Being in any accident can be scary, and a biking accident with a vehicle is no different. After a biking accident, there are specific steps you should take, just like after a car accident. If you regularly ride or commute on your bike, it is important to know and understand what you should do after a biking accident.
#1 Call for Help
The first thing that you need to do is call for help, just like in a car accident. You want to report the crime to the police. This is important to do regardless of who was responsible for the accident, you or the driver of the vehicle involved.
While waiting for the police, if possible, do not move your bicycle. Let it lay undisturbed at the scene so the police can get a full picture of what happened.
The job of the police officer is to stand as a neutral party and document what happened. The police officer will also add their own observations of the scene to the police report, which, as a third-party, is important information.
The police officer will also write down if they think either one of you violated the law based on the information at hand. Sometimes, it is obvious and easy for a police officer to issue a ticket at the scene of the accident, and other times, a ticket comes later when the police officer has had more time to look into the accident.
#2 Get Information from Involved Parties
Next, you need to get information from all involved parties. If the vehicle who you collided with stopped, get the driver's name and contact information as well as their insurance information. You should share your name and contact information with the driver as well.
If there was anyone who witnessed the accident and stopped, get their name and contact information. Third-party witnesses can be really important if you determine you want to move forward with a lawsuit or pursue other legal action after the car accident.
#3 Document What You See
If you are able to, document what you see. Take pictures of your bike, the other vehicles involved in the accident, and the surrounding environment. Take a quick video with your cell phone showing the environment. Just make sure you get visual evidence of what happened.
Having visual evidence is really important. Visual evidence speaks for itself, and can really strengthen any legal case you have moving forward.
After a bike accident, you need to call the police and not disrupt the scene of the accident. You need to get contact information from everyone involved in the accident and who witnessed the accident. You need to collect visual evidence via pictures and videos. Then, you need to contact a personal injury attorney to help you get compensation. If you were injured, a personal injury attorney can help you negotiate with the driver's insurance company or go to court if necessary.