The emotional and psychological impact of a motorcycle accident is difficult to overstate. Those who have experienced this can tell you that the impact that they experience often carries with them for the rest of their life.
While it is certainly jarring and life-altering to endure a motorcycle accident, there are certain actions that you must take to protect your legal rights. You want to ensure that you have the greatest possible chance of obtaining the legal justice that you deserve after your accident. One of those actions is to make certain that you know what not to say following your accident.
Understanding Your Rights After a Motorcycle Accident
It is common sense that if you are not at fault for your motorcycle accident, then you shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket for the expenses that you incur as a result of that accident. Assuming that you are not the at-fault driver in the accident, then you should rest assured that the other driver’s insurance will cover the costs of your pain and suffering as well as your medical bills should those costs go beyond the coverage provided by your own insurance.
That said, the other driver’s insurance company won’t necessarily be thrilled to pay those expenses, and they may opt to fight the claims in court. In that case, you will certainly need a motorcycle accident attorney to represent you and your interests in a Pennsylvania courtroom.
Common Phrases That Can Harm Your Case
Most people have a common instinct to respond with certain types of phrases that they may utter immediately following an accident. Unfortunately, at least some of those phrases could severely damage your case moving forward. Examples of phrases that people often use following an accident include the following:
- “I’m Sorry” – A general statement of remorse might seem like the right thing to do, but these simple words can damage your case because they can be seen as at least a partial admission of guilt.
- I’m Not Injured – This phrase should always be avoided because you don’t truly know if you are injured or not. Additionally, claiming that you are not injured might harm your case if you do have injuries due to the accident. Remember, not every injury is immediately visible to the naked eye.
- “It Was My Fault” – This is a big no-no because you don’t want to admit to fault at any point. This will always be used against you in a court of law.
As much as you might feel the urge to use any of these phrases, you should avoid them at all costs. They will only serve to backfire on you and make it that much harder to win your case in court.
What to Say Instead
There are alternative phrases that you can use in the place of things that you might feel compelled to say. Here are a few phrases you can use instead of the common ones listed above:
- “I Am Seeking Medical Attention” – This phrase makes it clear that you are not going to take any further steps until you have been seen by a medical professional.
- “I Will Not Sign Anything Until Speaking With An Attorney” – Don’t agree to sign anything until you speak with an attorney. You should use this phrase to make it clear that you will not move forward until your attorney has been consulted.
- “I Will Not Discuss Fault” – Simply refuse to discuss who is at fault for a given accident. It doesn’t help you to have this kind of discussion anyway, and you don’t want to risk putting yourself in a place where you may be accepting responsibility for something that you didn’t actually cause.
These are all great phrases to use in place of phrases that you might otherwise want to say.
In a Motorcycle Accident? We Can Help
Careful and clear communication is a great way to ensure that your legal rights are protected and you can receive the compensation that you deserve. At Larry Pitt & Associates, we want to help you. Our seasoned attorneys can get involved in your case and seek the highest level of compensation for what you have gone through. Please reach out and contact us before saying anything to any other party involved in your motorcycle accident.
