The vehicle seemed to come out of nowhere. It suddenly ran you down, and now you are lying on a New York street, stunned. Depending on what you do next, you could be fully compensated for your pain and suffering, hospital bills and more — or you could be forced to bear that financial burden yourself.
Here are five tips for what to do after a bicycle accident, in case you ever find yourself in a situation like the above:
- Get medical attention as soon as possible. If you can, call 911 or ask someone else to do so. Even if you feel okay, you might have sustained a hidden injury that won’t start showing symptoms right away. You will also need a police report to help with your insurance claim.
- Ask the driver for their insurance and contact information, and take down their license plate number. If there were any third-party witnesses to the bike accident, ask them for their contact info too.
- Keep as much physical evidence as you can, such as your damaged bike and the clothes you were wearing. These items can strengthen your insurance claim — or, if necessary, your lawsuit.
- Photos can be another key piece of evidence. If you are well enough, pull out your cellphone or camera and take pictures of the crash scene, your injuries and anything else you think might be relevant. The more photo and video evidence you save, the easier it will be to show that the driver caused the collision, as well as the extent of your resulting injuries.
- Take note of the surroundings. Is the area poorly lit, or is there an obstruction that might have blocked the driver’s view of you and possibly contributed to the accident?
These steps are a good start toward making a successful personal injury claim. They help build the evidence you need to show that the driver was primarily (or entirely) at fault.
