What Should You Check for After a Bicycle Accident?

Bicycle accidents, especially in areas like Los Angeles, are on the rise. When compared with vehicle-on-vehicle accidents, bicycle-on-vehicle accidents often cause little property damage. Since emergency responders often don’t come to the scene, many victims assume they were in a minor accident.

There’s no such thing as “minor” surgery if you’re going under the knife, and there’s no such thing as a “minor” bicycle accident if you were the victim. So, a bicycle accident lawyer in Los Angeles should always evaluate your case and connect you with a doctor. Only a doctor can determine the extent of your injuries, and only a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer can determine the amount of compensation you may be entitled to.

Check Yourself for Injuries

Frequently, adrenaline masks pain. Therefore, many bicycle crash victims have undiagnosed moderate or severe traumatic brain injuries.

An mTBI is basically a concussion. Individually, these head injuries aren’t too serious. However, the cumulative effect of concussions causes a degenerative brain condition (CTE) that’s usually fatal.

A fall off a bike, as opposed to a trauma injury, often causes an sTBI. When people fall, their brains slam against the insides of their skulls. These impacts cause serious brain damage that’s usually permanent.

So, always check yourself for early head injury symptoms, like dizziness, confusion, headache, nausea. Also check yourself for surface injuries, such as:

• Bleeding or cuts,
• Bruising or swelling,
• Broken bones or joint pain,
• Back or neck pain, and
• Road rash (abrasions).

Movie tough guys often don’t know they’ve been shot until someone points out their injuries. The same thing is true for bicycle accident victims.

Check Others Involved

Inspect other people and ask them if they’re okay, but be very careful what you say during these exchanges.

Under no circumstances should you say “I’m sorry,” even though it seems natural to apologize. Usually, these apologies express sympathy. But in court, an insurance company lawyer can twist an apology into a liability admission.

Call emergency services if anyone is injured and do not move someone who may have a neck or back injury. However, if possible, everyone should move off the roadway. Stay visible and avoid further danger from onlookers and rubberneckers.

Inspect Your Bicycle

When a 2,000-ish pound motor vehicle collides with a 20-ish pound bicycle, the impact almost always makes the bicycle unrideable. However, just like head injuries are difficult to spot, serious bicycle damage is often hard to spot. Look for:

• Bent wheels or rims,
• Misaligned handlebars,
• Broken brake levers or cables,
• Cracked frame,
• Slipped or broken chain, and
• Tire punctures.

No matter how “minor” this damage appears, it makes your bicycle unsafe to ride. You should also preserve this damage for future inspection from an insurance adjuster or a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer.

Collect Information (If Another Party is Involved)

Driver error causes over 90 percent of bicycle accidents. So, another party is almost always involved.

If emergency responders or insurance investigators appear at the scene, they often assign fault to the rider or driver. Fault is a preliminary determination, much like a halftime score. The final score is all that matters, and a legal liability determination is all that matters. So, even if you were “at fault” for the crash, substantial compensation may be available. That’s especially true since both California and Nevada are comparative fault states.

Compensation in a bicycle accident claim usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.

Obtain the other driver’s name and contact information, the vehicle’s license plate number, the other driver’s insurance company and policy number, and contact information for any witnesses. Also take pictures of the scene, the property damage, and your injuries.

Document the Accident

A bicycle accident is an unforgettable event. But the details quickly fade. So, as soon as possible after the crash, note in writing the events leading up to the wreck and the weather and traffic conditions at the time.

Later, take detailed notes about any conversations you have with the insurance company and photograph your injuries over time.

Speaking of insurance company conversations, under no circumstances should you speak with the other driver’s insurance company. Insurance companies direct telephone adjusters to appear affable so they can extract damaging information from victims. Let your Los Angeles personal injury lawyer handle that conversation later.

If your insurance policy requires you to report a crash, by all means report it, but keep the details sketchy. “I was in a bicycle crash at the corner of 4th Street and D” is about enough.

Contact our CA bicycle accident attorneys today!

Minor bicycle accidents often cause major injuries. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in California, contact the Law Offices of Eslamboly Hakim. We do not charge upfront legal fees in these matters.