What should I do to protect a future claim after a motorist hit me on my bike?

Whether you ride a bike to work on a daily basis or you just ride occasionally to enjoy the fresh air and exercise, if you are hit by a car while you are obeying the rules of the road, you could be seriously injured or even killed.Believe it or not, even when a car appears to be clearly at fault in a bike vs. car accident, it can be a difficult case for the bicyclist to prove. By taking a few simple steps immediately following the accident, however, the cyclist can protect a future claim against the driver of the car.

What to Do Following a Bike Crash

You are sure to be in some amount of shock following a collision with a car, so you may not be able to take these important steps yourself. However, a family member or bystander could just as easily help with some of these tasks at the scene of the accident. Either way, if at all possible, do the following immediately after your crash:

Get emergency medical help if needed. The very first thing to do is to see to any serious injuries. If you are unconscious, this will be taken care of for you and you will have to count on the police to gather evidence.
Call the police. Whether the driver of the car agrees that the police should be called or not, make the call and wait for an officer. Do not discuss fault with the driver. The police officer may ticket the driver, which will help your case later on.
Tell the officer your version of events. Sometimes, responding officers are only concerned with the cars involved. Make sure the officer takes your statement so that your side of the story is reflected in the accident report. If the officer refuses to take your statement, an attorney can help you amend the report later.
Get contact information. Get a name, phone number, and insurance information from the driver. Also, get names and numbers for any bystanders or witnesses. These people will be impossible to locate later on and could be key to your claim.
Document what happened. Make mental notes at the scene and write everything down as soon as you can. It’s very easy to forget the details of a crash and these could be useful in supporting your claim.
Document your injuries. Take photos of your injuries as soon as possible after the accident and keep records of every doctor visit. The extent of your injuries will be an important factor in determining a settlement amount.
Preserve evidence. Ideally, you will take photos of the scene before anything is moved, but even if this is not possible, you should not repair the bike because the damage could be evidence of fault. Keep the helmet, whether it appears damaged or not. Only your attorney should have access to the bike and helmet following an accident.
Call an attorney. These cases can be very complicated and you will need the help of an experienced bike accident attorney to protect your right to a settlement. Do not talk to the driver or any insurance agents (yours or the driver’s) until you have spoken to an attorney.

William Enoch Andrews Can Help

Even if you are unable to take these steps, an experienced attorney like Mr. Andrews will be able to recover key pieces of evidence to support your claim. Click the live chat button on this page now to start the conversation.