While riding a bicycle is an environmentally friendly form of transportation, it’s also important to realize it is the most dangerous. Bicyclists typically have little protection from the harsh metal, force, and weight of an automobile. If you’ve been involved in a bicycle accident, it can be a scary incident. However, it’s important that you follow the steps outlined below so you can ensure you will receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries and damages to your bicycle.
Call The Police
It’s important that you contact the police for any accident. Regardless of how you feel in the minutes after the accident, always be safe and give them a call. Some accidents may seem minor in the fact that your bike was not damaged and you feel okay. However, it’s important to note that adrenaline can be a great pain killer. Just because you don’t feel in pain right after the accident, there’s no telling how you will feel later when you get home or the next day.
By always contacting the police you can ensure you get an accident report. This will have the other driver’s information and allow you to seek compensation if you experience symptoms of injuries later. Without an accident report, it becomes much harder to prove that those later symptoms are a result of the accident and not something else. Always err on the side of caution and contact the police to get a report so you are covered for any future problems.
Get Witness Information
Any representative from Gruber Law Offices LLC will be able to explain the importance of having witness contact information to you. Those who witnessed the accident should talk to the police to give the events of what they saw happen. These witnesses will help to solidify your case later down the road in the event that you may have to take the other driver’s insurance company to court.
Document Your Injuries
If you have any immediate injuries following the collision, you should go to the hospital. This will ensure that you get the care you need and that you have documentation of those injuries. Victims who refuse medical service at the time of the accident tend to have a harder time when fighting for compensation later down the road. As a general rule of thumb, always get your injuries evaluated by a medical professional when you notice them.
Taking pictures is a great way to document what happened and preserve that evidence for later. While it may seem a little uneasy to take pictures of your injuries at the time of the accident, it’s a good practice to partake in. Taking pictures of the injury will provide proof that the injury occurred and give a jury or judge a first-hand look at how severe it was.
Although it can be hard to concentrate in the aftermath of a collision, you need to. Have a list on your bike of every one of the steps outlined above. This will ensure that you don’t miss any steps and that you set yourself up for getting the compensation that you deserve for your injuries and damages to your bicycle.
