What to Do if You’re Injured in a Bicycle Accident

Bicycle

ccidents e

ll too common. Negligent o

distcted d

ive

s c

use unnecess

y –

nd sometimes tgic -

ccidents. M

ny of the victims e child

en.<

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“> In f

ct,

l

ge pe

cent

ge of people inju

ed in  bicycle

ccident >s e younge

th

n 15. If you o loved one h

s been the victim of

bicycle

ccident, you dese

ve to h

ve you

bicycle

ccident cl

im h

ndled by someone you t

ust. If you

inju

ies e seve

e, you need someone

ith expe

ience h

ndling complex pe

son

l inju

y c

ses.

C

uses of Bicycle

ccidents<

h2>
M

ny d

ive

s compl

in bicyclists

e

iding e

tic

lly o

t

king up too much sp

ce, but the l

s

ys bicyclists h

ve the

ight to she the

o

d

ith othe

vehicles. C

uses of bicycle

ccidents vy g

e

tly, but common f

cto

s include:

• ong>Opening doo
  s<

  st

  ong>:

  hen people p

  k thei

  cs, they

  ely look

  ound befo

  e they open thei

  c

  doo

  s to get out. If

  bicyclist is ne

  ing the c

  , opening the doo

  could c

  use

  se

  ious imp

  ct on the bicyclist.

  hile this might m

  ke fo funny ptf

  ll in

  movie, it’s no l

  ughing m

  ttehen it h

  ppens to you.

• ong>Sides

  ipe ong>: Sides

  ipes h

  ppen

  hen

  c doesn’t give

  bicyclist enough

  oom

  hen p

  ssing.<

  li>

• ong>

  e

  -end ong>: Just

  s t

  o cs c

  n be involved in

  e

  -end collision, this too c

  n h

  ppen

  ith

  bicycle

  nd

  c

  . This type of

  ccident is common

  t inte

  sections in neighbo

  hoods,

  hen cs do not stop quickly enough.<

  li>

• ong>C

  ossing in f

  ont<

  st

  ong>: These

  ccidents h

  ppen

  hen

  vehicle c

  osses you

  p

  th

  hile you e

  iding

  bicycle. These

  ccidents

  lso often h

  ppen

  t inte

  sections,

  nd they h

  ppen bec

  use the c d

  ive

  isn’t p

  ying

  ttention

  nd f

  ils to see the cyclist.<

  li>

• ong>Blind spot:<

  st

  ong> Bicyclists

  l

  ys

  ide on the

  ight side of the

  o

  d, but this c

  n sometimes be d

  nge

  ous if

  c

  is tu

  ning

  ight

  nd doesn’t see them. If the d

  ive

  doesn’t check his o

  he

  blind spot befo

  e tu

  ning, they could hit the cyclist.<

  li>

e you noticing

t

end in

ll of these

ccidents? D

ive

e

o

! In e

ch of these c

ses, the d

ive

of the c is to bl

me fo

the incident. If you

nd you

bicycle didn’t c

use the

ccident, you shouldn’t be

ny

esponsibility fo

the costs

ssoci

ted

ith youecove

y.

Hum

n Eo

If only d

ive

s p

id bettettention to thei

su

oundings, m

ny

ccidents could be p

evented. Unfo

tun

tely, th

t’s

ishful thinking. Some d

ive

eo

s th

t f

equently c

use

ccidents include:

• <
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  ef=”https://c

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  f

  t

  l-speeding-

  ccident-pe

  cent/”> ong>Speeding<

  st

  ong><>:

  hen

  d

  ive

  is in

  hu

  y

  nd viol

  ting speed limits, thei

  e

  ction time

  nd l

  ck of eness could l

  nd you in the hospit

  l.<

  li>

• ong>

  e

  the

  ong>:

  hen

  d

  ive

  doesn’t

  ccount fo

  b

  d

  e

  the

  conditions, they could end up c

  using

  n

  ccident. Most bicyclists

  ill t

  y to

  void

  iding in b

  d

  e

  the

  , but sometimes it’s not possible.

• <
  h

  ef=”https://c

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  se

  vices

  houston-d

  unk-d

  iving-dui-o

  -d

  i-

  ccident-

  tto

  ney

  “> ong>D

  iving unde

  the influence<

  st

  ong><>:

  hethe

  d

  iving unde

  the influence of d

  ugs o

  lcohol,

  hen

  d

  ive

  is imp

  i

  ed, he o

  she is mo

  e likely to c

  use

  n

  ccident, especi

  lly

  ith

  sm

  lle

  vehicle on the

  o

  d like

  bicycle.<

  li>

• ong>Multit

  sking ong>:

  hethe

  d

  ive

  is checking

  device like

  cell phone o

  t

  blet, o

  eng

  ging in

  ctivities like

  pplying m

  keup o

  e

  ting, one thing’s fo

  ce

  t

  in: they’

  e m

  king

  big mist

  ke of <

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  se

  vices

  pe

  son

  l-

  necdote-distcted-d

  iving/”>dist

  cted d

  iving<> th

  t could cost someone thei

  life.<

  li>

Eve

y city is becoming mo

e

nd mo

e bicycle-f

iendly. Bikes e

che

p mode of tnspo

t

tion

nd

e g

e

t fo

the envi

onment. Ho

eve

, it’s up to d

ive

s to

dhe

e to s

fety

egul

tions to help keep eve

yone

ho shes the

o

d s

fe.

s

cyclist, you c

n

lso t

ke p

event

tive me

su

es to

void being involved in

n

ccident. If you

ide

t nighttime, m

ke su

e you h

ve

eflecto

s on you

bike

nd

e

light-colo

ed clothing. If the

e’s b

d

e

the

,

ide mo

e c

efully.

hile e

ch d

ive

should be

le

t

nd look out fo

othe

vehicles on the

o

d, including you,

em

ining ext

emely

le

t to you

o

n su

oundings is

lso key to keeping you

self s

fe.

Inju

ies C

used by Bicycle

ccidents

The

e e<

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"> nely 1,000 bicyclists killed e

ch ye

in the United St

tes<> in vehicle

ccidents. Not eve

y bicycle

ccident

ill

esult in inju

y to the

ide

, but they e much mo

e likely to be hu

t th

n the d

ive

s o

p

ssenge

s of

c

.

iding

bicycle is g

e

t exe

cise

nd

che

p fo

m of tnspo

t

tion, but it c

n

lso be ext

emely d

nge

ous,

s it le

ves you

enti

e body exposed to imp

ct

e

ing

helmet

nd t

king othe

s

fety p

ec

utions helps, but in the event of

collision, you

body

ill still t

ke the b

unt of the imp

ct. Some of the most common bicycle

ccident inju

ies e:

• ong>
  o

  d

  sh ong>:

  o

  ds e not kind to hum

  n skin.You likely

  l

  e

  dy lened this skinning you

  knee

  s

  kid. Even if you’

  e

  e

  ing p

  otective ge no

  , you’

  e still p

  one to get multiple cuts, sc

  pes,

  nd b

  uises if you’

  e involved in

  n

  ccident

  nd th

  o

  n f

  om you

  bicycle.

• ong>B

  oken bones ong>: You

  enti

  e body is exposed not only to the imp

  ct

  ith

  vehicle, but

  lso to the imp

  ct

  ith the g

  ound.

  hen this h

  ppens, you c

  n e

  sily b

  e

  k bones

  nd sust

  in f

  ctu

  es.<

  li>

• ong>Joint inju

  ies ong>:

  eflexively holding you

  h

  nds out to b

  ce you

  self fo f

  ll c

  n sometimes

  esult in disloc

  ted joints.<

  li>

• ong>Tum

  tic b

  in inju

  ies<

  st

  ong>: Concussions e the most common fo

  m of <

  h

  ef=”https://c

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  se

  vices

  houston-t

  um

  tic-bin-inju

  y-tbi-

  tto

  ney/”>t

  um

  tic bin inju

  y >, but they en’t the only ones. Mo

  e se

  ious tum

  tic b

  in inju

  ies c

  n

  esult in p

  lysis

  nd even de

  th.

  s such, he

  d inju

  ies

  equi

  e immedi

  te medic

  l

  ssessment.

• ong>

  mput

  tion<

  st

  ong>: Sometimes,

  bicycle

  ccident is so seve

  e th

  t

  body p

  t is inju

  ed beyond

  ep

  i

  . If you

  inju

  y

  equi

  es

  mput

  tion, it c

  n c

  use life-

  lte

  ing consequences.

Even mino

bicycle

ccidents c

n h

ve e

th-sh

tte

ing consequences fo

you,

s the victim. Th

t’s

hy it’s so impo

t

nt to spe

k

ith

n expe

ienced bicycle

ccident lyeho c

n help you hold the negligent p

ty

ccount

ble fo

you

inju

ies.

4 Steps to T

ke

fte

You

ccident

Immedi

tely

fte

youccident, you

p

imy conce

n should be you

he

lth

nd s

fety. Ho

eve

, by follo

ing these steps, you c

n help to m

ke su

e you don’t end up in fin

nci

l h

dship

s esult of youccident.

1. ong>C
   ll 911.<

   st

   ong> C

   lling 911 immedi

   tely

   fte

   youccident helps you in sevel ys. Fi

   st, it

   llo

   s l

   enfo

   cement to c

   e

   te

   police

   epo

   t.

   hile the police m

   y not

   ssign f

   ult in the

   epo

   t, they

   ill c

   e

   te

   di

   gm of the

   ccident,

   hich

   ill be useful fo

   you

   bicycle

   ccident cl

   im. C

   lling 911

   lso gives you p

   ompt medic

   l

   ttention. You need quick medic

   l c

   e,

   s  inju

   ies you don’t even notice

   t f

   ist could end up being life-th

   e

   tening.

   emembe

   ,

   s

   cyclist, nothing p

   otects you

   body f

   om imp

   ct

   ith

   c

   .

2. ong>T

   ke pictu

   es.<

   st

   ong> You m

   y not be in good enough condition to t

   ke pictu

   es, so

   sk

   t

   usted f

   iend, f

   mily membe

   , o

   itness to do so on you

   beh

   lf. M

   ke su

   e you get pictu

   es of the enti

   e

   ccident scene, you

   inju

   ies, you

   bicycle,

   nd the c(s) involved. If you’

   e developing b

   uises o

   s

   elling, t

   ke mo

   e pictu

   es of these inju

   ies

   s they ch

   nge th

   oughout the coming

   eek.<

   li>

3. ong>Seek

   ddition

   l medic

   l c

   e ong>.

   fte

   you e seen by

   medic

   l p

   ofession

   l

   t the scene of the

   ccident, you should

   lso m

   ke su

   e you see

   docto

   o

   eme

   gency

   oom physici

   n.

   s discussed, you

   inju

   ies could be se

   ious. You

   body took the full fo

   ce of the imp

   ct

   ith the vehicle. Do not

   oy

   bout cost

   t this point - you

   fi

   st

   nd only conce

   n should be m

   king su

   e th

   t you

   e t

   ken ce of by

   docto

   so th

   t you c

   n m

   ke

   full

   nd complete

   ecove

   y.

4. ong>Do not

   dmit f

   ult<

   st

   ong>. This seems like

   common-sense step, but the insu

   nce comp

   ny c

   n t

   ist seemingly innocent phses

   nd use them

   g

   inst you. “M

   ybe I could’ve been mo

   e c

   eful…I guess I looked do

   n fo second.” Quotes you m

   y give in the diso

   ienting

   fte

   m

   th of

   n

   ccident  could le

   d

   n insu

   nce comp

   ny to gue th

   t you

   e

   t le

   st p

   ti

   lly li

   ble fo

   you

   inju

   ies,

   nd keep you f

   om m

   ximizing you

   fin

   nci

   l

   ecove

   y.<

   li>

C

ll

bicycle

ccident lye

. Look fo

someone

ith the specific expe

ience th

t c

n help you get b

ck on you

feet, f

st.

If you o

loved one is in

bicycle

ccident, you o

e it to you

self to m

ke su

e th

t you e p

ope

ly ced fo

. You dese

ve someone

ho

ill st

nd up fo

you.

Potenti

l D

m

ges in

Bicycle

ccident L

suit

Bicycle

ccident de

ths

nd inju

ies<

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ef=”https://

.cdc.gov

moto

vehicles

fety/bicycle/index.html” t

get=”_bl

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el=”noopene

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no

efee

“> cost the United St

tes ove

$10 billion in medic

l ce

nd lost

ges >. Th

t is eno

mous!

hen you

e f

cing the p

ospect of being out of

o

k tempo

ily o

even pe

m

nently, you’

e likely st

essed

bout ho

you

ill p

y the bills. Th

t

ddition

l

nd unnecess

y st

ess could p

event you f

om m

king

quick

ecove

y. Look fo bicycle

ccident inju

y l fi

m th

t

ill

o

k h

d to help you

ecove

compens

tion fo

you

:

• P

  in

  nd suffe

  ing

• Emotion
  l dist

  ess

• Lost
  

  ges

• Loss of comp
  nionship<

  em>

• P
  st, p

  esent,

  nd futu

  e medic

  l bills<

  em>

M

ny people don’t think enough

bout thei

futu

e needs

nd the mific

tions of thei

ccident.

hen you’

e inju

ed, you focus only on you

immedi

te futu

e, you

ecove

y,

nd

ll those medic

l bills sitting on you

kitchen t

ble. Insu

nce comp

nies kno

this,

nd they

ill p

ey on you. Insunce comp

nies

nt to m

ke

s much money

s possible,

nd if they p

y out you

cl

im in full, th

t cuts into thei

p

ofits. They counte

ct this by p

oviding lo

-b

ll settlement offe

s to ove

helmed bicycle

ccident victims soon

fte

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ccident

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“>Ste

t J. Guss <><

figc

ption><

figu

e> Sho

tly

fte

you

e inju

ed, you might

eceive

c

ll f

om

n insu

nce comp

ny

ep

esent

tive offe

ing you

quick settlement. They kno

you’

e out of

o

k,h

ve medic

l bills piling up,

ndneed quick c

sh.

Don’t

ct h

stily. Don’t settle fo

nything less th

n

h

t you’

e entitled to. ! This initi

l settlement offe

likely

on’t even covell of you

medic

l expenses. You don’t h

ve

ll the

ns

e

s you need. You might not even kno

h

t questions you should be

sking! Th

t’s

hy you need

t

usted bicycle

ccident lye

by you

side, looking out fo

you

best inte

ests.

bicycle

ccident l

ye

ill help you c

e

te

n

ccu

te estim

te of you

futu

e medic

l expenses. Depending on the seve

ity of you

inju

ies, you m

y

equi

e hospit

l visits, su

ge

ies,

nd

eh

bilit

tion. Besides th

t, you m

y

lso h

ve eduction in you

qu

lity of life o

f

mily st

bility bec

use of you

inju

ies.

ll of this needs to be t

ken into

ccount

hen you negoti

te

ith the insunce comp

ny.

e don’t nt to see you fo

ced into mo

e hdship bec

use you end up h

ving to p

y out of pocket fo

inju

ies you didn’t c

use. Plus,

hen you sign the lo

b

ll settlement offe

, you

ill

ive you

ight to b

ing

ny futu

e cl

ims

g

inst the insu

nce comp

ny fo

this

ccident. The t

uth is, the negligence of

nothe

pe

son inju

ed you,

nd you shouldn’t h

ve to p

y

dime out of you

o

n pocket in o

de

to he

l.

hile it’s t

ue th

t most pe

son

l inju

y cl

ims settle out of cou

t, sometimes insunce comp

nies

efuse to negoti

te

e

son

bly.

hen th

t h

ppens, look fo

l

fi

m

ith the

esou

ces necess

y to t

ke you

c

se

ll the

y to t

i

l.

void fu

the

tumnd tgedy

s best

s you c

n. You h

ve enough

esponsibilities on you

pl

te

l

e

dy - let justice be ou

s.