Riding a bicycle is a great way to exercise and enjoy the Louisiana outdoors. However, a bike ride can turn deadly when a car or truck driver fails to share the road. The result is a car versus bicycle crash. As a result, people can suffer physical pain and injury, or even death. Car versus bike accidents result in millions of injuries and tens of thousands of deaths each year. So, it may be time to act and get compensated for your injuries.
To have a case, you must prove the car hit your bicycle due to the driver’s negligence. Likewise, you must show the impact caused your injuries.
Typical injuries from these accidents include:
- Hip, knee, ankle, and foot injury
- Shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand injury
- Head injuries and concussion,
- Neck or back pain
- Spinal injury
- Broken bones
- Difficulty walking, standing, climbing stairs, sitting
- Any other injuries that require medical treatment,
- Death
Transportation companies are sophisticated. So, if the car or truck is a company vehicle, they know the law. That is to say, they already have lawyers working for them. Money is the bottom line, and a company’s goal when an injury occurs is to limit its financial risk. In other words, their goal is to hurt your case. Above all, they want to make it harder to recover damages to pay for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.
If you were hit while riding a bicycle, contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. This way, you can have a lawyer working for you as well. Above all, there are steps you should take right away to protect your rights.
What to do.
Get medical attention.
Firstly, it is important that you get medical attention immediately. You need to get better. If you wait too long to treat, they could try and use it against you. Likewise, they may even suggest you are not hurt, or you were hurt by something else.
Document everything.
Secondly, document every step of the way. To clarify, take pictures or video of the scene and your injuries. Take pictures or videos of the car that hit you. Likewise, take pictures or video of your bike. At the same time, get the names of witnesses and make a list. Be sure to get their phone numbers and addresses. Certainly, these people can help verify the facts that resulted in the bicycle accident. Lastly, keep all your bills and medical records to prove physical injuries and financial loss related to the crash.
Remember, the driver’s insurance company may try and take a statement from you. For instance, they may try and ruin your case by getting you to admit things that could hurt your case later. In sum, be polite, but careful not to let them manipulate your words.
File a complaint with the insurance company.
Thirdly, file a formal complaint with the car or truck drivers’ insurance company. But, any contact with the driver’s insurance is a chance to try and hurt your potential future case. They are trained to perform investigations in a way that helps the insurance company. Certainly, do not let them change your words. If they give you problems, contact a personal injury lawyer right away.
Get the insurance company’s response to your complaint in writing and keep proper documentation of your interactions with them.
Ask for preservation of all evidence.
Fourthly, the insurance company will gather information. They may take statements from witnesses to gather facts favorable to defend the driver’s actions.
For example, video may be the best evidence of what happened and how it happened. Likewise, data from the electronic data recorder (EDR) may also be important. But this evidence is not saved forever. It goes away quickly. So, make sure you ask for the evidence in writing right away.
Therefore, it is essential that you or your attorney demand the car or truck owner preserve all evidence.
Go to court.
Finally, if the insurance company has not offered to fully compensate you, you can take your evidence to court. To clarify, you can file a lawsuit. In Louisiana, you only have one year from the day the car runs over you to file a lawsuit. If you wait longer, you will not be able to seek recovery for your damages.
In conclusion, you are in control. The early decisions you make will determine how difficult or easy it is to receive justice for your injuries.
If riding your bike and run over by a car in Louisiana, contact Stag Liuzza for a free consultation.
