Bicycle accidents often result in severe injuries for riders in and around the Denver area. If you or somebody you love has sustained a bicycle accident injury caused by the negligence of another driver, there are various steps that you can take immediately following the incident and in the days and weeks that followed to help recover full compensation for your injuries and other losses.
The number one priority in the aftermath of a bicycle accident is checking yourself for injuries. Please understand that the signs and symptoms of some bicycle accident injuries do not appear until hours or even days after the crash occurs. You need to assume that you have sustained an injury if you have been impacted by a motor vehicle while riding a bicycle. Either let EMS officials take you to the hospital or go to an emergency clinic as soon as you can.
The police need to come to the scene of a bicycle accident so they can conduct an initial investigation into the incident and fill out an accident report. In order to recover compensation through an insurance carrier, it is important to have this accident report.
We always suggest that individuals involved in bicycle accidents gather evidence, but only if they are able to do so. Under no circumstances should a person try to gather evidence if they have sustained a severe injury or if the overall accident scene is not safe. However, if the scene is safe, and if there are no severe injuries, individuals can use a phone or another type of camera to photograph anything they see at the scene of the crash. This can include any injuries, damage to the bicycle or vehicles, debris around the scene, traffic and weather patterns, and more.
If there were any eyewitnesses to the bicycle crash, try and get their names and contact information so they can be contacted later on by an insurance carrier or give testimony to a personal injury jury if necessary.
Finally, if you see any surveillance cameras on nearby homes or businesses around where the crash occurred, make a note of where they are so they can be contacted and asked to provide footage of the incident.
If you have an auto insurance policy, you may be able to recover compensation through the state’s no-fault rules. This will only apply if the bicycle crash involves an incident with another motor vehicle. You should be able to recover compensation for medical bills as well as some wage loss benefits.
We encourage you to reach out to a skilled bicycle accident lawyer in Denver who has experience handling these claims. An attorney can help you deal with the insurance carriers involved and any potential personal injury lawsuit that may be necessary against the at-fault party.
You need to keep documentation of everything after a bicycle accident occurs. This includes your medical records, any medical bills that come in, proof of all out-of-pocket expenses, and any proof that you lost wages as a result of the injuries caused by the crash.
Individuals who sustain bicycle accident injuries must continue all medical care until they have fully recovered. Anytime a person discontinues medical care against the advice of a doctor, they risk the insurance carrier denying the claim.
