Bicycle accidents happen way too often, and they may be very traumatic. If you’re riding a bicycle and accidentally collide with a vehicle, what you do afterward is crucial. The action you take following a bicycle accident might hugely impact the amount you can recover for potential injuries and damages.
Here, we take a look at what to do after a bicycle accident. For more details, please consult an Austin personal injury attorney.
What to Do After a Bicycle Accident
Follow these steps if you are involved in a bicycle accident:
1. Dial 911
Right after a bicycle accident, take out your phone and dial 911 to inform the local authorities or call for an ambulance. If you are not able to do so, try to ask somebody else for assistance.
2. Wait for Police Officers to Arrive
Regardless of whether you think you’re injured or not, you should wait for law enforcement officers to arrive, and file a report. Some injuries take hours to show symptoms, and at times, some seemingly minor ones later become severe issues. If you go away from the scene of the accident, you lose your chances of ever identifying the liable driver.
3. Report Your Version of Events
In some cases, the police take statements from the driver and do not bother to ask cyclists about their version of the story. So, you should do all you can to have your side entered into the official police report. Additionally, try as hard as possible to report all the injuries you have sustained, including the minor ones.
4. Get the Contact Details of the Driver and Possible Witnesses
If possible, obtain the automobile driver’s name, address, mobile number, insurance details, driver’s license number, and vehicle plate number. Also, try to acquire the names and contact details for anyone who witnesses the crash. If you’re unable to obtain such information yourself due to injuries, ask a concerned bystander to acquire it on your behalf.
5. Document the Incident
Again, if you can, jot down how, where, and when the accident happened. Also write down the status of the road, traffic and weather at the time of the incident. Jotting down such details is important because it ensures you won’t forget important information later on.
6. Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Seeking medical attention right after a bicycle accident is essential, even if you feel your injuries are minor. Your injuries will be documented in the medical records, which will prove that you were injured. You should also have a couple of pictures taken of the injuries and begin a journal of the physical symptoms you experience.
7. Consult a Personal Injury Attorney
Sometimes, bicycle-car accidents can become messy. So, if you are not sure about what to do after an accident, you should consult a competent personal injury attorney. The lawyer can help you fight for compensation for your hospital bills, bike damage, and other losses. He or she can also help you with dealing with the respective insurance agencies and ensure you acquire your rightful compensation.
If you are a victim of a bicycle accident in Austin, at Robert Littlefield Buford III, Attorney at Law, we can help. Call us today at (512) 476-4444.
