Did you know that more than 1,000 bikers die in the US every year? About 350,000 of them go to the emergency room for injuries they got while cycling. You need to take necessary procedures if you want to safeguard your health and your rights after a bike accident.
What should you do if you’re hit by a reckless driver while riding a bicycle? Your first concern must be your safety and any potential injuries, as some injuries may not be immediately apparent even if you feel fine.
What is considered reckless driving? Drivers who speed well over the limit, run red lights, or weave through traffic dangerously are considered reckless drivers.
Follow the steps outlined in this article after a bicycle accident with a car.
Ensure Your Safety and Assess Injuries
After being hit by injury in a cycle accident, your safety must come first, followed by an assessment of your injuries. Look for any other hazards from traffic; if it is clear, walk toward the sidewalk.
Take a few minutes to assess your feelings. Check for pain, or signs of bleeding, or dizziness. If you are unable to move out of incapacitation or the intense pain, then stay where you are until help comes to you.
Keep calm and focus. If there were others around at the time of the incident, you could ask them to keep you company and help evaluate you while you assess yourself.
According to Sacramento bicycle accident attorney Glenn Guenard, if you were injured on a bicycle by a careless or aggressive motorist during a motor vehicle accident, a bicycle accident attorney will pursue the compensation you deserve.
Call Emergency Services
If there are victims with potential injuries, you need to call emergency services. Give importance to everyone’s safety and health. Contact 911 or dial the hotline of the local emergency services.
Details such as the location, particular injuries sustained, and whether or not vehicles are involved should be provided to the operator. Stay on the telephone line until the operator has said to go.
Tell others on the site not to move injured individuals unless there is an immediate danger. It is normal for help to be delayed so stay calm and reassure the others that the ambulance and emergency responders will soon come.
Your quick response could make a difference in the outcome.
Gather Evidence and Document the Scene
If you see that everyone is safe and well, proceed to collect evidence at the accident scene.
Your photos should show how badly the bike and the car that hit it were damaged. Take pictures of the environment around you and anything else that will help prove your case. You can take images of traffic lights, road signs, or even skid marks on the road.
Interview and collect contact information from anyone who might have been a witness. As soon as you can, write down your recollection. If possible, prepare a rough sketch of the scene showing the locations of each vehicle involved in the incident.
Keep all of your accident paperwork, like police reports and medical records, just in case you need them. If you decide to take legal action in the future, a careful record of what happened will aid you.
Exchange Information With the Driver
You can gather evidence by having a brief exchange of information with the other driver involved in the accident.
Get the driver’s name, contact number, and insurance information. Don’t forget to write down the car’s make, model, and registration number.
Witnesses may be asked to stay so their names and addresses can be recorded. Any relevant information that can provide additional context and insight about the incident will help your case.
Should the driver decline to present information, act accordingly by remaining calm and avoiding confrontations. You can report such instances to your local policeman so that they can acquire the information on your behalf.
Obtaining these important details will help you handle your bicycle accident case.
Seek Legal Advice and Understand Your Rights
If you have a bike accident, consult a lawyer to learn about your rights and how to protect them.
Your lawyer will address the complications of personal injury laws and insurance claim practices. Your lawyer will consider the specific facts involved in your situation, review all of the evidence, and provide the best options.
There are statutes of limitations for bringing claims, so you must file your claim fast. The lawyer shall also tell you if you qualify for any money damages for medical bills attending to that injury or for lost wages or pain and suffering.
