Bicycles make getting from places easy and convenient; plus it’s great exercise! Whether you bike for exercise, pleasure, or your commute to work, it’s crucial to remember that accidents involving bikes occur much more often than you think. You and any loved ones who enjoy biking must take extreme care to watch the road and look out for careless vehicle drivers when riding. In the event that you are the victim of a bicycle accident, know your legal rights and consult with an experienced bicycle accident lawyer like Attorney Kathryn Burmeister of Burmeister Law Firm.
5 crucial steps to increase bicycle accident claim compensation
If you’ve been hit by a car while riding your bicycle, you can consult with a bicycle accident attorney and file a claim for financial compensation. When you’ve been injured in an accident caused by someone else, you deserve this compensation to cover property damages, medical bills, rehabilitation, lost wages, as well as pain and suffering.
Follow these steps to help build a strong case and increase compensation for your claim:
- Gather evidence at the accident scene. Immediately call 911 after your accident. If unable to call, ask a witness to do so. Get the witness’ name and contact info. Make sure the dispatcher knows you were hit by a car while riding a bicycle. Take pictures and, if possible, video of the scene and your immediately visible injuries. Gather information from the at-fault driver. You’ll need his full name and contact details, auto insurance company name and policy number, the driver’s license or permit number. It’s also a good idea to take down the vehicle’s make, model, year, and VIN. Take a picture of the license plate. If you can’t do these things because of your injuries, ask someone else to get the information.
- Don’t say anything about the accident. The at-fault driver will probably apologize profusely. Don’t let this distract you. You may be tempted to say something like, “I should have paid better attention.” Don’t do this. Even something as simple as saying, “I’m okay,” or “I’m fine,” can count against your case. Don’t say anything to the at-fault driver other than asking for the information and personal details you need. The police will ask questions and develop a police report.
- Get medical evaluation and treatment and document all injuries. Getting immediate medical attention and detailing your injuries is crucial to building a solid bicycle accident claim. Never ever refuse medical care at the scene of the accident. If paramedics want to transport you to the hospital, allow them to do so. Follow-up promptly with medical treatment advised by the ER medical team. Continue to photograph your injuries throughout your recovery process.
- Keep all records, receipts, and bills associated with medical care. Keep all paperwork associated with your injuries and the medical treatment associated with them. This means you must keep an organized file of medical records, costs of medications, bills for any treatments, and physical therapy. This supporting documentation of your injury expenses will boost the strength and value of your claim.
- Safeguard the value and gravity of your claim. Consider your bicycle accident and associated injuries with the same gravity as you would a car accident. In fact, bicycle accidents can often be much worse than car accidents. Many motorists don’t believe collisions involving cyclists are serious. They may slow down to see what happened, blame the cyclist, and even drive away. Motorists who drive away after a cycling accident has committed a felony hit-and-run crime. Do your best to get the license plate number.
The most important step — one which acts as an umbrella of protection for you — is to get in touch with a qualified personal injury attorney, like Kathryn Burmeister. Attorney Burmeister will fight for your rights to compensation after your bicycle accident. She has extensive experience dealing with insurance companies and knows all of their tricks. Her proven winning record in the courts speaks for itself. Contact Ms. Burmeister for a free no-obligation consultation about your accident. You deserve the best. You deserve representation from Burmeister Law Firm.
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