Medford Bicycle Accident Lawyer

New Jersey can be a dangerous place to ride a bike. While the state has gone to great lengths to install bike paths for cyclists, cyclists are not offered the same protections as bike riders in some other states.

For example, Medford does not have any laws pertaining to dooring, an accident when the driver of a vehicle opens their door into the path of a cyclist, causing the cyclist to crash into it. There are also no laws in Medford or anywhere else in New Jersey pertaining to a minimum berth that drivers must give to cyclists.

When cyclists are hurt, the injuries can be very serious, and cyclists may be left wondering what their next steps should be. One of those first steps should always be seeking the help of a Medford bicycle accident lawyer that can help with their case. Contact a dedicated injury attorney today to learn more.

What to Do After a Bicycle Accident

The first moments after a bicycle accident are often very confusing. When injured cyclists do not know what to do in the aftermath of a crash, they may miss taking critical steps that could help their case if they choose to seek compensation for their injuries.

The first thing any injured cyclist should do is call the police. The police should always be contacted after a vehicle accident, and a bicycle accident is no different—especially if that bicycle accident was the result of a car hitting the bike. The police will document the incident and ensure all important details are recorded in the police report.

After contacting the police, it is important to get medical treatment. This may be an obvious step if there are serious injuries that need attention right away, but even bicyclists who do not think they are seriously injured should seek medical attention. A doctor may be able to identify problems—both potential and apparent—that a cyclist may be not aware of, especially after the chaos of being hit while on a ride.

Insurance companies will need to be contacted, generally both the injured biker’s and that of the driver who hit the biker. Before doing this, however, injured cyclists may want to contact a bicycle accident attorney in Medford for additional assistance and advice.

Dealing with Insurance Companies

While insurance may be responsible for paying accident benefits, they may also try to provide the cyclist with as small a settlement as possible, and may even try to deny coverage completely. A Medford bicycle accident attorney could work to contest these tactics and ensure their potential client gets the benefits they may be entitled to.

Although a lawyer in Medford can make sure insurance companies are responsible for paying benefits, there are limits to all insurance policies, and that limit may not be enough to cover all the expenses related to a bicycle accident injury. When this is the case, injured parties may be able to file an injury lawsuit against the person or people responsible for their injuries. A successful lawsuit could help cover the costs of medical expenses, lost income due to being unable to work, and rehabilitation costs.

When to Contact a Medford Bicycle Accident Attorney

Medford has a statute of limitations of generally two years on personal injury claims. Because of this, injured bicyclists should speak to an attorney as soon as possible after their accident. If more than two years pass before a claim is filed, it may be thrown out of court, barring hurt individuals from claiming compensation.

When you suffered injury in a bicycle accident, do not wait to call a Medford bicycle accident lawyer. You may not want to think about pursuing compensation while you are recovering, but a seasoned attorney could do all the legwork for you so you can focus on getting better.