A bike ride on a long, open road to get your mind off things and calm the nerves is exhilarating. The freedom a bike offers to its riders is genuinely unique. Imagine yourself riding on your bike just minding your business, and suddenly, bang! You are lying on the road. You might have hit the chuckhole, or perhaps a driver may have run into you. Whatever the scenario, at this point, you might be startled and baffled. The adrenaline surge in your blood may conceal the pain of your injuries, and this may lead you to act mindlessly. What to do after a bike accident?
You might accept the blame even if it wasn’t your fault in the first place. Or you may reassure everyone around you that you are okay when you should be in the emergency room.
While it’s common to get shaken up by accident or even a near miss, your priority must be to center your energy on recovery. However, the aftermath of a bike crash can be distressing, even if it involves non-critical injuries.
Medical costs, loss of confidence, and whatever injuries you sustained post-accident may affect you significantly. However, the civil justice system allows monetary compensation if you have been a bike accident victim.
Here’s the rundown of the tips that can help you receive the value of your damages and speed up the recovery process:
1. Contact an experienced attorney
It’s crucial to hire an expert bike accident lawyer to help you get the required compensation to cover the mounting costs. However, don’t just hire any attorney because a friend or a relative has recommended them.
Bike accident claims often require extensive knowledge in various areas such as bike manufacturers, insurance claims, traffic laws, and expert witnesses.
Therefore, assess the background of every attorney to ensure if they specialize in motorcycle accidents claims and have a proven track record of success. It would be best to hire a motorcycle accident attorney who treats your case rightfully and goes to any lengths to attain the best possible results for your case.
An experienced attorney will inspect the accident and may represent you in court if the situation comes down to it.
2. Seek medical treatment
You may feel that your injuries are manageable now and the body will heal eventually; however, these injuries may worsen at the least expected times. Therefore, never dismiss pain, headache, or peevishness as a common symptom.
Instead, visit the urgent care center and seek medical treatment right after a crash.
Some wounds may seem insignificant, but they can cause chronic pain in the long run. And this, in turn, may increase your off-work time and grow your medical debts. Not to mention how insurance companies leap at bike accident victims who postpone their medical treatment.
Therefore, ensure to attend and document these delayed injuries to prove these resulted from the bike accident, not from any other event.
3. Don’t negotiate with insurance adjusters
A significant part of the mental anguish emerges due to the legal consequences of the bike accident. There will be a lot of legal technicalities involved in the case that may affect your mental health.
However, never speak a word or give any statement to the insurance adjuster or the defense lawyer of the insurance company until you have contacted your lawyer.
Don’t even accept any financial offer they propose to you. The reason – these insurance adjusters will coax you to deny or reduce your injuries, symptoms, and pain. And afterward, insurance companies present your statements to use them against you and renounce all the claims for benefits.
Or they may offer an early settlement with a small amount of financial compensation. If the insurance adjusters are adamant, ask them to contact your lawyer.
4. Practice self-care
Prepare yourself to spend more time on the couch after the bike accident since your body needs to recover fully in ways that you can’t possibly see.
Therefore, try not to push yourself too hard, as it will slow down your recovery process. Instead, take this time to relax and practice self-care. For instance, schedule a massage appointment, read a novel, watch a movie, or try a bit of gentle stretching.
And while you are at it, also get an adequate amount of sleep. Admittedly, it might not be easy to sleep with your wounds; however, sleep serves as a stress reliever and lowers the cortisol levels in the blood.
5. Seek emotional support
Unfortunately, people still stigmatize anything related to mental health issues and consider it a sign of weakness. However, bottling your emotions further exacerbates the situation.
So, don’t let your negative feelings hover around. Instead, let your heart out and voice out your concerns to a friend or a loved one. And if you are a closed-off person, try journaling. Write what you are feeling and what has been bothering you. That way, you can fight the annoying mental jitters.
Another option is to talk with sports psychologists. These professionals will help you overcome the mental blocks and regain your confidence.
Final Words
Bike accidents can be severe. Consider yourself lucky if you have survived the accident with just minor injuries. However, the stress and emotional toll an accident takes on a person are indescribable.
The last thing you probably want is to figure out how to seek financial compensation from the negligent party.
Remember, as a biker; you share the same responsibilities and rights as the driver of a car. Motor vehicle drivers should respect the rights of motorcyclists and be heedful of road sharing.
Nonetheless, it’s always in your best interests to take necessary actions after the event of a bike accident to ensure your rights are protected.
Seek legal help and never compromise nor feel reluctant to fight for the justice you downright deserve. An experienced attorney will assess the damages, come up with options you have, and walk you through every aspect of your case.
