Like other personal injury cases, bicycle accidents follow a few different steps. A bike accident attorney can help you navigate them.
South Florida is a beautiful place to go for a ride on your bike. Unfortunately, it can also be a dangerous place to ride. Whether you are an avid cycling enthusiast or a casual rider, it is critical to know how a bike accident claim may unfold.
In many instances, a bicycle accident case follows these stages:
- Medical treatment
- Attorney consultation
- Gathering evidence
- Negotiations
- Lawsuit (if necessary)
- Settlement or Trial
Here is a more in-depth look at each step.
Medical Treatment
The first thing you should do in any accident is seek medical treatment, even if you do not feel like your injuries are serious. Non-serious injuries can develop into serious or even life-threatening injuries over time, so it is critical to get the treatment you need quickly.
Consultation with an Attorney
Once you have spoken to a physician about medical treatment, you should schedule a consultation with a bike accident attorney. During your meeting, provide the attorney with all of the documentation you have pertaining to your case—i.e., medical bills, proof of lost wages, etc. Do no speak to the insurance company until you have met with a lawyer.
Gathering Evidence
Once you have hired an experienced attorney, you can sit back and let the experts work. Your attorney will begin by gathering evidence to support your claim, including compiling medical reports, contacting witnesses, and accident reconstruction, if necessary.
Negotiations
During negotiations, your attorney and their team will be in contact with the opposing party to try to come to an agreement. When your bike accident attorney receives an offer, they will come to you to get your permission to either accept or decline it.
Lawsuit
If you choose to decline the offer, or if the opposing party refuses to pay, you may need to file a lawsuit to get the courts to decide. Once your attorney files a lawsuit, the process will move on to discovery so that both sides can build their cases.
Settlement or Trial
It is possible to settle your case at any time. If new evidence comes to light during discovery, you or the opposing side may find it is in your best interest to take any offer that is on the table. If neither side wants to settle, then the case will go to trial. Because trial is always a possibility, no matter how unlikely, you should choose an attorney who has litigation experience.
Talk to a Bike Accident Attorney about Your Case
If you have been in an accident with a vehicle while riding your bike, you should speak to an attorney as soon as you can. You may be entitled to more compensation than the insurance company has offered.
Talk to the attorneys at Pacin Levine, P.A., today to set up a consultation.
