While car and motorcycle accidents are among the harder auto accidents to avoid and recover from, those that can take place while you’re on a bike are very common and can be harmful in their own ways. Whether the person that hit you was in a car or another bicyclist, getting into this situation can result in injuries that can have long-lasting physical and emotional effects.
There are several moves that you need to make if you want to recover from an accident as quickly as possible while paying as little as possible, if not anything at all. This guide provides everything you need to do after a bike accident so that you get back on your bicycle and enjoy nice rides and tricks with friends.
Make Sure Everyone’s Okay
The health of everyone involved in a bike accident is the top priority. You may be lucky enough to have only received a few small bruises after getting hit by a rushing driver coming around the corner in the city or suburb. In this case, it will be easier to call 911 and other professionals needed to take care of the scene.
However, it is not wise to take any chances, as you may have suffered internal injuries that may not start affecting you until later on. In this case, maneuver yourself so that you don’t feel any pain. You should also make sure that everyone else involved is okay, even if they were the ones who caused the accident.
Content Emergency Services
Once you figure out how you’re doing, call the local law enforcement and inform them of what happened. Even if you weren’t injured, it helps to file an accident report, as a internal injury could become a problem a week or two after the accident. The police should interview you, everyone involved in the accident, and bystanders so that they are informed of what actually happened.
The police report will help the authorities determine who was at fault of the accident and provide the appropriate fines, if any are required. Medical services should be contacted and sent to your location right away. The sooner you get to the hospital, the sooner you can file your medical claim.
Get Off The Road
The quicker you get off of the road, the better chance you won’t suffer any further injuries. If your injuries are too severe for you to stand up and walk off onto the grass or sidewalk, have the other person involved help you off, especially if they didn’t suffer any severe injuries.
If you were taking your dirt bike into the woods and got into an accident there, it should be easier to get off the path. Be sure to get your bike off of the road, as well. Not only does it help the bike avoid damage, but could keep parts hit by another car flying into you and causing extra injuries.
Document The Scene
The more evidence you have of the situation, the easier it will be to prove in court that you were not at fault. Use your phone to take photos of the bike and any injuries that you suffered from the collision. Photos and videos of the larger scene will determine which elements were factors in the accident.
Information from other people involved, such as phone numbers, addresses, driver licenses, and license plates helps keep everyone up to date about the situation. It also helps if the person who caused the accident tries to avoid your phone calls, as you can have the authorities contact them.
Don’t Repair Your Bike
As much as you may want to get your bike fixed so that you can show your friends your new tricks, postponing repairs will help you financially recover from the situation and earn the settlement that is owed to you.
If you get your bike fixed, then you won’t have any evidence of the damage it received from the accident, which can hurt your case. This can be an even bigger problem if you didn’t take any photos or record videos of the damage.
Contact Your Lawyer
You may have all of the evidence that you need to win a case, but you may not know the best way to present your argument. This is where bicycle accident lawyers, such as the experts at Preszler Law firm, come into play. When you get discharged from the hospital, meet with an attorney who is familiar with bike accident cases.
Make sure that your lawyer has experience with different types of accidents and injuries, as they may inform you of money that is owed to you that you weren’t aware of. Show your attorney as much evidence as possible to prove your innocence and earn your settlement.
Remember these specific steps so that you can make a speedy recovery and enjoy more bike rides in the future.