Have you been in a bicycle accident? here’s why you need an attorney

Every year there are approximately six million car accidents in the United States. Of these accidents, some 45,000 were reported as accidents involving a bicycle in 2015. While that was a decrease from the 50,000 bicycle accidents in 2014, the fatality rate had unfortunately increased by 12% between those times. Although overall bicycle accidents are decreasing, the severity of injuries and fatalities, are increasing.

If you have been hurt in an accident involving a bicycle, here is what you need to know about your options.

Do I Need an Attorney?

One of the first things many people ask when injured in an accident is, “Do I need an attorney?”, and in many cases, the answer is a resounding “yes”. If you fail to hire an attorney to help represent your case, you could put yourself at risk for losing out on the compensation that you deserve. This is especially true if you decided to not file any personal injury claims and instead forgo pursuing any compensation because you believe the accident wasn’t bad enough.

Choosing not to file a claim or hire bicycle attorneys can be particularly detrimental, especially since some injuries may not be readily noticeable without medical evaluation and they may only start causing problems weeks after the accident. Without an attorney on your side and a claim to compensation, you could put yourself at risk for having to pay for expensive medical bills out of pocket, and with no outside help to lower the costs.

Because there is no way to tell just how much treatment for even seemingly minor injuries can be right after an accident, it’s important to hire a bicycle attorney to help ensure you get the help you need.

Four Things You Need to Do After a Bicycle Accident

Now that you understand how hiring an attorney can help secure you the compensation that you need, let’s take a look at the four things you must do after an accident.

1. Firstly, always wait for the police to arrive on the scene and never leave until you have spoken to an officer and had the event documented. If the person who hit you tries to talk you out of calling the police, do not listen. Having this documentation will be essential if the case needs to go to court.
2. Secondly, you should always try and get the driver’s information before they leave. This should include their name, license plate number, contact information, and insurance policy number. If the driver leaves the scene before you are able to get this information, or before the police arrive, try to at least write-down or take a photo of their license plate. This can help the police track them down in the future.
3. Thirdly, you should talk to witnesses and see if any are willing to give you their contact information. Witness like this can be great for helping you get the compensation you deserve and they can help further support your case in court.
4. Lastly, you should call local bicycle attorneys and set up a consultation with a few options. By speaking to multiple options you can help see which is the most experienced, and which you feel is the best to represent you.

If you have been injured in a bicycle accident, don’t wait until your minor injury has turned into something more severe. Speak with bicycle attorneys near you as soon as possible so that you can start getting the compensation you deserve.