Why you may need a lawyer after a bicycle accident

Bicycling to work is becoming more and more popular – especially in urban areas. It’s good for your health, good for the environment, and saves you money on gas. And even though there are more bicycles out on the road and more bike lanes available, it can still be dangerous to ride your bike with car traffic. When commuting to work on your bicycle, you need to be sure you understand the proper ways to signal and know where it’s safe for you to ride.

Even with all the proper precautions, accidents can happen. If you’ve been in a bike accident, it’s important to know what legal options are available to you and if it would be beneficial to contact a personal injury attorney. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through when you should reach out for legal help and the benefits of working with a personal injury attorney.

Do you need a personal injury attorney?

You may be asking yourself “when should I hire a personal injury attorney?”The best way to determine if you need to reach out to an attorney is to look at the severity of your injuries. Did you need to go to the hospital? Did you break any bones? Will any continuing physical therapy be required? The severity of your injuries and length of treatment will determine the cost your medical bills.

If you walked away from the accident unharmed or with mild injuries, you may not need an attorney to help you through the insurance claim. Insurance companies tend to fight back harder against more expensive claims, so if your case is minor, you may be able to work with the insurance company on your own.

However, if your accident causes you to rack up medical bills, it’s important that you contact an attorney who can help make sure all of your medical expenses are covered.

The bottom line is that if you are at all concerned about the process of dealing with the insurance company to make sure your expenses are covered, then reach out to an attorney. They will let you know if this is something you can fight on your own or if the help of a professional is required.

Benefits of hiring an attorney

There are many benefits to having a professional attorney on your side after a bicycle accident. Bicycle accident cases can be tricky. The insurance companies need to determine who is at fault for the accident. Were you signaling properly? Were you indeed riding the the designated bike areas?

Since insurance companies are businesses, it’s in their best interest to pay you the bare minimum required for your expenses. Having a lawyer on your team puts pressure on the insurance company to make sure they are handling your case correctly and fairly. Attorneys know the tricks insurance companies may try to play and can prevent them from trying to manipulate you. Attorneys also show insurance companies that you are serious about getting your compensation. They know that if something goes wrong, they could be sued and therefore will try to compensate you fairly in order to avoid court and legal fees.

If you’ve recently been in a bicycle accident, reach out to a personal injury attorney today for a consultation. Being in an accident is trying enough. Let a professional take care of getting you properly compensated, while you can focus on healing after your accident.

Thank you to our friends and contributors at David & Philpot, P.L. for their knowledge about personal injury and bike accidents.