Personal Injury Lawyer

Bicyclists are vulnerable as soon as they step out onto the road and hop on their bike. Even with protective gear like a helmet and padding, serious injury can result if they were to get hit by a driver who wasn’t paying attention. To make matters worse, the driver who caused the accident may drive off out of fear of having to pay for the victim’s medical bills, losses, and damages. Here are ways that a bicyclist can help protect themselves if a hit and run bike accident were to ever occur:

What tactics can I use to help capture the driver?

Hit and run accidents with bicycle riders can result in devastating injuries. Some riders may lose consciousness from the impact, which can make identifying the driver much more difficult. Bicyclists can use the following tactics as preventative measures, just in case they find themselves in a hit and run bike accident: 

• Use mirrors. If you don’t have them on your bike, then fix them to your handlebars. Adding these mirrors can help you identify the vehicle that hit you if you use them often to see who is in your surroundings.
• Consider purchasing a camera for your handlebars. You can mount the camera and record your rides. Then, if an accident happens your video could capture the driver, vehicle, license plate number, witnesses, and other vital details. This video can also serve as influential evidence to show you were operating your bike in a safe manner when the accident occurred.
• Wear safety gear despite what your state law requires. Perhaps your state doesn’t necessitate that bicyclists wear helmets. But, if you don’t and then are part of an accident in which you got hurt, the opposition may try to reduce your claim or compensation because you had not used safety gear. 

How soon after the accident should I see my doctor?

There is no reason why you shouldn’t see a doctor shortly after the bike accident. In fact, you should have called the police so you could get the medical attention you needed while still at the scene. The longer you delay in getting medical care, the more likely the opposition is to try and cast doubt into the severity of your injuries. If you sustained painful and complicated injuries, the opposition may ask why you hadn’t sought medical care sooner. 

How useful is a witness’ statement if they saw the accident happen?

Witnesses can be immensely beneficial to a person’s claims, particularly if they have no connection to you and were just a bystander who happened to be present at the time. It is advisable that you gather witness contact information and ask them to provide a statement about what they saw. Witnesses can be helpful if their story matches what you experienced in regards to the accident. The witness may even be able to give details about the vehicle, what the driver looked like, and which direction they had gone after fleeing the scene. 

If you’ve been involved in a bicycle accident, don’t hesitate to contact a bike accident lawyer in Salt Lake City, UT to discuss your options.

Thanks to Rasmussen & Miner for their insight into personal injury claims and bicycle hit and run accidents.