If you have been involved in a bicycle accident, then you may be entitled to compensation. When a bicycle collides with a motor vehicle, the bicycle rider is likely to sustain mild to serious injuries as, apart from a helmet, most cyclists have little to no protection when riding their bike. Knowing what to do at the scene of a bicycle accident is very important. Without hiring an experienced legal team that knows how to navigate the Florida legal system and can offer invaluable advice, you risk not receiving the highest amount of compensation for your personal injury claim.
At The Law Place, our personal injury lawyers can offer invaluable legal advice and recommend what action to take after being involved in a bike accident. Our lawyers have 75 years of experience dealing with bicycle accident claims, so we can provide the best advice relevant to your case. Our attorneys care about our clients, and we strive to make sure that they get the best possible outcome for their case. We also believe in constant and open communication with our clients so that they completely understand the process they have to go through when filing their claim.
Our attorneys at The Law Place are here to help. Call us at (941) 444-4444 for a free legal consultation with an experienced lawyer at our law firm today.
Steps to Take After a Bike Accident
Before filing your claim, it’s important to know exactly what to do after being involved in a bike accident. By following the advice of an experienced personal injury attorney, you can maximize the likelihood of getting the justice as well as the compensation that you deserve.
Contact the Police
First and foremost, you should call the police soon after the accident occurs. Once you’ve contacted them, it’s highly recommended that you wait for the police to arrive at the accident scene. While waiting, you should leave your bicycle in the same state it was after the crash unless it causes an obstruction to other drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians.
When the police officer arrives at the scene of the accident, they will write an accident report. The report will detail where and when the accident happened, the vehicles involved, contact details of the parties involved, and potential eyewitnesses. When speaking to the responding officer and the other driver, never accept blame for the accident, as this could weaken your case. A lawyer can help you receive a copy of the police report and use it as evidence to strengthen your case.
Seek Medical Attention
If you have sustained serious injuries, you should seek immediate medical attention. If not, we still highly recommend having a medical professional perform a physical examination on you after your accident. Many bicycle accidents result in the cyclist involved sustaining injuries as they usually have little to no protection. You may have even sustained an injury without even realizing it. Some seemingly minor injuries can actually be quite serious if not treated quickly. Therefore, we highly recommend seeking medical attention by contacting a doctor immediately. Hidden injuries can be detected by an experienced doctor, and having evidence that you sought medical attention and received treatment as a result of your accident may strengthen your claim.
Take Photographs
Once you’ve contacted the police and checked that you hadn’t sustained any evident injuries with physical symptoms, you should take photographs of the accident scene in addition to the driver’s license plate number and any physical injuries you have sustained.
It’s also recommended to note down any extra information that may be useful, including the road and weather conditions at the time of the accident, in addition to the exact location of where the accident took place.
Collect Information
If you are able to, we recommend gathering as much information as possible from people at the scene of the accident, including:
- The driver’s insurance company.
- The driver’s license number.
- The driver’s contact details, including their name and phone number.
- Contact information of any eyewitnesses.
Gathering information on the at-fault driver can help speed the legal process along. Also, eyewitness statements can be used as evidence that can strengthen your case, so collecting the contact information of potential eyewitnesses is highly recommended.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you’ve been involved in a bicycle accident, you should seek legal representation as soon as possible. Having an experienced attorney to deal with the legal proceedings for you can be very useful and alleviate many of the stresses that usually follow taking legal action against an at-fault party. Your bicycle accident attorney can:
- Gather evidence.
- Calculate the damages you could claim.
- Contact potential eyewitnesses on your behalf.
- File your claim.
- Lead negotiations with insurance companies.
- Consult medical experts.
- Deal with paperwork and meet deadlines.
- Answer your legal questions.
File a Claim With Your Insurance Company
Because Florida is a no-fault state, those seeking compensation must file an insurance claim with their own insurance company in the State of Florida as per Florida Statute 627.7407. If your attorney calculates that the amount of damages you have incurred after your accident exceeds your insurance coverage, they can help you file an insurance claim with the other driver’s insurance company. As per Florida Statute 95.11, you have 4 years from the date of your accident to file a claim.
Common Causes of Bike Accidents
Just like any other accident involving motor vehicles, bike accidents can occur due to a variety of reasons. Common causes of bicycle accidents include:
- Distracted driving.
- Driving under the influence.
- Speeding.
- Vehicle fault.
- Tailgating.
- Failure to yield.
- Weather conditions.
Your lawyer will review your case and determine who was liable for the accident. In order to hold a person liable for an accident, your attorney must prove that the at-fault driver owed you a duty of care while operating their vehicle. Your lawyer must then prove that the driver breached this duty of care and that this ultimately led to you sustaining the injuries and damages that you have sustained. After your free case evaluation, your attorney will be able to determine who was liable for your accident and take the necessary steps to prove it.
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day. Common Injuries Sustained After an Accident Involving a Bicycle
Bike accidents often involve at least one of the parties involved sustaining an injury. Injuries commonly sustained after a bicycle accident include:
- Cuts and bruises.
- Fractures and broken bones.
- Road rash.
- Spinal cord injuries.
- Internal bleeding.
- Traumatic brain injury.
If you have been injured as a result of your accident, you may be entitled to compensation to cover the costs of medical bills that you may have incurred after receiving medical treatment. A member of our legal team can help calculate how much you may be owed in compensation by reviewing factors including medical bills and the severity of your injuries. Call us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our top attorneys.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience Damages You May Be Owed From a Personal Injury Case
- Medical bills – An attorney can review your medical records and determine how much money you may be able to claim after receiving medical care to treat your injuries. Treatment for injuries sustained in a bicycle accident is often expensive, so seeking compensation is essential.
- Lost wages – If you have been unable to work due to your accident and therefore lost income, a lawyer can help calculate how much you may be owed in lost wages and fight so that you recover these lost earnings.
- Property damage – You may be able to claim compensation due to the damage to your bike caused by the accident. You can also claim to cover the cost to repair or replace other damaged equipment, including your helmet or cell phone, if it was broken during the collision.
- Pain and suffering – If you have experienced physical and mental pain and suffering after your accident, you may be able to claim compensation.
- Wrongful death – If you have lost a loved one in a bicycle accident, you have the right to seek compensation as per Florida Statute 768.21.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers. Contact The Law Place Today
If you’ve been involved in a bicycle accident, an attorney at our law firm can offer legal counsel and advise you on what to do next. Immediately after the accident, it’s highly recommended to stay at the accident scene and wait for the police to arrive and write an accident report that includes your details. Once you’ve been seen by a medical professional, your next priority should be contacting The Law Place.
At our law firm, we know what we’re doing when it comes to Florida law. We handle bicycle accident cases on a daily basis and have been doing for many years, so we’re more than qualified to take on your case. We know how to deal with insurance companies and ensure that you receive a fair settlement for your claim.
Looking for an experienced and fully-qualified attorney? Then don’t hesitate to contact us! Call us at (941) 444-4444 to schedule your free consultation with one of our skilled lawyers today.
