A bicycle accident can be very serious, and most people don't realize this. Thus, taking important steps immediately after a bike crash to protect your legal rights and health is important. This might be hard to believe but according to the Centers for Disease Control In 2013, more than 494,000 people were seriously injured and 900 people were killed because of bicycle accidents.
Many bicycle accidents involve head injuries that can leave victims with lifelong neurological problems which in turn can affect their employment and quality of life.
Some Bicycle Accident Statistics That'll Amaze You
When you observe bicycle accident statistics it should be clear why understanding how to ride a bike safely is so important. In 2018 857 people were killed in an accident while riding their bikes.
More so, cyclists are far more vulnerable to road accidents, since they are more exposed. And only an injury attorney knows how to handle bicycle accident cases, well enough. More so, you might not believe this, but cyclists are even more vulnerable than motorcyclists because a bicycle weighs so little. So if you’re on a bicycle, and you're hit by any type of motor vehicle, you have a high chance of sustaining serious injuries.
Luckily, to keep safe, when you’re riding a bike, you need to wear protective gear and even more so, you need to learn how to ride defensively while looking out for dangerous car drivers on the road.
Steps You Take After a Bicycle Accident
It is vital to be safe when riding a bike as a crash with a car can be disastrous. However, even the most defensive and safest cyclists can get hit by a car. Realizing what steps to take instantly after being involved in a bicycle accident can mean a lot when it comes to pursuing a personal injury case.
These are the steps you can take to help safeguard yourself after being injured from a bicycle accident: First things first make sure you’re safe if you're on a bike path or in the middle of the road, move to the side and stay away from other bicycles and cars.
Wait For The Police To Arrive
Contact 911. It's very important to wait for the police to come to the scene, for them to file a police report; even if you feel you aren't injured, you must wait for the police to arrive. You might not realize you're hurt until hours after the accident. Even more so, sometimes injuries that seem mild can develop into serious and permanent injuries. And if you leave the collision scene, you won't be able to identify the driver who's at fault.
While awaiting the police don’t try to negotiate with the driver. Although some drivers will apologize and take the blame, only to deny any negligence or blame later. Once the police arrive at the scene, they can ticket the driver, and that'll help you in resolving the issue with the insurance company.
Input Your Version of Events into the Accident Report
Input your side of the Incident in the police report. Occasionally, the police will take the motorist’s statement but not that of the cyclist. Report all of your injuries, no matter how small they might seem.
If after arguing and the police still refuse to input your statement in the police report, you can rewrite the report later.
Collect Evidence
If you possibly can, document the contact and names or any information of any witnesses. Take photographs of your damages and injuries at the scene of the accident. Abandon your bike in the exact position where the accident happened. Don’t have anything inspected by yourself or even more so, don't try fixing anything.
Bonus: Document What Happened
If you can take mental notes about the accident. You should try remembering how it happened, what happened, where, and when it happened. More so, document which road it happened, the traffic and weather situations as well. As soon as you can, jot it all down. It will be super beneficial for you and your lawyer. Then give everything you document to your lawyer.
Final Step
If you possibly can, collect the driver’s name, phone number, address, driver’s license number, and insurance data. If there were any observers, try to get their names and contact information. Although the police statement won’t necessarily include all of this information. And If you've been severely injured, and you can’t possibly ask for this information, so it's cool you ask an onlooker to do it for you.
Finally, you should hire a skilled bicycle Injury Lawyer. Bicycle accidents can pertain to complex legal cases. So, therefore, you'll need to consult with a trained and competent personal injury attorney, who knows and has handled bicycle accidents.