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This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice.
Riding a bike may seem more like an élite sport than a recreational activity, which means there are potential risks of severe injuries and death. It is more than just hitting potholes or getting knocked off your bike by another rider. Plenty of dangers can occur in the saddle while enjoying the freedom of traveling down country roads, town streets, and highways with no traffic to worry about.
If you’re ever in doubt about how to proceed after a bicycle accident, especially when you’re not sure who’s at fault, you are not alone. We’ll try to point you in the right direction regarding your rights if you’re ever stuck in a dangerous situation on your bike.
When you get hurt, seek medical attention before deciding what to do next. It’s essential to keep in mind that you have the right to compensation if you were hurt while riding your bike.
Getting Hurt While Riding: What Are Your Rights After a Bicycle Accident?
You have the right to seek compensation for injuries sustained from a bicycle accident. You also have a right to compensation for property damage if your bike is damaged or destroyed in the accident.
The right to compensation includes:
- Ambulance transportation
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Physical therapy
- Pain and suffering
Pursuing Damages
Everyone is entitled to compensation for injuries caused by another person’s negligence on the road. To ensure you’re getting the most compensation possible, your injuries must be severe enough to qualify for damages.
You must have a clear picture of what happened that caused the accident and be able to prove it. You should also have witnesses who can confirm what happened to keep track of your ongoing medical bills and other expenses.
If you’re in a bike accident and were seriously injured, you can sue the other party under state statutes of limitation for a motorcycle lawsuit. If your case does not have a statute of limitations or if you find that the statute is too short for waiting for results in your case, hire an Anderson bicycle accident lawyer who specializes in motorcycle accidents and seek the advice of an attorney.
Injuries Include Brain Injuries, Broken Bones, and Head Injuries
You may be entitled to compensation after your accident if you suffered substantial losses. Injuries that may qualify you for compensation include:
Brain Damage
Brain injuries, which can result from bike crashes, include brain swelling and severe concussions. These have been known to cause long-term problems with memory loss and confusion, as well as permanent changes in personality. A brain injury attorney would be able to tell you whether you’re entitled to compensation for brain injuries if you were hurt in a bicycle accident.
Broken Bones
Broken bones can be minor, such as a broken wrist or hand, or very serious. This injury may require surgery to repair the broken bone and leave you with lingering problems like chronic pain and other physical or mental disabilities.
Head Injuries
Head injuries from bike accidents can result in permanent brain damage or death if not treated immediately. They can also cause headaches, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, difficulty breathing, and other severe symptoms that sometimes don’t show up for hours or even days after the accident.
Consider Legal Aid After a Bike Accident
If you were hurt in a bike accident, your physical injuries alone likely wouldn’t be enough to win your case against the offending party. You will need a lawyer to prove that you were injured on purpose and that the other driver was at fault for causing the accident.
You’ll also want a lawyer to help you get compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering from being injured in a bike accident. If you’re ever in doubt about what should happen next, seek out an attorney who has had experience with bike injury cases.
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