After a bicycle accident, the events after will determine whether you, as a cyclist, get compensated or not. Bicycles are becoming quite popular lately as highly as they are recommended. There is also an electronic bike that is faster and suits any age group, especially those that don’t have too much energy to spare. With the increase in users, so is the increase in accidents necessitating that we have injury lawyers to preside over the procedures and ensure the cyclist gets compensation. Below, we will discuss what you ought to do should you get involved in a bicycle accident.
Look After Yourself
Look after yourself! Are you hurt? Get away from the road to avoid potential further damage. Calm yourself down as much as possible. Call for help from anyone close to you at that point and check if you are hurt. Check your breathing, and confirm that everyone is involved is okay. Call an ambulance.
Get Your Attorney
An accident between bike and car would attract some legal complexities. Whether you are hurt or the other party is demanding compensation, do not accept liability. You need to contact bicycle injury lawyers who are experienced in cases to deal with bicycle accidents. Send your bike, helmet, and any other equipment to the attorney. Your attorney will take over the legal proceedings for your case and guide you on what you should follow up with daily as the legal process goes on. He will make you a legal claim for any damages and expenses.
Look After Others
If, say, a driver is involved, take note of the vehicle registration number, the car’s color, and the model. Get details of the driver. Get some witnesses, and keep in contact with them. Ask a passerby to help you if you are hurt. In the instance that you hurt someone’s animal, try to get the owner. Report to the police and wait.
Preserve Evidence
Do not tamper with the scene; take photos. These photos will give a picture of what must have gone down and will be used by the police when understanding what might have caused the accident. Also, get shots of the damages to your property; they will be useful when making a claim. Do not do any negotiations with the other motorist involved if he tries to. Once again, if you cannot do this due to injuries, get a passerby to help.
First Aid
If you are looking for quick first aid, the app from St John ambulance offers such services for cyclists. Whether you have visible injuries or not, get checked. Take photos of any visible injuries. You will need those as proof of injury, and medical records should reveal those injuries’ intensity. The images will provide physical evidence.
Organized Paperwork
Keep your paperwork organized; ask for a police report reference number, record your entire medical bills and records, and receipts of any further related expense. Do not leave a single injury unattended, and by all means, get counseling too; you must have been shaken by that accident. It would be best if you cleared off your mind of the trauma, scarring (possibly permanent), internal injuries, or bone fractures. Your attorney will present you very well with your insurance company too. Nothing should be taken lightly. There are high chances to get compensated for your medical needs without getting to trial with an attorney.
Proceedings
An attorney will help you lay claim, show that the motorist was negligent, leading to the accident and the damage and injuries; he will reduce the possibilities of negligence on the cyclist side- in many occasions, the motorist would be accountable mostly because of a false notion that cyclists do not belong on the roads, and so they are always missing sight of cyclists, for example at intersections. As a cyclist, you may expect compensation for replacement of the bicycle, damaged clothing, medical bills, loss of earnings- for the recovery days that you could not show up at work, and miscellaneous expenses like bus fare.
Notes To Take
Note that you have up to three years to claim compensation though it would take longer than that in some instances. Details like not wearing a helmet would reduce compensation claims because it shows the cyclist had not taken the initiative to protect themselves on the road. Many people also go wrong by not properly storing the documents for issuing claims, while others contact the insurance companies before calling the attorney.
Remember, as a cyclist that you have the same rights to the road as any other motorist. When an accident occurs, nothing should be taken lightly. It is just as when a vehicle is involved in an accident.