After a bicycle accident, the steps that protect your health are also your first steps toward protecting your case. Each one, from the scene to the medical exam, leaves a record of how the crash happened and what it did to you.
Injuries from bicycle crashes can stay hidden while you feel fine, so many cyclists never get the two things insurers rely on: a police report and medical records.
What Should You Do First After a Bike Crash?
The first thing to do is assume you’re injured until a paramedic or physician checks you. That means getting away from traffic, calling for help, and not leaving the scene until you get checked out or document it.
- Check your head, neck, and back for pain before standing up or putting weight on your hands.
- If you have neck or back pain, trouble standing, or other signs of a serious injury, stay still and let the ambulance crew move you.
- If moving is safe, get yourself and the bicycle to the side of the road or make yourself visible to drivers.
- Call 911, or ask people nearby to call, and request an ambulance if you or someone else is injured.
- Stay at the scene even if nothing hurts, since many cyclists feel pain only after the adrenaline wears off.
Should You Call the Police After a Bike Accident?
Yes, even when no one seems hurt. The responding police officer writes a report on the crash, the vehicles, and the people involved. You can usually request a copy with the report number and the officer’s name and badge number, so write that information down.
If you left in an ambulance before talking to police officers, the report may include only the motorist’s account of the crash. Read the report to make sure your account is there; the police department can explain how to add your statement or correct inaccurate information.
Should You Seek Medical Attention If You Feel Fine?
Yes. Seeking medical attention is the next thing to do after a bike crash, even if you feel fine enough to go home. Adrenaline can mask pain that surfaces hours or a day later.
Adjusters use a delay in treatment to argue the injuries are minor or unrelated. Keep these points in mind:
- A cracked or dented helmet, even from a minor spill, absorbed the energy of an impact. Get checked for head injuries, and don’t ride in that helmet again.
- Confusion, headache, dizziness, nausea, blurry vision, and memory trouble are concussion symptoms. They may appear later, so get medical care immediately if they do.
- Loss of consciousness or heavy bleeding at the accident scene requires an ambulance.
- Attend every follow-up appointment and follow your treatment plan and the doctor’s advice; missed visits can weaken your claim.
What Injuries Do Bike Crashes Cause?
A crash can break bones, dislocate joints, injure your head and neck, and cause soft tissue damage as well as road rash. How badly a bicycle crash injures you depends on the speed and point of impact, what hit you, your helmet and other gear, and how you land on the ground.
Road rash from sliding on pavement is what a cyclist usually notices first; keep those wounds clean while healing. But a serious injury such as a broken bone or a head injury can hide under a small scrape and may not hurt yet. Even low-speed crashes without visible wounds can cause a concussion.
Evidence to Gather at the Scene
Before you leave, exchange contact information with the driver and write down their license number, license plate, and insurance information. These steps keep the record of the crash on your side when insurance companies look for reasons to shift blame to you.
- Get contact info (names, addresses, and phone numbers) from witnesses and other cyclists.
- Photograph the bicycle, car, injuries, and road, then write down what happened while it’s fresh.
- Note security cameras in the area and ask other drivers if their cars have dashcams.
- If you’re seriously injured, ask someone else to collect this information.
- Keep the damaged bicycle, helmet, and clothing as they are.
- Avoid discussing fault with the driver, since the insurer may use anything you say about fault to reduce or deny your compensation.
What to Document in the Days After a Crash
In the days after a crash, collect documentation of what the crash cost you and what it did to your bicycle.
- Save medical bills, receipts, and repair or replacement estimates.
- Keep every medical record as documentation of each diagnosis and its treatment.
- Keep a pain journal, writing down how your injuries affect daily life at home. Note any missed workdays.
- Take pictures of the bicycle, have a bike shop inspect it without repairing it, get a written estimate, and repair it only after talking to a lawyer.
When to Talk to a Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Talk to a bicycle accident lawyer before you sign a release of liability or accept an offer from the at-fault party’s insurer. Insurers usually make the first settlement offer to an injured cyclist before treatment shows the full extent of the injuries.
Beyond medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life can all be part of your compensation from the at-fault driver, depending on your state and the insurance coverage involved. According to Robert Goldwater, Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group’s leading attorney, an early offer often covers only the first round of bills.
An attorney can take care of calls with the insurance adjuster. Don’t give the other side’s insurer a recorded statement or more than basic information before you get legal advice. Calling a lawyer early leaves time to preserve evidence and reach witnesses while they still remember the crash. Missing the statute of limitations, a separate deadline each state sets for filing a lawsuit, usually ends the right to sue.
Getting Back on the Bike After a Crash
Many riders feel shaken, anxious, or nervous after a crash. It’s a normal part of recovery, and a short, easy ride with a friend on a familiar road near home can ease it. Wait to ride again until your injuries finish healing and, after a head injury, until a doctor approves. The bicycle needs the shop’s inspection before its next ride.
Get a Free Review of Your Bike Accident Claim
Before you sign anything from an insurer, talk to Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group, because a signed release usually ends any further recovery for the accident. BALG’s attorneys are riders as well as personal injury lawyers. Send BALG the police report number and your photos for a free case review, which also confirms the deadline for your case.
Robert Goldwater is a cyclist representing cyclists. He has practiced personal injury and wrongful death law for more than 20 years, graduating with Honors from Arizona State University Law School, and has helped recover over $1 billion for clients, including injured cyclists.
