What Evidence Could Help Prove My Bicycle Accident Claim?
If you are injured by a motorist while riding your bicycle, your auto insurance policy’s personal injury protection (“PIP”) will usually kick in to help you pay your medical bills. However, medical costs are just one of many consequences of a serious wreck. It is possible that your injuries could affect your ability to work, cause considerable pain and suffering, and lead to many other losses. In such situations, you may be able to recover compensation from the party responsible for causing the collision.
Filing a third-party insurance claim is rarely straightforward as you will need to gather strong evidence to prove liability and damages. In this article, we will look at some of the types of evidence that might play a role in your bicycle accident claim.
1. Photos from the Accident Scene
Road markings can disappear overnight, the at-fault motorist may repair damage to their vehicle, and weather conditions can change within minutes. Without access to these crucial pieces of evidence you might struggle to prove liability. As such, you should take photographs as soon as possible to ensure that this evidence is preserved. Try to document as much as you can, making sure to take pictures from multiple different angles and distances. An accident reconstruction expert may be able to use these images to piece together the events that led up to the crash and identify the liable parties.
2. Police Report
In New Jersey, you have a legal obligation to report any collision that resulted in injuries, deaths, or property damage exceeding $500 to the police. It is often best to do this immediately after the crash so that officers can attend the scene to investigate what happened. Police officers will usually compile an official report on the accident which will often include information about the parties involved, the injuries sustained, and eyewitnesses’ statements. Additionally, the responding officers might note their own observations on who caused the wreck. Not only will the insurance company insist on seeing this document before processing your claim, but the official police report can also help your attorney identify other evidence that might help corroborate your version of events.
3. Medical Records
Medical records will help illustrate the severity of your injuries and the treatments you require. As compensation for your medical expenses will often make up a major portion of the eventual recovery in a personal injury case, these records will be crucial to the success of your claim. Without proof of your damages—i.e., the injuries you suffered—opposing parties will not compensate you for such losses. As such, you will want to seek medical treatment as soon as possible after leaving the accident scene. This will not only ensure that you have access to up-to-date medical records, but it will also make it easier for your attorney to tie your injuries to the collision.
4. Personal Property
Whether your bicycle was damaged, your clothes torn, or your helmet cracked, you should not dispose of or repair these items until your attorney has had a chance to look at them. Your personal property might hold clues to who or what caused the accident, so doing anything that alters this evidence could compromise your personal injury case. Instead, you should set these items aside to share with your attorney during consultations.
Find a Bicycle Accident Attorney in New Jersey
New Jersey is a dangerous place for cyclists, with hundreds of riders seriously hurt in accidents every year. If you were harmed by a negligent motorist, the attorneys at the Clark Law Firm may be able to assist with your claim.
We understand that keeping track of the evidence necessary to succeed in a bicycle accident case can be a time-consuming and exhausting undertaking. As such, we will handle the logistics of your case so you can focus on getting your life back on track. To book a free case review, reach out to us at 1-877-841-8855 or by using our contact form HERE.
