care

Whether this happens on the scene by an ambulance taking you to the hospital or you being able to walk to an emergency room or urgent care clinic, you need to be seen by a medical professional after the accident. They will need to assess what kind of injuries you have sustained, both external and internal. This will all be documented on your medical records and you can submit these on your claim.

An injury lawyer will tell you that you should not skip this. Waiting too long afterward for medical help can open the door for the opposing counsel to point out that you could have gotten your injury symptoms from something else. You have to start the medical document trail as soon as possible.

Begin Any Physical Therapy/Rehab

You also need to show that you tried to get back to where you were physically before the accident. This is another part of your medical document trail that you need to include in your claim. Your doctor will prescribe a certain amount of physical therapy. You need to make sure that you follow the instructions and also do any at-home exercises. Now, it's time to get the law involved.

Get a Lawyer

According to IBISWorld, a leading provider of industry insights and statistics, there are 51,433 personal injury lawyers in the United States. As soon as you can, it's important to find an experienced, reputable attorney for your case. Ask for local recommendations, read reviews online, and call your potential office for a case review. You can't afford to wait too long to get the legal process started, since having a reliable professional in your corner will make the claim filing process much easier and more transparent.

When you meet with your injury lawyer for the first time, usually during the consultation, you will tell them everything that happened. You can show them all the documentation that you have. Once your lawyer has taken you on as a client, they will make sure that you have done all the above and have all the documents and records that you need. They will advise you of the filing deadlines and make sure that you meet them. Then, it's time to file your claim and attempt to get a favorable ruling to get the compensation you deserve.

What Not to Do

We've been discussing what you should do after your motorcycle accident. It's also time to mention some things that you shouldn't do. Firstly, don't admit fault at all. Also, don't discuss the accident with others. You never know who the other involved party knows. It might be tempting to downplay the whole thing initially, saying that you're alright. However, that can be used against you in your subsequent claim.

Being involved in a motorcycle accident can be a very traumatic thing. By doing the above things, you can quickly take steps toward getting the compensation that you deserve. When you have an experienced injury lawyer by your side, you can quickly get back to the life you were living before the accident.

Are you looking for a criminal defense or personal injury lawyer? Our team at Browning Law can help you with either. We take on a wide variety of clients, including those going through wrongful death cases, medical malpractice lawsuits, motorcycle accidents, and worker's compensation cases. We serve Idaho Falls, ID. Contact us today for your free initial consultation. We look forward to standing by you throughout your case and getting you the outcome that you deserve.