Bicycle accidents, like any other collisions with other road users, can be sudden, terrifying and disorienting. Whether you’ve collided with another cyclist or a vehicle, you might wonder what to do next.
Acting quickly and effectively can help you to protect your health, safeguard your legal rights and better ensure that you’re adequately compensated for any damages.
Get to a safe place
In the immediate aftermath of a bicycle accident, you should protect yourself from further harm. Therefore, if you’re lying in the middle of the road, consider moving to a safer location. However, if you experience sharp pains when you try to move, wait for emergency personnel to arrive. As you wait for first responders to arrive, you should check for visible injuries you may have sustained in the collision.
Call 911
You may be tempted to brush off the accident and go home if you perceive your injuries to be minor. However, this would be a bad idea because you might have sustained injuries whose symptoms might not manifest immediately. Therefore, it’s vital to call 911 and report the incident. Aside from accessing emergency services, calling 911 also creates an official record, which can be critical for insurance claims or potential legal actions later.
Gather evidence
While you’re still at the accident scene, you might want to capture photographic evidence of:
- The damages your bicycle sustained
- Any physical injuries you may have sustained
- The road conditions at the accident site
- Any vehicle that was involved in the accident
Don’t forget to politely request any witnesses for their contact information; you may need their accounts to establish liability if disputes arise later about how the accident occurred.
Stay calm and avoid admitting fault
It’s natural to feel sorry in the aftermath of an accident, even if you did nothing wrong. However, you should be careful not to apologize because the at-fault party’s insurance provider may use these words to minimize or deny your insurance claim. When you’re making a statement with the police or engaging insurance adjusters, stick to the facts of the case.
Knowing what to do in the aftermath of a bicycle accident can help you to safeguard your health and support your legal team as they seek to defend your rights. A reputable legal group can use the photographic evidence and witness contacts you collect at an accident scene to facilitate negotiations for fair compensation for your damages.