While riding your bicycle to work or school may be great for the environment and your health, it can also be a bit dangerous if the drivers in your area are not paying attention. Hopefully, you will never be involved in a crash, yet you should always be prepared for the worst. Here are a few things to keep in mind in case of an accident.
Remain Calm
Immediately following an accident you will likely feel disoriented, upset, and physically hurt. However, it is crucial that you as the cyclist remain as calm as possible. When a driver is involved in this type of accident they will likely try to shift blame, make excuses, or downplay the whole thing. If you are not calm and collected you may miss steps in how you should respond.
Wait for the Police
As previously mentioned, the driver of the vehicle may try to downplay the accident by making sure you are okay or attempting to negotiate with you. Instead, you should wait until the police show up and file a report with them. Cyclists are often injured in accidents, though their injuries may initially appear to be minor. Make sure that you report all of your injuries to the police, no matter how minor they may feel at the time of the accident. File a complete report with the police so that you can have this as a baseline, should your case go to trial.
Get Driver Information
If you were involved in an accident, the best you can hope for is that it was with a responsible driver. If not, acting quickly on your feet may be the difference between getting some sort of compensation or none at all. If you are struck by a vehicle that tries to drive away, try to get their license number or seek out witnesses who may have gotten it. Get as much of their information as possible. If you have a responsible driver you will still want to jot down all of their information.
Get Professional Advice
No matter what the circumstances of your accident were, it is wise to seek the advice of a bicycle accident lawyer. Your case may not go to court, but an attorney will know what an appropriate compensation amount could be for your situation. They may also help you to write a demand letter for the insurance company of the driver. Talking to an attorney is always a good idea.
As the bicyclist in a bicycle vehicle accident, justice depends on you. Most likely the driver of a vehicle will be scared and looking for an easy way out. With a little bit of preparation on your part, you can know exactly what to do so that things can go as smoothly as possible.
Share9 October 2019
After you have endured a traumatic, life-changing car accident, it can be hard to transition back into your everyday routine. As friends and family members chat about upcoming outlet mall sales or holiday plans, you might be secretly worried about how to pay your medical bills or forget about that wreck. Fortunately, dealing with your car accident case proactively by working with an attorney can really help. After I was involved in a car accident a few years back, my attorney stood by my side and helped me to argue for what was rightfully mine. I made this website to teach others what to do if they are involved in an accident.