Central Florida can be a great place to bike. The weather is usually nice, and there’s a lot to see that you simply can’t enjoy if you’re riding in a car. That’s why many people turn to their bicycles for recreation and to get to work.
But it’s not all fun and games when you bike. In a split second, an errant driver can hit you, causing a devastating bicycle accident. In the aftermath of one of these wrecks, you might struggle to figure out your next steps and what you can do to make sure you’re as fully protected as possible.
That’s why this week we want to give you a step-by-step guide on what you should do if you’re injured in a bicycle accident.
Steps to take after a bicycle accident
We know that things can get confusing when you’re involved in an accident, and your uncertainty can leave you unsure of what to do next. But when you’re hurt in a bicycle accident, take the following steps:
- Seek treatment: Your health and safety have to be your top priority. With that in mind, get yourself to the doctor after your accident. Not only will this prevent your injuries from worsening and potentially becoming life-threatening, but it can also start to create a record of the damages that you’ve suffered so that you’ll be on stronger footing going into your personal injury case.
- Make a police report: The police might already be on the scene of your accident, but if they’re not, then you’ll want to call them to generate a report. Their investigation can give you additional evidence you need to support your insurance claim or any personal injury claim that you might pursue.
- Take pictures of the accident scene: One of the best ways to recreate your accident in the eyes of an insurance company, judge, or jury is to show pictures of where the wreck occurred. Be detailed in your documentation here, capturing everything from tire marks, traffic signs and signals, and your and the vehicle’s resting positions.
- Talk to witnesses: You’ll also want witness accounts to support your position heading into the claims and litigation processes. But you need to know if there are witnesses out there who will testify as to information that’s harmful to your case, too. So, be diligent. Talk to all witnesses and secure their contact information.
- Write down what happened: You don’t want time to muddle your recollection of the events. So, write down a detailed description of what happened.
- Contact insurance companies to file a claim: When it comes to recovering the compensation you need, your first step is to see if you can file a successful claim with the errant driver’s insurance company or your own insurance company. Just be careful what you say here so that you don’t give the insurance company any reason to believe that you caused or contributed to the accident.
- Consider legal action: If it looks like you’re going to have to litigate your case, then you’ll need to consider the best way to do that. This might include seeking out support from a legal professional who knows how to competently navigate these sorts of cases.
Don’t be scared by the steps taken after a bicycle accident
There’s a lot to deal with in the minutes, hours, days, weeks and months you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident. But don’t be daunted and paralyzed by the process. Just work bit by bit to prepare yourself for the road ahead so that you make steady progress toward recovering the compensation you need to further your recovery and obtain stability.
