LawyersBay
Bicycling is becoming more popular in the United States and we can expect it to continue as we become more health-conscious. But one of the shocking statistics is that bicycle accidents are ever more common. So what happens if you fall victim to a bicycle accident? You want to make sure that the guilty party gets punished and that you receive your rightful compensation.
Read More: How Do I File a Claim After a Bus Accident?
For that, you want to hire a great bicycle accident lawyer. Here’s what you should do if you’re a victim of a bicycle accident:
Contents
Seek Medical Help and Other Information
The first step is to seek medical help following your accident. Once you’ve been in an accident you want to first focus on getting yourself out of harm’s way.
You want to call an ambulance even if you feel you haven’t sustained serious injuries. Make sure you get a detailed medical report from the hospital. You’ll need this information for when you fight your case in court.
If the doctor recommends any medication and/or rehabilitation then you must take it seriously.
It’s likely that this will work against your favor in court if you don’t follow the doctor’s advice. It’ll seem as if your injuries weren’t serious and that you shouldn’t be granted compensation.
Make sure you also call the police to report the accident after you’ve called the ambulance. You should witness the police creating the accident report in front of you. They should give you a copy of the police report.
If you were hit by another person then you must take their contact details. If you were hit by a car then you must keep note of the license plate number. If you can, make sure you take pictures with your phone of the car.
You want to also take pictures of your bicycle to show any damage that was done. Later, you might want to take selfies of yourself to showcase any injuries you’ve received.
The next step is to start looking for bicycle accident lawyers to assist you.
Hire a Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Now you’ve got to consider a great bicycle accident lawyer to assist you. These types of accidents aren’t always covered by lawyers so sometimes you’ll have to look for the best motorcycle injury lawyer as the principle is the same.
When you meet your bicycle accident lawyer you want to assess the following from them:
- Experience with similar cases
- An understanding of local laws
- Knowledge of different insurance providers
- Access to personal, corporate, and municipal records
Your bicycle accident lawyer will have to fight to ensure that you weren’t at fault in the bicycle accident.
For example, if you claim to have been hit by another cyclist or perhaps a car, they’ll have to prove that you didn’t put yourself in harm’s way whether intentionally or unintentionally.
They can also prove that the roads weren’t in a fit condition for cycling. However, this can only happen if you provide them with as many details as possible about the event.
This brings us to our next point of how to prepare when you’ve found the right bicycle accident lawyer to fight your case.
Read More: 5 Ways a Lawyer Can Help You After an Accident
Preparing for Your Case
Before your bicycle accident attorney fights your case he/she will need a lot of details from you.
You have to remember every detail of the bicycle accident so that your attorney has a better chance of winning the case. Forgetting even the most minor detail can cause the case to become null and void.
For example, do you remember if your bicycle’s tires were pumped on that day? Do you remember if these tires were in mint condition?
At times, you might find that there are incidents that might work against your favor. However, you should never lie. Your bicycle accident attorney will always find a way to help you win the case even if there were times when you were negligent.
The attorney can still show that you weren’t at fault even if you were cycling with weak tires or without appropriate lights during nighttime.
Make sure you write down these details before you meet your attorney. They’ll review your notes and then discuss the accident with you. They’ll make notes of their own and share them with you.
Only after you are both satisfied with your notes and the version of events will you proceed with the case. The attorney will prove to the judge that you weren’t at fault and that you’re owed compensation for the accident.
Best Practices
Let’s wrap up by looking at a few best practices you should consider if you’re the victim of a bicycle accident.
You want to research bicycle accident lawyers ahead of time. Chances are, bicycling accidents are common where you live so you want to have a lawyer on speed dial. You don’t want to have to stress about finding a lawyer after the accident.
Make sure you know about the lawyer’s schedule so you know if they can assist you at a moment’s notice.
Make sure you also invest in bicycling insurance. This can help cover the cost of repairing your bicycle as well as any medical costs following an accident. The insurance policy can also help you fight your case in court.
If you witness other bicycle accidents make sure you keep records of what happened. Advise the other victims to work with your lawyer. The only way we can reduce bicycle accidents is if we hold others accountable for their negligence.
Safe Cycling
Now you know what to do after a bicycle accident and how a bicycle accident lawyer can help you fight your case.
If you get into an accident your first step should be to seek medical help. Afterward, call the police so they can create an accident report. Make sure to also get the details of the driver if appropriate.
Use our guide to help you assess the best bicycle accident lawyer. Once you’ve found this lawyer make sure you share every detail of the accident. The more information they have, the easier it’ll be for you to win the case.
You can find more legal articles on our website.