Bicycle accidents happen. You may be cycling to work, following all the rules and being mindful of other road users when a driver in front of you opens the car door without checking for oncoming traffic or a reckless driver turns right at an intersection, cutting you off. These accidents can be very serious causing grave injuries to the head, neck, spine and limbs. If this is the case, succeeding medical expenses will be even more worrying.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a bike accident, talk to a PA bicycle accident attorney as soon as possible to assess your case for compensation.
What To Do Following a Bicycle Accident
- Move away from the road. If you are not seriously harmed, you can move away from the road without assistance. If you are very hurt, it is better to wait for an ambulance since doing it on your own or asking bystanders to move you may result in further injury.
- Call 911. If you cannot do it on your own, ask someone to make a call for you. In the call, report the accident, any injuries sustained, share the location of the accident and request an ambulance.
- As you wait for help, take the driver’s information. Treat the accident as a car crash. PennDOT Code 3051(a) subjects pedalcycles to the same rights and duties as vehicles on Pennsylvania’s roads.
You will want the driver’s name, physical address, phone number and insurance details. Sometimes, the driver may not be willing to wait for the police. If this is the case, get the car’s license plate number and state of issue, and then request a copy of the driver’s ID.
If it’s a hit and run, you want to get the license plate of the vehicle, the color, make and model. Get a physical description of the driver, and most importantly, the direction the car went.
Besides the driver, take the contact details of any witnesses who saw the accident and can testify to how it occurred.
- Do not admit liability. Do not talk to the driver’s insurer without first talking to your lawyer. Sometimes the driver or insurer will try to place the blame on you. Do not admit liability in any case.
- Take pictures.
With your phone or a digital camera, take pictures of the scene of the accident. Take photos of your bike, your injuries, the spot where the accident occurred, the car involved and its license plate number.
- When the police arrive, give them your side of the story including details of all the injuries you sustained. Request an incident report.
- Get medical attention.
Go to hospital for treatment even if you think you are okay. Small injuries sometimes grow to become serious problems.
- After the accident, maintain all evidence in its original state.
Do not repair the bicycle, do not throw away your helmet and do not wash the clothes you had on. Maintain all the contact details and pictures you took. Keep your medical receipts intact. All these could be invaluable when claiming compensation.
- Contact a PA personal injury attorney to start your claim for compensation for medical expenses, damage to property and lost wages for the time you were incapacitated.
Our attorneys specialize in representing cyclists, so if you need representation call us to schedule a consult with the Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers at Louis P. Lombardi II & Associates today.