Cycling is a favourite recreational activity in the UK. It is an increasingly popular pastime and as such more people take to the roads. Of course, this comes with an increased risk. There is a possibility you will be involved in a cycle accident, even with another road user. If you are involved in a cycle accident, you may feel disoriented or confused. To minimize the impact this will have on your ability to think clearly, take the time to read our step by step guide on what to do next.
Assess your situation
Take a moment to look around you. Are you in a safe place? Are you likely to incur more damage to either yourself or your bike? If you are in a safe place, and you suspect that your injuries may be severe, you should stay as still as possible until you have been assessed and cleared by a paramedic so as not to exacerbate your injuries. If you are not in a safe place, make your way to the nearest safe place before you call emergency services.
Is anyone else hurt?
Once you are sure that your injuries are not serious, take the time to assess the damage caused to anyone else that might have been involved. Assess the risk to yourself; if you are able to help others involved without putting yourself at further risk, and then do so. Help move them to a safe place if their injuries are not severe, or call emergency services if you think they are seriously hurt or are in a dangerous place and need to be moved.
Is someone else involved?
If your injuries allow you should aim to exchange details with the other parties involved in the collision, just as you would in a motor vehicle accident. Take the name, vehicle registration number, contact number, email address, postal address as well as the details of their insurer. If possible take photographs of the scene to use should the accident need to be further evidenced at a later date. It is important that you take as many details as possible and record them accurately.
Involve the police
If you are taken straight to the hospital from the scene of the accident, the police will take your details, as well as those of the other person involved. These details will then be passed on to your solicitors at a later date, should the need to claim for compensation arise. If you do not need to go to hospital immediately, advise the police at the scene of what has happened and they will record your details and account of events at the scene.
Contact a solicitor
As soon as you are able, and have recovered enough to do so, you should contact a personal injury solicitor. They should be experienced in dealing with similar claims; those involving cycle accidents and cyclist injury claims. Using the information you recorded at the scene of the accident, and information pertaining to consequent events, they will be able to advise you of the next steps.
Carry on Cycling can help you with your claim. Get in touch with the specialists today.
Check out this interesting report on UK cycling and commuting to work.
