Arizona is an amazing place to bike and offers a variety of terrain — stark desert landscapes, long luxurious straightaways, and diversions into lush, mountainous wilderness. However, biking also carries risks. If you or someone you love was recently injured in a bicycle accident, you are probably confused, anxious, and overwhelmed about what to do.

Here’s a list of strategies you can follow after a bicycle accident to protect your rights and maximize your chances for justice and fair compensation.

1. First things first, get medical help.

If you skid badly, tear up your knees, and hit your head, you probably won’t need to be told to go to the hospital.
However, cyclists often ignore minor scrapes and bruises after an accident. Sometimes, this can be dangerous. The shock of being thrown from your bike causes the brain to release adrenaline and the other “fight or flight” hormones, which can temporarily fool you into thinking that you’re not “that hurt.”

Head trauma, in particular, can be surprisingly subtle. A traumatic brain injury that is not identified and treated immediately can cause swelling and bleeding in the brain, edema, and stroke.

When in doubt, go to the doctor, follow your physician’s instructions, and track your medications and course of treatment. You might also want to keep a journal of your symptoms.

2. Collect evidence and witness statements from the scene.

As a rule of thumb, strive to collect more evidence than you think you will need. Gather information, such as:

• License plate numbers;
• Insurance information;
• Phone numbers;
• Other identifying information of anyone involved in the incident;
• A copy of the police report;
• Pictures of the scene of the crash, including pictures of the vehicle(s) involved and any injuries.

Ask witnesses to write down and/or record what they saw while the event is fresh in their minds. Witness testimony is like fruit; it tends to “go bad” over time because human memory can fade and get clouded as more time passes. A direct witness statement given right after an accident tends to be worth more to the court (and to an insurance company) than testimony remembered weeks or months after the event.

3. Avoid discussing the accident with other drivers or with insurance company representatives until you’ve spoken with a qualified bicycle accident attorney.

Stick to the observable facts at the scene. Avoid saying things to the driver like “it was kind of my fault” or, alternatively, making aggressive accusations. When insurance adjusters call, remember that insurance companies are not “evil” but are financially motivated to minimize claims and compensation payments.

Their tactics to minimize liability can be subtle. For instance, an adjuster might call you while you are lying in bed, still drowsy from a concussion or medications, and ask “how are you feeling?” You might answer something like “better, thanks,” because you’re in slightly less pain than you were the day of the accident. You still may be in horrific pain, though.

However, the insurance company could use your statement that you felt “better” to argue that you were not hurt all that badly. Those may sound like devious semantics; but, frustratingly, insurance companies engage in tactics like these quite often. An experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney can help you fight back and protect your rights.

Getting The Help You Need After a Bicycle Accident

You are no doubt dealing with a lot of issues right now. In addition to recovering from an accident, you may be arranging emergency logistics, like getting childcare and recruiting people to fill in for you at work. However, time may be of the essence. Critical evidence from the accident might soon be lost, or witnesses might forget what they saw. Fortunately, Lebovitz Law Group can help you take decisive, strategic steps to obtain justice, fair compensation, and reclaim your peace of mind. To schedule a free consultation, contact the attorneys at Lebovitz Law Group today.