Are you among the millions of people who enjoy hopping on their bikes and going out for a ride? If so, you need to have a plan in place if you are ever involved in an accident. How you respond will vary based on the extent of your injuries and what caused your crash. If the bicycle accident was caused by someone else’s negligence, you’ll need to have a plan for taking legal action.
This guide provides a pair of checklists to help. The first outlines what you need to do to address your medical needs, and the second breaks down how you can take swift legal action to protect your rights.
Do Bicycle Accidents Cause Serious Injuries?
Bicycle-related injuries can have lasting consequences that impact you for the rest of your life. While many discussions about cycling injuries focus on the head, injuries to your upper limbs are also a significant concern. In fact, the shoulder is affected in 48% of bicycle crashes. About half of all injuries involve soft tissue, and the other half involve damage to bony structures.
The extent of your injuries will vary based on factors such as:
- How fast you were traveling
- Whether you were wearing protective gear
- What caused the accident (e.g., falling, being struck by a car)
- How you landed
Despite your best efforts, you can still be on the receiving end of a bike crash. Here’s what you need to do if that happens.
Your Medical Checklist
Your medical needs always come first. If you get hurt in a bike crash, you should:
- Conduct a quick self-assessment
- Get to a safe location (if you are in the roadway)
- Seek prompt medical treatment
- Let EMS evaluate you
- Follow up at the hospital
- Attend all scheduled treatments
- Save everything, including receipts and medical reports
Documentation is essential. Keep a copy of any records, receipts, and other documents you receive while addressing your medical needs.
Your Legal Checklist
After the dust has settled and you’ve addressed your urgent medical needs, it’s time to consider legal action. You may be able to file a lawsuit if a negligent party caused your accident.
In those scenarios, you should:
- Book a free consultation with an attorney
- Not sign anything from the insurance company
- Avoid getting pressured into a rushed settlement
- Seek fair compensation
If you file a claim against the at-fault party, their insurance company may try to push you into a lowball settlement. Don’t fall for this. They want to save as much money as possible. They are not on your side.
Why Every Second Counts
The clock starts ticking when you are involved in a bicycle accident. If your injuries are severe, you need treatment right away. Seeking care quickly also shows the severity and legitimacy of your injuries, which can help support your compensation claim.
Your legal clock begins counting down, too. All states have a statute of limitations, which is a deadline for you to file a lawsuit. If you miss this deadline, you may be barred from receiving compensation. For example, in Georgia, you have two years from the date of your injuries to file a claim.
However, you shouldn’t wait anywhere near that long. Schedule a free consultation with a local personal injury attorney so they have plenty of time to preserve evidence, track down witnesses, and build a strong case on your behalf.
What to Do First
If you are injured in a bicycle accident, run through the medical checklist, and then transition to the legal checklist. Save everything, even if you don’t think it will be important. The more evidence you have, the better. Knowing the local laws and your legal rights helps you ride safely and stay prepared.
