How We Perform an Accident Investigation
Detail Oriented Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in North & South Carolina
Every motorcycle accident is unique, but one problem is common: too many people are quick to blame the motorcyclist after an accident. If you’re a motorcyclist who has been in an accident, you could be left holding the blame unfairly if you don’t act quickly and decisively.
Attorney Jason E. Taylor investigates motorcycle accidents from the vantage point of being a life-long motorcyclist and an aggressive litigator. He and his legal team know how to gather the evidence that shows what happened in an accident and demonstrates the full extent of the victim’s losses. From there, he can negotiate or go to court from a position of strength to obtain the compensation the injured deserve.
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident in North Carolina or South Carolina, The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor can advocate for you and your rights.
Contact our motorcycle accident attorneys in Charlotte or Hickory, North Carolina, today to get started. You can reach us by phone at (800) 351-3008.
We go to the Motorcycle Accident Scene
If contacted promptly after a motorcycle accident, the team from The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor can collect useful evidence from the crash scene. Skid marks and crash debris indicate the speed and direction of vehicles at the time of the crash.
We also look at the road or other paths traveled by the motorcyclist and other vehicles involved in the accident.
Poor road conditions, such as broken pavement, an obstructed view or pooled water, may be identified as contributing factors to an accident. At the crash scene, we take measurements and photographs, and create sketches of the site.
Near the accident scene, there may be red-light or security cameras that captured footage of the accident. In our canvass of the area, we look for cameras (you can spot them if you know where they are likely to be) and then follow up with owners to review footage.
Crash scene evidence disappears quickly, so it is crucial to start working with a motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible after an accident.
We Look Beyond the Accident Scene
As part of our investigation, we want to see the vehicles involved, including your bike and the other party’s vehicle. Damage to a car or truck may indicate how badly the motorcyclist was hit – such as a windshield smashed by a rider’s body.
Many recent model passenger cars and trucks have a computerized Event Data Recorder (EDR), which includes the vehicle’s speed, changes in speed, the rate of changes in speed, whether brakes were applied, whether seat belts were being used or air bags deployed, and other information.
A crashed car’s EDR data can be downloaded to provide information about the driver’s actions before and at the time of a crash. However, it is the car owner’s property and we usually have to obtain a court order for access to the EDR. This is not difficult, but it must be done in a timely manner. A car can be sold or scraped junked, or the data can be overwritten in a drivable car.
A crashed car may also contain other evidence, such as a receipt indicating the recent purchase of alcohol or takeout food, or even empties from the driver’s drinking and/or eating while driving.
We Question the People Involved in the Accident
As part of our investigation, we obtain statements from the other driver and any passengers and/or bystanders who witnessed the accident. Once again, this is best done soon after an accident, before memories fade or become confused. We obtain the police report filed in your accident and follow up with the law enforcement officer if necessary, including following the court case if there were charges against the driver.
Beyond interviewing the other driver, we investigate their prior activities, which may be related to the crash. For example, cell phone data, which also requires a court order to obtain, may indicate a distracted driver at the time of the crash or, through geographic data, a fatigued driver who had traveled a long distance over a lengthy time period.
In complex accidents, another person we bring into the case is an accident reconstruction specialist. This forensic engineering expert can use evidence we have gathered and their own investigative work to develop a thorough technical understanding of your accident. Their multi-media report and, if necessary, courtroom presentation can provide critical information about how an accident occurred.
In some cases, the evidence we collect leads us to identify additional people who may be held liable. A common “third party” claim is against a store or bar employee or a party host who sold or served alcohol to a drunk driver. In other cases, the employer of a driver who was traveling for business may be liable for their employee’s crash.
We Analyze Records of Injuries and Losses
The client is part of our investigation. More specifically, we conduct a full review and analysis of our client’s injuries, including prognosis for recovery, and related medical expenses. We also calculate other losses, such as property damage to the motorcycle and riding gear, lost income from being out of work, and future losses if the injuries cause ongoing disabilities.
We compute the financial damage clients have suffered, as well as their personal pain and suffering, to determine the total compensation to be sought in a personal injury lawsuit. With a lawsuit filed, we can negotiate formally with the other driver’s and any third-parties’ insurers for a settlement.
A settlement, if we can obtain one that is appropriate and agreeable to the client, removes the uncertainty of the outcome and gets money into the victim’s hands more quickly. If we cannot reach a settlement, we have a solid case that we are more than ready to take into court.
Let Jason E. Taylor Investigate Your North Carolina Motorcycle Accident
A motorcycle accident investigation by The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor documents the crash, all other parties’ involvement, your injuries and their costs, and the pain and suffering you have endured. Our work is intended to help client’s obtain the maximum compensation available for your losses.
Jason Taylor is an experienced motorcyclist and personal injury lawyer in North and South Carolina who understands and appreciates what injury victims have been through in a serious motorcycle accident and will face in the weeks, months and years ahead.
Contact our office in Hickory or Charlotte for a free discussion of how we can assist you in your recovery from a motorcycle crash. We can best serve you if you act quickly. Please call (800) 351-3008 today.
