What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in San Antonio

If you were hurt in an unexpected bicycle accident, you might be feeling lost and confused. The shock of the incident might seem overwhelming, making it rather difficult to determine the best next steps.

Thankfully, in most cases, you have options for moving forward and seeking justice. It is important to remember that making certain decisions could help protect your rights. For instance, being sure to retain an attorney and seek proper medical attention is crucial. There are some other key actions to remember, and our firm could explain more during an initial meeting. A knowledgeable cycling crash attorney can outline what to do after a bicycle accident in San Antonio, to help you preserve your right to monetary damages.

Seeking Treatment and Documenting the Accident Scene

In general, seeking proper medical attention is the first thing that anyone injured in a bicycle crash should do. Receiving treatment obviously helps a cyclist recover from the impact, but it could also bolster a plaintiff’s legal standing. Having detailed and verified medical records, for example, could strengthen a cyclist’s accident claim in the future.

After seeking out medical treatment, an injured rider should move on to thoroughly documenting the accident scene, if they are able to. Preserving any available evidence makes it much easier to pursue financial compensation down the road. A cyclist could take photos of their dented or broken bike, hold on to their helmet as proof of safe riding, and look for skid marks made by a negligent driver. A biker could also photograph debris or broken glass, contact businesses to inquire about surveillance footage, or obtain the contact information of any nearby witnesses.

Preserving all of this information is vital because a resourceful attorney in San Antonio knows how to analyze it and factor it into a compelling bicycle accident claim.

Calling an Attorney for Bike Accident Help

After receiving treatment and preserving evidence, when possible, an injured cyclist should consider contacting a legal representative as soon as they can. A hardworking attorney can further assist with documenting the scene in a few key ways. For example, a legal team member can help with requesting body or dash cam footage from responding officers, obtaining inspections of the vehicle that was involved in the bike crash, downloading black box or ECM data.

Furthermore, an advocate from our firm can collect a copy of the crash report, request transcripts of 911 calls, and ask critical questions to relevant witnesses. All of these actions can significantly strengthen a claim for compensation and help a San Antonio plaintiff prove that the negligent actions of another driver caused the bicycle collision.

Be Wary of Insurance Companies

One crucial next step following an unexpecting cycling accident is to always tread carefully when communicating with insurance companies. In general, these corporations are always looking out for their best interests – they may do anything they need to lessen the money that they pay to an injured bike rider.

For instance, a cyclist should never sign paperwork, communicate with a defendant’s insurance agent, or give recorded statements to a coverage representative after a crash. These recorded conversations can be particularly risky since an insurance agent might manipulate questions or statements to make it look like the cyclist’s own negligence caused the wreck. In other situations, cooperating with insurance representatives might result in a quick and reduced settlement that does not fully repay a biker rider for the extent of their losses.

Thankfully, a seasoned attorney in San Antonio knows how to counter these manipulative insurance tactics; they can work to maintain a cyclist’s integrity during the process of investigating an accident and filing a civil claim.

Call an Attorney about What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in San Antonio

Understanding exactly what to do after a sudden bike crash is key, since making a few important decisions could greatly influence your recovery and your legal options. There are certain things to avoid and acting without legal representation could jeopardize even the most seemingly simple cases.

To learn more about what to do after a bicycle accident in San Antonio, reach out to our office today. One of our skilled lawyers could listen to your side of the story, help you compile information about the crash, and fight to protect your rights in court.