No matter how careful you are, accidents happen. After an accident, the victim is usually injured, confused, and unaware of what needs to be done. The most important thing you should know as a victim of a bicycle collision is that you have rights and you deserve to be compensated for the damages and injuries you have sustained. Even if you don’t know what your rights are or how to file a compensation claim, you should consult a lawyer to guide you through the process. Keep reading to learn about what you need to do to claim your rights.
Call the Police
The first thing you should do after an accident is to call the police. Even if you can’t do that yourself, ask anyone near you to make the call. If you aren’t in pain or badly injured, you should wait for the police to arrive because you will need to file a report. In some cases, after an accident, a cyclist may feel fine. However, you should know that some injuries take a while to manifest and some small injuries can become more serious. Therefore, whether you are injured or not, file a report either way. If you don’t, it will be impossible to hold the driver accountable for the collision, and you won’t be able to claim your rights.
Additionally, you shouldn’t talk to the driver because they may accept responsibility and apologize at the moment but later deny any wrongdoing. However, the police will document the whole incident and the report will serve as proof. You should also make sure that the police get your statement as well. Unfortunately, in some cases, they only talk to the driver and don’t give the cyclist the chance to tell their side of the story. You have to do your best to get your version of what happened in the report and mention your injuries as well, even if they aren’t serious.
You should also ask for a copy of the police report to give to your lawyer. If the police give the driver a ticket, this will give you a huge advantage when negotiating with the insurance company.
Contact a Lawyer
Some vehicle and bicycle accidents can become very complicated. You need an experienced personal injury lawyer by your side. You will benefit greatly from hiring an attorney who has worked with bicycle collisions before. They will have the right experience and expertise and will know how to tackle the situation from every angle. If you got in an accident in Bakersfield, Los Angeles, click here for a free consultation. Hiring a lawyer is very important as they will advise you on the legal steps you will need to take and will also handle the insurance company for you. The insurance company’s representative may offer you less compensation than what you deserve but your attorney, having handled insurance companies before, will know how to negotiate with them to get you the best deal. Additionally, if you are going to file a lawsuit, your attorney will take care of everything for you and will even prepare you in case you will have to testify in court. Remember that the other side will also have legal representation so you will need to be prepared as well.
Seek Medical Attention
You should seek medical attention immediately after your accident. You will need to get your injuries checked to ensure they aren’t serious and that there is no internal bleeding. Tell your doctor exactly what happened and how you are feeling, and ensure they write it all down. A medical report will come in handy if the driver denies causing you any injuries or claims that they aren’t that serious. You should also take pictures of your injuries and keep hospital bills and receipts so you can get compensated for everything later.
We’d all like to believe that we do all we can to avoid trying situations, but the fact of the matter is, sometimes life just doesn’t work out the way we’d like it to at times. This is why it’s so important that we stay prepared for the worst. Getting in an accident is an unfortunate situation but you will need to fight for your rights to be compensated. Bicycle collisions can cause injuries, pain, and damages to your bike. You should be compensated for all the pain and suffering that you endured. So, if you or a loved one has been in a bicycle collision, you should know that you have rights. The most important step you should take is to hire a lawyer and let them take care of everything for you while you focus on yourself and your recovery.
Jennifer
Information sourced by the author for luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.
