Attorneys can imagine just how painful it can be to be hit by a car while riding a bike. They have seen how victims of these accidents can sustain excruciating and expensive injuries. Once you are of stable health, that is where an attorney can jump in. They can help you handle the bike accident, to ensure that. you aren’t getting in your own way of receiving the compensation you need to get better. Most people don’t understand the inner workings of the insurance system and personal injury law, and may walk away with less than what they deserve.
Gathering Evidence Before You Leave
Never leave the scene of a bike accident before having collected key elements of evidence. In order to accurately determine the value of your claim, an attorney will need to go over details of how the accident occurred. During your consultation, an attorney may ask if you have any of the following useful information:
- The driver’s information (name, contact, insurance company, policy number, driver’s license number, license plate number, and vehicle make/model year)
- Photographs of the scene including your visible injuries, broken glass, damage to the driver’s vehicle, tire marks on round, and damage to your bike.
- Witness name and contact details
- The officer’s name and badge number, along with where you can pick up a copy of the police report at a later date
The Influence of Witness Statements
If you do not get witness contact information, this may have an impact on your claim because then it becomes your story against the driver’s. Those who saw the accident occur and rushed over to help, are usually okay with providing a statement because they want to see that justice is found. You do not have to get their statement in that moment. Your attorney can contact them within the days following to ensure their story of what they saw supports your claims.
Never Saying Sorry or Implying Fault
Under no circumstances should you try to alleviate the tension of the situation by apologizing or making any other statements that could be interpreted as accepting fault. Even if you think it was your fault or that you were partially to blame for the bike accident, there could be external factors that you aren’t aware of yet that contributed to the incident. We understand that injury accidents can be awkward. But don’t let that feeling of discomfort trick you into saying something that can hurt your claim.
Please don’t go through this alone, hire an attorney during your settlement negotiations. They can review your claim and let you know what your accident is truly worth. Victims of injury accidents get taken advantage of often, simply because they don’t know how they can take action. For a consultation, you can contact an attorney to book your appointment today.
Source:bicycle accident lawyer Denver, CO, Richard J. Banta, P.C.