Even though walking and bike riding accounts for the least common modes of transportation, car accidents involving pedestrians and bike riders result in a higher rate of serious injury or death than wrecks that only involve vehicles. If you are hit by a car while walking or biking, the immediate actions you take are critical in ensuring you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries and damages. Familiarizing yourself with these steps could make a big difference in your recovery and settlement if you are ever in a wreck:
Call the Police
It’s a sad fact that because many car accidents involving pedestrians and bike riders often leave the vehicle unscratched, the police are not even notified. Unfortunately, experts estimate that 75% of at-fault drivers are never even cited for hitting a bicyclist or pedestrian after a wreck. Even if you don’t believe that you are injured after being struck by a vehicle, you should always make sure the police are called. If you suffer an injury that isn’t evident until hours or days later, it will be difficult to be compensated for your injuries if a police report isn’t filed at the time of the incident.
Get Contact Information From Witnesses
Get contact information from anyone who witnessed the incident and can testify to the details of it. When your accident lawyers are building your case, the more statements they have verifying the details of the wreck, the more leverage they will have to make sure you are fairly compensated. If you don’t collect any contact information before the witnesses leave the scene of the accident, you will have no way of contacting them later if more details are necessary.
Seek Medical Attention
Even if you do not believe you are injured, you should always seek medical attention after a car and bicycle accident. Many injuries are not immediately evident; sometimes an injury that doesn’t seem severe enough to go through the hassle of the Emergency Room will get progressively worse as time goes on. Not getting medical attention will make it difficult for your personal injury attorneys to get the compensation you deserve. Laws on hitting pedestrians say that it’s the injured party’s “duty to mitigate damages.” This means that since you did not fulfill your responsibility to get medical attention immediately, you are partially to blame for the extent of the injury. You may not be fully compensated if you don’t get immediate medical attention.
Contact a Lawyer
Even if you don’t believe a lawsuit is necessary to recover your damages, having a lawyer on your side will help ensure the best outcome. Your lawyer will be able to advise you on how to proceed and negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf, so that you don’t settle for less than you deserve.
If your case does require litigation, look for a lawyer who specializes in the type of wreck you were involved in. Many times, car accidents involving pedestrians or bicyclists have complicated legal implications. You want to be represented by a professional who fully understands the complex legal nuances involved in your case.
Have you ever been involved in any car accidents involving pedestrians or bicyclists? Did you hire an accident lawyer to help you negotiate your settlement? We want to hear about your experience; please leave us a comment with the details.
