What to do if you're involved in a cycling accident

When you are out on your bike enjoying a ride and you soon find yourself smashed to the tarmac, you will be shocked and disoriented. In some cases, you may even lose consciousness.

If you are conscious after a cycling accident especially one involving a car, it helps greatly to know what to do. It will help you remain calm and not panic which is what most people do.

You should breathe and settle yourself before you do anything rash. The following is what you should do after you have been involved in a cycling accident:

1. Be Safe

First and foremost, you need to ensure your safety after a cycling accident. A bicycle offers no protection from collision hence you may sustain serious injuries.

You should sit down on the curb or somewhere nearby and check your body for any abnormalities. If you have sustained any serious injuries for example a fracture, you should stay where you are and avoid moving completely.

Getting medical attention should be the only priority if you are seriously injured. Without your health, nothing else will be possible.

If you have no visible or painful injuries, you can move. You should also ensure the safety of anyone else who was involved in the accident.

Cycling accidents rarely result in any casualties but first aid can make a substantial difference in such a situation. Moving the bikes out of the road and making the area safe for others to pass is also a good idea.

2. Get Help

The next step should be to contact the authorities and get some help. You should call them as soon as you can especially if you have sustained serious injuries.

Call the emergency hotline number and report the accident. The police, paramedics, and fire rescue should arrive soon enough.

It is vital for you to wait at the scene of the accident until the police arrive and you file a police report. It is particularly important to report the accident if there was a car involved in the accident.

Police reports may favor the driver of the car over the cyclist hence the importance of getting your version of events on the police accident report.

3. Contact a Lawyer

Even in a cycling accident, there are legal ramifications. A lawyer is best placed to help you with the situation and get the law on your side.

After a cycling accident, you should contact a personal injury attorney if you sustained serious injuries. The bicycle accident attorneys from https://www.dsslaw.com/bicycle-accident-attorney/ say that you should be represented with your legal claims as this will be extremely beneficial when dealing with the insurance company. It is best to have the lawyer negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf.

You should not speak to the insurance company or the other parties involved in the accident before your attorney arrives. The lawyer will be indispensable in helping you deal with the case.

4. Collect Data

Data about the accident will be valuable for all stages of the case and investigation. You should collect as much information about the accident as you can before even the police arrive.

Take photos or video of the accident in as efficient a manner as possible. The better the evidence, the better your position will be in the aftermath of the accident.

The key is to not touch or disturb anything but leave the scene as it is. Collect data about any damage to equipment, skid marks, or witness that might help your case.

You should keep any piece of evidence you obtain intact till the end of the case. It is absolutely necessary that you preserve the evidence and keep it pristine.

5. Contact Information

You should collect the contact information of everyone who was involved in the cycling accident. That will include the information of various witnesses as well as any other drivers or cyclists involved in the accident.

You should exchange information such as your phone number, email, address, license plate number, driving license number, and insurance policy number among others.

The contact information will be valuable in helping you trace everyone who might help your case. It will also help you receive restitution from the guilty party in the accident.

If you are unable to collect contact information at the scene of the accident, you should have your attorney help you.

There is much you should do after a cycling accident to ensure that you pull through just fine. What you do after your accident will help you in recovery and afterward as you return to normal life. Do what has outlined above and you will be in good stead after your cycling accident.