5 Tips For Bicycle Accident Victims

When you go out for a ride on your bicycle, you expect to be able to enjoy your ride and make it back home safely. While this might be your intention, that does not mean it is going to happen each and every time. Countless people are injured when out riding their bikes. If you were injured through no fault of your own, you need to make sure you get the compensation you deserve. Here are a few tips from our Phoenix personal injury lawyer, Aaron Crane, to help those who were injured when riding their bike.

Accident size does not matter.

Oftentimes, people think that small accidents are no big deal. They end up throwing them off and figuring they can bounce back from them fairly quickly. While this might be a nice thought, that is not the way to approach the situation. Even though you might be used to dealing with aches and pains from falls and battling through the road conditions, that does not mean you should have to deal with it from someone hitting into you on your bike.

If you were in an accident that was not your fault, you need to report it right away. This allows you to pursue a personal injury lawsuit against the other party. You need to stand up for your rights. If your bike was damaged and your body sustained injuries, you are entitled to receive compensation for all of your damages and medical bills.

Make sure you wear a helmet and proper gear at all times.

Oftentimes, people go out riding with no protective gear on whatsoever. This could end up coming back on you down the line. Wearing a helmet can not only help prevent death and serious injuries, but it can also help show that you are dedicated to remaining safe when out riding your bike. Many cyclists have been denied the compensation they deserve because they were not wearing their helmet when they sustained major head injuries. A helmet and other protective gear could be the difference between major injuries and minor ones.

Never assume that you do not have a case.

Many people think that they do not have a case if they were at least partially to blame for the accident in the first place. However, that is not the case. Under Arizona law, even someone who was partially injured can file for personal injury damages. However, you could end up having your award reduced based on how much you were at fault for the accident in the first place. For example, you could end up losing out on half of your reward if you were responsible for half of the accident. This could end up costing you substantially. However, it is still worth filing the lawsuit and attempting to recover at least a portion of your damages.

Never assume that you do not have a case if the police report is inaccurate.

Accidents happen all the time. Police reports can often get misconstrued. If the police report is not accurate, that does not mean you are not going to be able to receive any compensation for your claim. You might be surprised at how many different police reports initially showed that the client was the one who caused the problem to begin with only to end up being proven otherwise with enough investigative work on the side of the attorney.

If you have a police report that says that you are the one to blame, do not give up. You know if you were to blame or not. If you were not, you need to trust in the legal team to work for you and make sure you get the compensation that you deserve. This is where an experienced legal professional can analyze everything contained in the report and what you tell them to make sure everything is 100% factual at all times.

Avoid negotiating with the other party.

There is no reason for you to try and work out a deal with the other party or their insurance carrier. You need to leave it to your attorney. Insurance companies will often try to step in and take advantage of your limited knowledge and get you to settle for a fraction of what you deserve. Do not let this happen to you. Settling too quickly could end up costing you a significant amount of money on your insurance claim. Your attorney knows what you deserve and how to go about getting it.

Bicycle accident cases are not always as simple as you might like. They can be quite complex and overwhelming. This is why you need to let a trained lawyer go through everything for you and come up with a solution that is going to work the best for you and your needs. An experienced bicycle accident attorney could be the difference between getting the maximum settlement amount you deserve and not being able to walk away with anything.

Stephen Boutros has dedicated over 27 years to advocating for the rights of victims. He focuses on aggressively seeking justice and ensuring that victims of personal injury receive the fullest possible compensation for their injuries and suffering.

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