Did A Jogger Cause You To Crash Your Bike? 3 Steps To Handling A Pedestrian-Cyclist Accident Case

You consider yourself an advanced cyclist, and you ride your bike for everything from your commute to work to competitions. You also make safety a priority and always adhere to the bicycle safety laws. Unfortunately, you've noticed that it gets harder to stay safe when others run and walk on shared paths with little concern for anyone else. The worst part is that you now have to deal with a personal injury that happened when a careless jogger ran into your path. Now that the worst has happened, use these strategies to recover physically and financially from your pedestrian-cyclist accident:

Document Your Injuries

While cyclists often fear being hit by a car, it is just as dangerous to experience a collision with a pedestrian. The forces generated from your sudden stop can lead to serious injuries that involve brain trauma or broken limbs. It is also possible to be knocked into oncoming traffic. After you have gotten to safety, do a quick self-check to identify potential injuries. If you suspect a life-threatening injury seek emergency medical attention. Otherwise, seek treatment as soon as possible after you have reported the incident. Either way, save photographs, medical reports, and hospital bills as proof of your injuries that a law firm can use if your case goes to court.

Preserve the Evidence

Bicycle safety gear is not safe to wear again after it has been in an accident. However, you should no throw it away until your personal injury lawyers give you the okay. This is because your damaged helmet and shredded clothing can be used to show how severe the accident was. You should also avoid repairing or replacing your bicycle since the damage to it can also be used to demonstrate the severity of your accident.

Avoid Admitting Guilt

Personal injury lawyers must prove that the other party failed to follow proper safety protocol in pedestrian-cyclist accidents. Often, the other party's insurance company will attempt to get you to say things that make you appear guilty. Keep in mind that pedestrians can be at fault in a collision if they engaged in reckless or negligent behavior such as failing to look both ways at an intersection as they jogged into your path.

A bicycle crash is serious, and the injuries that you sustained must be tended to so that you can get back out on the road. Remember to always handle a collision the right way so that you can recover compensation for your injuries and any related property damage that occurs from someone else's negligence. Contact a law office like Wegner C Dennis & Assoc for more information and assistance.