“What Do I Do if I Get Hit by a Car on My Bike?”

Whether you live in a small town or you reside in a more urban setting, chances are, now that summer is in full-swing, you’ll be breaking out the bike regularly to go for a ride around your way. Not only is bicycling great exercise, it also provides you with a chance to escape the confines of your office or your home and hit the open road, welcoming the feeling of a comforting, warm breeze at your back.

As with any form of transportation, though, there can be some risk involved. Since only two percent of all automobile deaths and only two percent of all injured parties from automobile crashes are cyclists, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, biking is generally safe. You can proactively help avoid an accident by signaling your turns, wearing reflective clothing, obeying traffic rules, and bypassing busy streets when possible. However, if you do find yourself involved in a traffic accident while riding, here are some steps you should be sure to take:

1)     Bring in the police. It doesn’t matter if you notice any immediate damage to your bike, your body, or to the other person’s vehicle, you should always be sure to involve the police immediately. You’ll want to make sure that the police hear your side of the story and accurately record your statements. Never apologize or admit fault, as that may be used against you in your case, whether you’re truly at fault or not, and do not discuss any aspects of the accident with the driver—you will want to get important data from the driver, such as his or her driver’s license number, insurance information, license plate number, and color/make/model of the car. Your statements about what happened, any citations that may be given to the driver, and other documents are excellent pieces of evidence that can bode well for your case.

2)     Assess the situation. Preserve and document the accident scene—as well as your own visible injuries—with your cell phone camera. Collecting photographic evidence to pair with your verbal statements may bolster your claim and be key to proving who is at fault, potentially getting you any compensation that may be owed, such as lost wages, pain and suffering, bicycle replacement costs, and medical bills. Also, make sure to take note of any witnesses nearby, and if you’re not badly injured, speak with them and obtain their contact information. The police can also do this, but rather than depend on others, make sure you do your own info gathering, as well.

3)     Visit the doctor—regardless of whether you think you need to or not. Sometimes, injuries can be internal and, therefore, only detected via X-rays and further examination from a medical professional. Any injuries sustained that the doctor finds resulted from the crash can be entered in as evidence and may be used to get you the help you need to pay for your medical bills.

4)     Contact the attorneys at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys for a free consultation. Drawing on more than 50 years of experience, we have an established track record of representing bicycle accident victims and winning large settlements and court cases for our clients. Schedule your consult easily by sending an e-mail or by calling us at 855-866-5529.