What to Do if You Get Hit By a Bike as a Pedestrian

Contact a Pedestrian Accident Attorney in Los Angeles Today

If you notice one thing when you are in California, it is that plenty of people ride bicycles in Los Angeles and other areas. While they are getting plenty of exercise and even using their bikes to go to and from work, many cyclists are also often doing anything but paying attention to those around them. As a result, numerous pedestrians are struck by bikes each year, leading to severe injuries that result in extensive medical treatment, high medical bills, and lost wages. If you have been hit by a bike as a pedestrian, talk with a Los Angeles personal injury attorney from Grey Law to determine how you can gain compensation for your damages.

Pedestrian Accidents

When pedestrian accidents take place, they are usually caused either by careless motorists driving in a reckless manner, motorists who open their vehicle doors without first looking for nearby cyclists and pedestrians, and pedestrians who may not have followed rules for crossing streets. Since these and other factors can come into play when these accidents occur, police and insurance companies that investigate the accident may have a different take on what happened. As a result, their actions and findings may hinder you in gaining the compensation you deserve. Rather than be denied money for your medical bills and other expenses, rely on a Los Angeles pedestrian accident attorney from Grey Law to protect your rights.

Determining Fault for the Accident

When police and insurance companies investigate accidents where pedestrians were struck by cyclists, they will closely examine all details in an effort to determine who was at fault for the accident. While in years past these accidents were looked at as either the cyclist or pedestrian alone were completely to blame for the accident, recent rulings in these cases often place blame on both parties. Though you would still be able to gain compensation for your injuries, the amount could be greatly reduced if this happens. To prove your case and that you in no way contributed to the accident, work with a pedestrian injury attorney who Los Angeles trusts from Grey Law.

Breaching the Duty of Care

When personal injury cases of this nature are filed, the deciding factor in whether or not you as an injured pedestrian gain much-needed compensation for your injuries and other damages usually comes down to whether or not you breached the duty of care and thus caused the accident. When the court looks at your case, it will take many factors into consideration concerning the duty of care, such as whether or not you ignored traffic signals at an intersection, failed to use a crosswalk, or failed to walk in designated areas such as sidewalks. In some situations, police or an insurance company may even try to state you were impaired due to drugs or alcohol. To ensure your reputation does not take a hit and that you gain substantial financial compensation for you and your family, consult with a hit and run lawyer in Los Angeles at Grey Law following your accident.

The Importance of the Accident Report

If a bicyclist hits you while you are a pedestrian, don’t make the mistake of not calling police to the scene, especially if you suffered serious injuries. If you do make this mistake, it will be much harder to gain compensation for your injuries. Instead, call police to the scene so that you can guarantee an accident report will be filed by police. In this report, police will not only make determinations based on the evidence at the scene, but also will provide their opinion as to who caused the accident. Since this will be a critical component of how your personal injury lawsuit may proceed, always be very careful regarding what you say to police and others immediately after the accident. Should questions arise after the filing of the police report and you are in need of a lawyer for getting struck by a car or bike, seek legal guidance from Grey Law.

Always Document Your Injuries

When you are a pedestrian and are struck by a bicyclist, always have your injuries treated and documented in your medical records as fast as possible. In these situations, insurance companies love nothing better than having accident victims who delay seeking medical treatment. When you do delay, you put your health at risk and also allow insurance companies to start building a case saying your injuries were not serious. By getting immediate medical treatment and hiring a Los Angeles traffic accident lawyer from Grey Law, you stand a much better chance of being properly compensated for your injuries.

Cyclist Negligence

It is important to remember that even if you were partially at fault for your accident, chances are the cyclist was at much greater fault for what happened. For example, many cyclists strike pedestrians because they are riding their bikes while also talking or texting on their cellphone. In other instances, a cyclist who is riding after dark may not have their bike equipped with proper lighting, or may in fact be operating their bicycle while impaired from drugs or alcohol. Since a cyclist can be charged with DUI/DWI, never allow police or insurance companies to overlook this possibility. Instead, work with your accident attorney from Grey Law to ensure all details of the accident are carefully examined by authorities.

Eyewitness Statements

If you were struck by a cyclist while walking around your city, there is a strong chance plenty of other people saw what happened. Therefore, do not let these people scatter and get away from the scene before you have spoken to them and gotten their statements. By turning these observations over to a pedestrian accident attorney, your pedestrian hit and run lawyer in LA can follow up and learn more about the accident.

Should you need a lawyer for getting hit by a bike, contact Grey Law to schedule your free consultation.