According to recent reports, one of the largest manufacturer of motorcycles, Harley-Davidson, in the United States is recalling about 250,000 motorcycles for brake problems. The recall is based on at least 43 reports of accidents related to braking problems.

What Should You Do Legally If A Defective Harley Davidson Collided with Your Car?

If you own a car and you encounter an accident involving a Harley Davidson, this article will guide you through the steps to follow in order to achieve the best possible outcome.

Survey the Scene

Immediately after the accident, get out of your car and check for any physical injuries. Take a moment to assess yourself if you are feeling any pain. Check to see if there are other people affected by the accident. If there are, get help immediately.
Do not leave the scene, even if you feel that no damage has been done to your body.

Call the Police

Call the police immediately after the accident if there has been any damage to your car. The police will be responsible for making a police report of the accident in order to assess the corresponding liability if any. Make sure you tell the police officer exactly what happened during the accident. Make sure to obtain the names and badge numbers of the responding police officers in order to follow up your case later on.

Gather Information

Assess the damage done to your car and talk to the driver of the motorcycle. Take several pictures of the scene in order to serve as proof or evidence of the accident. As much as possible, gather the following information:

• Full names of the people involved
• Their contact number and addresses
• Obtain the license plate number of the Harley Davidson that hit your car
• Obtain the driver’s license numbers of all the drivers involved in the accident.
• Include the basic insurance information of all the drivers concerned.

It is important that you obtain the preceding information for it will be useful in pursuing a lawsuit later on.

Check the Harley Davidson

Aside from ascertaining the preceding information, ask the driver for the model of his Harley Davidson. It is important to ascertain whether or not the cause of your accident is a defect in the vehicle itself or mere negligence on the part of the driver. From obtaining such information, along with conclusive evidence, can be the basis of any legal action that you wish to pursue in the future.
Reports have provided that many of Harley Davidson models are being recalled by the said company due to brake failure.
If the motorcycle model is not included among those listed. It is best that you contact the Harley Davidson website and ask if the model of the subject motorcycle is being recalled for defects. The Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Inc. provides for immediate assistance at 1-800-258-2464 in the United States or 1-414-343-4056 anywhere world-wide. For more information, you can click here.

Contact your Insurance company

Notify your insurance company immediately after the accident. If you have been injured, ask if your insurance coverage includes medical benefits. Make sure to document all your expenses including your medical bills and expenses paid for car repair.  

Consider a Product Liability Suit

If a product causes your property damage due to defects in its manufacturing process, you can ask your lawyer about pursuing a product liability suit against the motorcycle manufacturer to seek compensation for your injuries. Hence, it is important to ascertain whether or not the main cause of the accident was a defect in the Harley Davidson product itself.

Seek Legal Services

A product liability suit, or any suit for that matter, is often complex and tedious. Accidents can turn for the worse if you do not seek legal help immediately. Not everyone has specific and technical knowledge on how to prove your legal cause of action. As a citizen, you are afforded basic rights that you must seek to protect with the help of an experienced attorney. An attorney can provide you information about how you can get the best compensation out of the unfortunate incident.

Conclusion

With the recent recall of almost 250,000 Harley Davidson motor vehicles, it is important for anyone to be cautious on the road for any accidents that could be caused by an unrecalled vehicle. In any accident that involves a defective motorcycle, the most important strategy for the victim is to gather important information immediately after the accident and seek the help of an experienced lawyer to handle the case.

Megan Neilsen

Meg  is a motorbike and car enthusiast who loves anything vehicle related. She enjoys writing and enjoys riding on her motorbike on the weekend. She has a young family and enjoys life.