Getting in a Bicycle Accident can be an extremely jarring and upsetting experience. In the aftermath of a crash, you’ll likely be shaken up, worried about your injuries, focused on getting medical treatment, and wondering what happens next. While caring for your health is the top concern, there are also some key legal and insurance questions you should be asking too. That’s why it’s so important to have an experienced bicycle accident lawyer in your corner to guide you and advocate for your rights.

Here are 10 critical questions you or your attorney should seek detailed answers to following a bike crash:

1. What caused the accident?

Pinpointing fault and liability will be crucial to pursuing fair compensation, so work to piece together critical details about how the crash happened. If it involved a collision with a car, who had the right of way? Were proper turn signals used? Was the cyclist visible and riding legally? Were traffic signs or signals obeyed by both parties? Or did hazardous road conditions like potholes, debris, or lack of appropriate bike lanes contribute? Analyze photos and video footage, talk to witnesses, review police reports, visit the accident scene and leave no stone unturned to determine causes.

2. Who witnessed the accident and what exactly did they see?

Secure names and contact information of anyone who saw the incident occur. Get them to provide official written statements while the memory is fresh detailing where they were, how they saw the sequence of events unfold, who they believe is at fault, as well as capturing unique details that may bolster or counter the accounts of others. Multiple eyewitness perspectives can corroborate or shed light on your version of what happened. 

3. Was the driver insured and did they fully cooperate and remain at the scene?

You need to file a liability claim with the insurance company of the at-fault driver to cover your damages, medical bills and suffering. This is where their cooperation level – and sobriety – matters. If they refused to share insurance information at the time or unlawfully fled before police arrived, getting compensation becomes vastly harder. An accident report should be filed along with potential criminal hit-and-run charges against the driver.

4. Did the police file an accurate, thorough report and what exactly does it conclude?

The official documentation from responding officers will typically assign fault or partial fault, as well as cataloguing contributing factors based on what witnesses and parties involved reported. Review the police report closely for accuracy and completeness related to subtle but important details regarding right-of-way confusion, traffic signage issues, or any inconsistencies between different eyewitness accounts that officers may have gotten wrong. This builds your case.

5. What is the complete extent of all physical, mental and emotional injuries suffered?

Getting checked out at the ER or urgent care right after the accident is often just the start of the health impacts. Lingering issues like fractures, head injuries, back and neck problems, neurological issues, or new mobility limitations may arise days, weeks or months later needing extensive follow-up diagnostics and treatment from specialists. Meticulously document all symptoms – both physical and psychological – as they develop and meet with doctors in each specialty area to assess how these health problems relate to your bicycle crash injuries.

6. What is the actual and estimated future cost of ALL medical expenses tied to the injuries?

At-fault drivers and their insurance companies should fully reimburse you for all hospital, physician, therapy, medication, equipment and related costs connected to crash injuries – both in the near term and into the future. Maintain detailed records of every provider bill and receipt. Consult with doctors on likely upcoming medication, equipment, lab work or specialty treatments still required – securing cost estimates in writing. Tally and update this frequently with your attorney to demand insurers cover the real-world financial burden.

7. How much time off work for recovery is strictly necessary and are there any lasting impacts on your earning ability?

Seek physician signatures on formal paperwork that clearly states an opinion on your temporary physical restrictions and capabilities, including how long you must remain off work in order to properly heal. Ask follow-up questions about the possibility of partial or modified duties. Also, discuss whether any lasting health limitations may emerge that reduce your ability to perform essential job functions in the future – affecting both current and potential salary levels decades down the road.

8. What are the full replacement and repair costs for all property damages?

Retain receipts for crashed bike repair bills or the fair market price you spent replacing your destroyed bicycle altogether. Get written estimates from bike mechanics detailing parts and labor costs for fixes too. Add in receipts for helmet replacement, damaged phones, ripped clothes, and more. You deserve to be made whole financially.

9. What emotional trauma was inflicted and what is appropriate compensation?

Experiencing a bike crash can carry severe psychological impacts – talk through any symptoms of sleeplessness, anxiety, post-traumatic stress and emotional distress with psychologists to assess conditions like PTSD. Secure medical opinions linking any official diagnoses to the accident itself. Discuss appropriate counseling, therapy and medications that may be needed now or in the future – covering out-of-pocket costs as part of your bicycle injury claim. Emotional suffering deserves compensation too.

10. Is any settlement offer fully adequate and accountable?

Once you have mounting evidence on all accident-related costs and losses – from medical bills and lost wages to property damages – hold negligent drivers and insurance companies financially accountable. Don’t accept unreasonably low initial settlement offers. Negotiate firmly with your personal injury attorney for full and fair restitution based on meticulously calculated current plus probable future costs tied directly to all facets of the bike crash and suffered injuries. If needed, take legal action suing drivers in court for justice.

Picking up the pieces physically and emotionally following a bike accident is hard enough without having your rights further violated. Experienced accident injury lawyers can stand up for victims to navigate this difficult process – cataloguing all current and future costs and pressuring insurer payouts to secure you maximum compensation. Don’t go it alone. Protect yourself by asking the right questions and demanding complete accountability.

Let the attorneys at What’s My Case Worth fight for you today.

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