How to Make a Cycling Accident Claim

kudoswd
May 30, 2013

In this day and age, many people find it cheaper and faster to travel via bicycle to wherever they are going, especially those living in or close to a city. With insurance prices at what seems like an all-time high and the huge issue that is global warming, people feel more inclined to hang up their keys for a different set of wheels and in my opinion, why not? You’re keeping fit and healthy whilst not contributing to global warming.

The huge issue with using a bicycle as your preferred method of travel has always been that age old hatred between those in motor vehicles and those on bikes. It is almost seen daily in big cities such as Manchester, UK as the road users temper increases with the traffic jams. There is no wonder why so many cyclists are involved with accidents on a regular basis. Figures from 2011 show that over 19,000 cyclists were killed or injured in the UK alone proving that cycling can be very dangerous. In fact, the Transport Research Laboratory has been doing running trials recently to test Dutch style roundabouts in London.

Here are some tips that could help you if you were ever involved in a cycling accident:

Move away from the scene of the accident – you don’t want to be stood in the middle of a road arguing with the driver when another car comes along.
Seek medical attention or get a passer-by to ring the emergency services for you.
Ask/look around for witnesses – witness statements are ideal in a court case and it will make life a lot easier.
Exchange details with the other person involved in the accident – this is crucial if you are going to make a claim because you will need to recall everything about the event.
Look for evidence – for example CCTV cameras and notify the police of their whereabouts and/or take pictures.
DO NOT get angry and DO NOT ride away from the scene, these will both act against you.

The next step after the incident would be to find yourself a decent person injury solicitor who will help you with your cycling accident claim. Hiring a personal injury solicitor will make your life easier when going through the processes of how to claim. They will give you all the legal aid you need to ensure you can claim the compensation you rightfully deserve.

This post was written by Brad Warmbold on behalf of Almond Personal Injury Solicitors.