Matt Danielson-Four Things to Help

four things to help your family if involved in an accident

By Matt Danielson, The Motorcycle Law Group

When a serious car or motorcycle accident occurs, it is often a family member or significant other who is contacting an attorney on behalf of the injured party. While I hope neither you nor your family are ever in this situation, all motorists should share vital information with a trusted emergency contact to help ensure they’re adequately prepared in the event of an accident. Below is a list of information to keep up to date and share with your family member or significant other.

1. Medical Insurance: Provide your emergency contact with the name of your insurance company and your policy number. Often, it’s easiest to give them a photocopy of your health insurance card. ? 2. Medical Information: Do you have any known allergies? Are there items in your medical history that would be important for an emergency medical team to know, such as current medications or a history of heart disease? Make sure your emergency contact is kept up to date on your medical conditions.

3. Personal Injury Attorney: What is the name and telephone number of a trusted personal injury attorney that your emergency contact can call – even for some guidance prior to formal representation? The sooner your attorney can be called the better.

4. Power of Attorney: If you are seriously injured and unable to make decisions for a period of time, a power of attorney designation allows a loved one to carry out tasks that you would normally do, such as paying bills or cashing checks. It also allows a loved one to make medical decisions for you. Power of attorney is important even for those who are legally married. Once completed, it needs to be signed in the presence of a notary public. Visit our website (MotorcycleLawGroup.com) and select “Prepared Rider Kit” to download a free Power of Attorney template.

The majority of riders go each year without an accident, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared in case you’re ever involved in one. Having this information readily available can be critical, especially immediately after the accident occurs.

As always, if you have any further questions or comments concerning this article or any other matters concerning your rights as a motorcyclist, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Matt Danielson - McGrath, Danielson, Sorrell & Fuller The Motorcycle Law Group - 1-800-321-8968 MotorcycleLawGroup.com

Matt Danielson is a partner at The Motorcycle Law Group, a personal injury law firm whose attorneys all ride motorcycles and practice in VA, NC, SC, GA, and WV. Matt has successfully represented clients in cases from simple property damage to complex multi-million dollar personal injury claims. He is also a lobbyist, adjunct professor and works with motorcycle rights organizations. To learn more about The Motorcycle Law Group, visit MotorcycleLawGroup.com.

Hi-Tech Lighting-Installing A LED Headlight

All headlights are not created equal; they are available

in four basic light sources: incandescent, quartz halogen, HID (high intensity discharge) and LED (light emitting diode). Some riders think that brighter headlights are

better, when in fact it is the color temperature of the light

source that gives a rider the ability to see objects at night.

A whiter light gives a rider greater depth of view at night.

Incandescent and quartz halogen lights have a yellow cast

and HID lights have a blue beam, while hi-output LEDs

emit a true white light; their light color is the closest to

sunlight’s color.

LED headlights are the newest type. Their illumination

ability and directional aiming is nothing short of fantastic

and they are now available for motorcycles. With this info

in hand, we searched the Drag Specialties website; they

have a RIVCO Products H4 LED headlight bulb kit. It is a

straight bolt-in replacement for most 1994-2013 baggers.

Because this H4 LED headlight bulb has a built-in

electronic ballast, which is mounted in the rear of the light’s

hi-impact housing, no other parts need to be replaced.

We ordered the RVCO LED headlight bulb kit, Drag

Specialties part number 2060-0535, MSRP $69.95. We

then followed along as Dave Rivera, at Bartels’ H-D,

installed it in a 2012 Ultra Classic. Installing the headlight

bulb was about a one hour operation, which is because the

front of the fairing must be removed. The LED headlight

bulb assembly is a straight plug-in replacement; no filing or

soldering is required. Our first evening ride was a real eye

opener; the headlight’s white light gave us a view that had

a lot more detail of our surroundings. The RIVCO Products

LED headlight is, bar none, the best nighttime riding

product we have ever experienced.

- John Sullivan

THIS 2012 ULTRA CLASSIC’S LED CONVERTED HEADLIGHT LOOKS STOCK, UNTIL IT IS TURNED ON. THEN, WHAT A DIFFERENCE, YOU CAN’T FIND A BETTER WAY TO SEE THE ROAD AFTER DARK!

TO FIT THE LARGEST NUMBER OF BIKES, THE RIVCO PRODUCTS LED HEADLIGHT BULB COMES WITH THREE H4 MOUNTING FLANGES. THE LIGHT’S INPUT CABLE PLUGS INTO THE FACTORY HEADLIGHT CONNECTOR.

Hi-Tech Lighting-Installing A LED Headlight

TO GET TO THE HEADLIGHT BULB, THE FRONT OF THE FAIRING MUST BE REMOVED. IT IS ATTACHED WITH THE THREE ALLEN SCREWS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSH TO GET TO THE HEADLIGHT BULB, THE FRONT OF THE FAIRING MUST BE REMOVED. IT IS ATTACHED WITH THE THREE ALLEN SCREWS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD AND THERE ARE FOUR MORE SCREWS ON THE RIDER’S SIDE OF THE FAIRING THAT SECURE IT TO THE FRONT SIDE OF THE FAIRING. HIELD AND…

THE FACTORY HEADLIGHT BULB WAS REMOVED FROM THE REAR OF THE HEADLIGHT SHELL. WITH ITS MOUNTING SCREWS REMOVED, THE FRONT FAIRING IS PULLED FORWARD SO THAT THE HEADLIGHT WIRE HARNESS CAN BE UNPLUGGED FROM THE BACK OF THE FACTORY HEADLIGHT BULB AND THE FAIRING SET ON THE WORKBENCH

THE RIVCO LED BULB WAS INSTALLED INTO THE FAIRING AND ITS CONNECTOR PLUGGED INTO THE FACTORY HEADLIGHT WIRE HARNESS. AFTER THAT IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF INSTALLING THE FRONT FAIRING.