Some bike accidents are quite minor, such as when you hit a bump on the sidewalk while taking a leisurely ride through the neighborhood. You probably won’t sustain any injuries from such an accident, and wouldn’t need to take any additional steps than just picking yourself up and getting on your way.
If you were on that leisurely ride and were hit by a car, however, you’d probably have some injuries. A bike accident involving a car or other type of vehicle is going to require additional steps, and you should be prepared with the knowledge of what to do next. The following are some steps you should take after being involved in a bike accident.
Check for Injuries
Some injuries are going to be obvious, but there could be others that aren’t quite so. Check for injuries by pressing on different areas of your body, as some injuries may not hurt unless there’s pressure. If you’re feeling up to it, you could also check other riders or people in the car who might have injuries as well.
Visit the Doctor
Whether you feel your injuries are major or minor, you may want to make a visit to your doctor. If your primary care physician has an immediate opening, that might be a good route, but if you have more serious injuries and can’t get in to your doctor in a reasonable amount of time, it may be more beneficial to head to the emergency room. If paramedics assess your injuries at the scene and recommend taking you to the hospital by ambulance, it may be your smartest option.
Call the Police
As the lawyers at Daniels Law Firm can explain, you always want to have a police report that can back up your story. If injuries are serious, or if the driver is acting erratically, call 911 to get the authorities there as quickly as possible. If there’s not an immediate threat, you could call the local authorities and request an officer to assess your accident. Be sure the officer takes down your side of the story and that any witnesses offer their accounts as well.
Contact the Insurance Company
After your accident, you should acquire the car insurance information of the driver who hit you. Give the insurer a call to let them know there’s a claim coming. That’s really all you need to say for the time being. You might also want to call your own insurance company just to inform them you were in an accident.
Contact an Attorney
A bicycle accident attorney could be one of the most well-equipped individuals to handle the consequences of your accident. For help getting started, contact the Daniels Law Firm, or a bicycle accident attorney today.