The reality of riding a bike is that the danger of an accident occurring is very much at the forefront of your mind whenever you hop into the saddle.
Ideally you’ll be able to avoid this type of calamity from day to day, but what should you do if a collision occurs and you are involved?
Get details and gather evidence
If you are still physically OK after the accident, you should do as much as you can to find out about the other parties involved, noting down their contact information, the registration of their vehicles and of course their names.
It is also very sensible to take photographs of the scene of the accident, as these can be the most important pieces of evidence later on when it is necessary to prove liability and determine the compensation payout, if any is available to you.
The police need to be made aware of any road traffic accident as soon as possible, especially if there is a need for them to visit the scene.
Place a call to get in touch with them, and also be sure to request an ambulance or any other assistance from the emergency services which is necessary in the circumstances you are facing.
Hire a personal injury lawyer
You need to look after your own interests, so recruiting an experienced attorney to fight your corner if you are involved in a road traffic accident on your bike is always sensible.
Specialist personal injury lawyers, like those at yarianlaw.com, are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to get the best outcome for you as a client.
Remember that even if you are not physically injured, you may be able to claim compensation if you were in an accident that was not your fault which left you with mental health issues directly caused by the trauma you suffered.
Visit a physician
Again, this is very circumstance-dependent, but if you do not need to be taken from the scene of the accident in an ambulance, you should still go and see your doctor as soon as possible to undergo a thorough assessment.
This is yet another part of the evidence-gathering process, as a qualified medical professional will be able to document any physical effects of the accident, which can then be used if you do decide to go ahead with a compensation claim.
The sooner you are able to see your doctor, the better, as it will ensure that any injuries incurred in the incident are clear and obvious.
This can be further supplemented by pictures you take of your body in the immediate aftermath of the collision. Get a third party to take the photos if the angle is awkward.
Collect and retain your bike
Before you leave the scene of a road traffic accident in which you were involved as a cyclist, you must not only remember to take your bike with you, but also to avoid the temptation to carry out any repair work on it until later on.
Preserving your bike in the condition it was left in following the accident will give you additional evidence to support any claim you eventually make. Obviously this might be inconvenient in the short term, especially if you rely on your bike to commute.
If you do get repairs done, be sure to hold onto the receipts and invoices for the work, as you could also get compensation for these costs, so long as you hire the right lawyer for the job.
