What Cyclists Should Do After Being Hit by Cars
by Arnab Dey Legal 23 November 2022
Being involved in a car accident as a motorist can be intensely frightening and incredibly dangerous.
Needless to say, being on the receiving end of an auto accident as a cyclist is liable to prove even scarier and more perilous. As such, cyclists who have been injured as a result of negligent driving on the part of motorists should seek proper restitution posthaste.
Any cyclist attempting to navigate the aftermath of a collision with a vehicle would do well to remember the following tips.
Immediately Get to a Safe Location
After being struck by a vehicle, you’ll need to get to a safe location as quickly as possible. The busier the road, the more likely you are to be struck by additional vehicles if you dawdle. Additionally, since your safety is infinitely more important than that of your bicycle, leave it where it is and prioritize your own well-being.
In the immediate aftermath of such an incident, you’re likely to be hit with a surge of adrenaline, which may cloud your judgment regarding how much danger you’re in and lead you to believe that you’re far less injured than you actually are.
So, if you suddenly find yourself feeling particularly energized and/or brave in the wake of your accident, ignore the urge to dash back out into traffic to retrieve your bike and concentrate exclusively on getting yourself to safety. Should you find yourself unable to get out off the road without assistance, take care to call for help.
Contact the Police
There are two key reasons you should contact the police in the immediate wake of a bike accident. To start with, most states require citizens to inform the police of any accidents that result in physical injury or property damage.
Secondly, if you wish to take legal action against the responsible party or file an accident claim with your insurer, a police report is essential. Needless to say, if you don’t contact the authorities, a police report will never be written up.
So, regardless of how simple you want to keep things, there is absolutely no benefit in failing to alert the authorities – especially if the accident wasn’t even your fault.
Report the Incident to Your Automotive Insurer
It’s easy to see why so many people believe that car insurance policies only apply to accidents involving two or more vehicles. After all, the word “car” is right there in the name.
However, unbeknownst to a large number of policyholders, many auto insurance policies extend to accidents people have on bikes or as pedestrians. So, if you’re unclear on whether your automotive insurance policy covers bike accidents, take some time to study up on the terms and/or get in touch with a company representative.
Should you discover that your policy does indeed extend to bike accidents, take care to alert your insurer of the incident as soon as possible. Furthermore, keep in mind that alerting your insurer isn’t the same thing as formally filing an accident claim.
Although many states provide citizens with a fairly large window of time in which to file accident claims, insurers generally encourage policyholders to make them aware of accidents at their earliest possible convenience.
Get in Touch with a Good Lawyer
If you find yourself dealing with enormous medical bills and/or bicycle repair/replacement costs in the wake of the accident, it stands to reason that you’d expect the responsible party or their insurer to provide sufficient compensation.
However, should either party consistently give you the runaround, legal recourse may be your best course of action. Mile High City residents who have been victimized by bicycle accidents are encouraged to get in touch with knowledgeable Denver bicycle accident attorneys.
The right lawyer can make weathering the aftermath of a bike accident considerably less stressful and ensure that you’re made whole in a suitably expedient manner.
To call being struck by a vehicle while riding a bike intensely frightening would be an understatement. When a machine as large and powerful as a modern automobile collides with a bicycle, it’s generally a safe bet that the latter will be bearing the brunt of the damage.
That being the case, it makes perfect sense for cyclists who are struck by automobiles to seek justice and timely restitution – both of which can be obtained through the measures outlined above.
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