George K.
Bicycles are becoming the most preferred modes of transport in major cities and towns due to their affordability, mobility, and are environmentally friendly. However, due to their rise and other traffic, there are more bicycle accidents than never, causing injuries and even death. If into an accident, it’s crucial to remain calm and check yourself safe before anything else. The steps you take immediately after crashing down will determine how you get out of the accident and the compensation.
This article will discuss the steps and ways to save your life and compensate for a bicycle accident. Here are things to do.
Step 1- Stay safe and call the police
In any accident, including the bicycle accident, your life matters more than everything else, and you have to safeguard it at all costs. If you crashed in the middle of the road, move to the sides to avoid subsequent crashes by incoming traffic. After finding a safe place, it’s essential to call 911 and ask for help. The police are supposed to write a non-biased report concerning the accident and injuries sustained. According to bicycle injury lawyers from https://www.hwnninjurylaw.com/bicycle-accidents/, the police report helps a lot when filing for a claim and seeking compensation. Leaving the crime scene before the police arrive might make the other party interfere with the accident scene. Never try to negotiate with the other driver and keep witnesses and other evidence intact as you seek medical attention. Ensure you have given the police your right side of the story.
Step 2- Exchange Information with driver at-fault and collect evidence
It is essential getting the details of the other driver before leaving the accident scene. These details include the driver’s name, driver’s license number, phone number, physical address, and insurance information. Besides the driver’s information, you should get the witnesses’ details and anyone present at the accident scene since you might need them while filing for an injury claim. Why is this necessary? The police report doesn’t contain all these people and accounts, and it’s essential having them if you need to have a strong case. In case you are severely injured and cannot do all these, it’s vital to have someone to take the details and provide them to your lawyer for safe custody as you rush to the hospital to get treated.
Which evidence should one collect? Besides the drivers’ details and witnesses’ contacts, it would be best to take pictures of the accident scene, the road, and any other detail that will help you win the injury case. You can use your smartphone gadget to take pictures and never compromise your bike situation until the case is heard and determined.
Step 3- Rush to the hospital
During accidents, the police usually come with ambulances to take the injured to the hospital. Such happens when the injuries are severe or when fatalities are involved. When there is no ambulance from the police, it’s better to rush to the hospital and get treatment for the injuries sustained. What happens when you aren’t injured? Regardless of whether injured or not, health experts recommend getting to the hospital for some checkups, including internal bleeding. Sometimes you might not feel the injuries until when they become worse. The hospital will ensure you are checked thoroughly and give you a clean bill of health. If treated, you should have the bills documented and hand them to your lawyer for safe custody.
Step 4- Hire an experienced lawyer
Most accident accidents lead to complicated legal tussles, which will require you to have an experienced attorney. The lawyers will help gather more witnesses, interview, and find the best witnesses who will represent you in court if the at-fault insurance company fails to compensate you as required. Since your defendant will also have lawyers, it is essential to have one to represent you. They will even negotiate for you the right amount for compensation.
Step 5- Do not engage with an at-fault insurance company or their lawyers.
One of the mistakes to avoid after the accident is to talk to the other driver’s insurance company or their lawyers to settle your compensation. Do not make any contacts or communication since you will get duped, and you might give them information that might get used against you in court. If there are any issues, let your lawyers address them until the case is heard and determined. If they can cooperate on this, you can get compensated without even filing the charges.
No one likes getting involved in an accident, but sometimes, the unfortunate happens. To avoid these accidents, you must protect yourself while riding: have a helmet, get noticed on the road, and avoid cycling while under the influence of drugs. Keeping all these will enable you to have a strong case against your opponent when the unfortunate accident occurs.
