What To Do After a Bicycle Accident in Columbus

Being in a traffic accident while riding your bicycle can be an intense and traumatic experience, even if you avoid serious injury. Under less fortunate circumstances, it can be difficult to stay focused and proactively protect your rights in the aftermath of the crash. However, a forward-thinking response is important to preserving your long-term best interests.

Knowing what to do after a bicycle accident in Columbus may not come naturally, which is one of many reasons to seek help from a practiced bicycle accident lawyer such as David Bence. Having an attorney’s guidance could be crucial to effectively pursuing civil recovery. Here are some key points to consider after being in a bicycle crash caused by someone else’s negligence.

Ensure Your Own Physical Safety

If you suffer an injury in a bike crash that may cause long-term disability or life-threatening harm, your first concern should be getting to a Columbus hospital or urgent care clinic for emergency medical treatment. If you are not seriously hurt, your initial step should be moving yourself and your bicycle out of the flow of traffic so you are not at risk of being struck by an oncoming car or another bicyclist.

What Contact Information Should You Gather From Others?

Most of the state laws regarding bicycle accidents and bike injury lawsuits are the same as those that apply to collisions between motor vehicles. Accordingly, you should write down or take pictures of important identifying information from every other person involved in the Columbus bicycle wreck, especially their driver’s license ID number, insurance details, and contact information.

Take Photos at the Accident Scene

If possible, it could be helpful to use your smartphone or other available camera to take pictures of damage sustained by your bike or other vehicles in the wreck, your own injuries, and surrounding Columbus traffic patterns. These photos could serve as crucial evidence for your attorney to factor into an insurance claim or, if necessary, a civil lawsuit later on.

Seek Professional Medical Care As Soon as Possible

Most importantly, you should make it a priority to visit your primary care physician in Columbus or seek professional medical attention elsewhere as soon as you can after being involved in a bike crash. Even if you feel fine in the moment, getting a checkup will ensure you are not missing any subtle injuries. Medical care records also ensure there is court-admissible documentation of any injuries you have sustained.

Contact a Columbus Attorney for Advice on What To Do After a Bicycle Accident

Understanding what to do after a bicycle accident in Columbus may help strengthen a possible civil claim over that accident. Achieving a favorable outcome from your claim can be complex and require not just extensive legal expertise but also experience applying that knowledge during both private settlement talks and civil court trials.

The help you need is available from our team at Bence Law Firm, LLC. Call today to schedule a consultation and discuss your possible claim.