Cyclists account for approximately 2% of all road accident-related deaths in America. This number is relatively high considering bicycle trips account for only 1% of all trips.
Because of the small bicycle size, a vehicle can hit cyclists and have little or no evidence to show that they were involved in an accident.
Unfortunately, some drivers choose to drive away from the scene even before the cyclist can collect any identifying information. This leaves the cyclist having to deal with the resulting damages on their own, but all may not be lost.
Here’s what you can do after a hit-and-run accident to better your chances of getting justice.
Call a Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Hit and run accidents can be pretty complicated, and it is often easy to give up. After all, you didn’t get a chance to identify the driver, car model, or license plates.
As hopeless as the circumstances may seem, it is best to contact a bicycle accident attorney the earliest possible if you are a victim of a hit-and-run accident to help you understand your legal options.
A skilled lawyer can help you explore all the available options and collect evidence that can be critical in proving a case if the driver is apprehended.
Call the Police
Calling the police should be a priority after a bike accident. Doing this helps you document your accident and obtain a police report, which may be a requirement if you intend to file a claim.
Even if the police don’t show up, your call will be recorded and can be used to link your injuries and the accident.
Whether the police show up or not, be sure to share any identifying information that can help in an arrest. This includes the color of the vehicle, its model, and anything else you can remember.
Collect Witness Testimonies
As you await help, talking to onlookers can be a good idea. Onlookers can include other drivers that were on the road or bystanders. If you are lucky, you may get a witness to help identify the driver by their vehicle’s license plate.
You may also want to get their contact details if they are willing to help testify in court as a prosecution witness. Hit and run is a crime which means the offending driver will have more than liability to worry about when found.
Get Medical Help
Your health should come first. Thankfully when you place a call to 911, emergency service will show up alongside the police. It would help to take advantage of their presence and have yourself checked out even when you feel alright.
Emergency responders may recommend taking you to the ER for further checkups. It is best to follow their advice because some injuries can fail to show at the scene of an accident because of the adrenaline rush at impact. Also, medical records will act as evidence in your injury claim if you file a lawsuit.
Inform Your Insurer
Almost all insurers have a clause requiring policyholders to contact them in case of an accident, even when they are not at fault. So make sure you inform them as soon as possible.
Depending on the type of policy you carry, it may be possible to recover compensation from your insurer if your efforts to catch the at-fault driver are unsuccessful. For example, if you have an underinsured or uninsured driver’s insurance cover, it may cover bicycle-related hit and run accidents.
If you have medical cover, you could have the coverage kicking in to pay your medical bills as you pursue your lawsuit.
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