What to Do in a Bicycle Hit-and-Run Accident
If you get hit by a car while riding your bicycle in Lowell, Massachusetts and the driver takes off without stopping, you may be at a loss for what to do. You might have serious injuries from the hit-and-run accident but cannot seek compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Take the following steps to make sense of this confusing type of claim and pursue compensation through every available outlet.
Ensure Your Safety
Move yourself and your disabled bicycle out of the road to prevent further collisions. Check yourself for signs of injury, such as pain, swelling or bleeding. If you are experiencing severe pain, trouble moving, numbness or tingling, or mental fogginess, limit your movements until paramedics arrive. You may have serious injuries that require immediate medical care.
Call the Police
Always call the police after a bicycle hit-and-run accident. The police can investigate the crash and try to identify the at-fault driver. Fleeing the scene of an accident is a crime that can result in the driver getting arrested and facing criminal penalties. The police can also create an accident report that you can use during the insurance claims process.
Gather Evidence Before You Leave the Scene
Gather information and evidence while you’re still at the scene. First, write down everything that you remember about the accident, such as a description of the other vehicle and any partial plate numbers. Then, gather other forms of evidence, if possible:
- Photographs of the crash scene, your damaged bicycle, street signs and other details
- Photographs of pieces of the driver’s car
- Copies of traffic or surveillance video footage
- Footage from a GoPro or other sources
- Names and phone numbers of eyewitnesses
- Your police report number
If you are too injured to stick around and collect evidence, a bicycle accident attorney in Lowell can return to the scene of your accident for you, interview eyewitnesses, obtain copies of your police report and take other actions on your behalf to find evidence.
Get Medical Care
It is imperative to always go to a hospital for professional medical care after getting into a bicycle accident. Bike accidents can cause serious injuries, such as bone fractures, soft-tissue injuries, head trauma, concussions, spinal cord injuries, lacerations, road rash and internal injuries. Prompt medical care can help you make a full recovery.
Assess the Damage to Your Bicycle
Inspect your bicycle to determine if it is still rideable. In general, damage to the handlebars, fork or the bearings that allow you to turn the handlebars are signs that you should not continue riding the bike. Similarly, if any of the aluminum parts of your bicycle are bent, your balance may be off, making it dangerous to ride.
You will need to take your bicycle to a bike shop to obtain a damage assessment and repair estimate. This is what you will submit during an insurance claim if you pursue compensation for your property damage. Keep receipts for anything else that you had to purchase or replace due to the accident, as well, such as a replacement bicycle helmet.
File an Insurance Claim or Injury Lawsuit
As soon as you can, contact your own car insurance company to inform them of the accident. Explain that the driver who hit you took off without giving you his or her insurance information. If you have the correct type of first-party insurance, your own insurance provider may pay for your medical bills and bicycle repairs.
If you don’t have first-party insurance, however, and the police do not identify the hit-and-run driver, your only other option besides paying out of pocket is a lawsuit against a third party. Discuss your case with an attorney in Lowell to find out if you can bring a claim against the government or another party for your damages. We will help you take all of the steps necessary to protect yourself after a hit-and-run bicycle accident in Massachusetts.