After you’ve been involved in an accident, it’s easy to be overcome with fear or frustration. But just like in an auto accident scenario, it’s important you maintain your cool as much as possible and take certain steps to protect yourself and any possibility of future compensation.
With this in mind, here’s a quick overview of what you should do in the immediate aftermath of a bike accident.
- Seek medical attention: First and foremost, you should call an ambulance to the scene if you or anyone else has sustained serious injuries in the accident. This is the most important step you can take—get the treatment you need as soon as possible and worry about everything else later if needed. If your medical issues aren’t an emergency, you can stay at the scene and schedule an appointment to be checked out as soon as possible after you get home.
- Call the police: At the very least, get the police to the scene and wait for them arrive so they can gather information and file a police report. When police arrive, give them all the facts and make sure your side of the story is heard, without editorializing.
- Watch what you say to the driver: You can communicate with the driver, but focus only on the essentials, including contact information and insurance policy. Don’t attempt to negotiate with the driver at all. Wait for police to handle most of the communications.
- Collect evidence: Take photos of the scene, including the condition of the road and any traffic signals in the area, and get photos of any injuries you sustained as well.
For more information about the steps you should take after you’ve been involved in a bike accident, contact an experienced Bradenton, FL personal injury lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez & Walsh.