Featured Image Caption: Bike Accident
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If you have been in a bike accident, this short guide talks you through what to do next.
Biking accidents, either on a motorbike or as a cyclist, amount to thousands of accidents in the US, every year. In the Portland area alone, there are frequent accidents that can ruin lives. Cyclists and bikers are regularly killed on Portland roads and we don’t think that’s good enough.
If you need any further evidence of how many bike accidents occur in Portland each year, you can visit the Bike Portland pages. They have an accident fatality tracker, which tells you the names of those who have died either as a pedestrian, behind the wheel, as a passenger, or on any type of bike. It’s a fairly sobering sight.
Let’s do our bit to tackle these statistics by preparing you for what may lie ahead. If you are a biker – listen up! Here’s what you need to do after a crash.
The Five Things Bikers Need to do After a Crash
Let’s not beat around the bush. This is a serious matter and here’s what you ought to do.
1. Get Safe
Get to safety if you are able to move. Get away from the scene of the accident where potential petrol leaks or other chemicals might explode. Once you have examined yourself for injury, you can think about getting others to safety. Be sure to switch off any engines and don’t put yourself at risk. If people are injured beyond moving, do everything you can to secure them but don’t move them if possible.
2. Call the Emergency Services
Your next move after a biking accident is to call the emergency services. If you are busy helping a casualty, then have someone else call emergency services on your behalf. Once you have informed the police and ambulance that they are needed, you should wait until they arrive and give them your full report on the accident. Your statement at the time will help if you claim compensation later.
3. Gather up Witnesses
While you are waiting for the emergency services to arrive, try and gather the names and numbers of as many witnesses as you can. Every angle will help the police and your insurance company put together an accurate overview of what went on. The more information you have, the better.
4. Call your Lawyer
The next thing you ought to do is call your bike accident attorney, on the way to the ER. You should keep a Portland bike accident attorney saved in your phone, for just such occasions. Tell them what has happened, where it happened, and when. Make sure you give them the witness details and any information the police passed on to you. You should also give them the name of the other person’s insurance firm if possible.
5. Visit ER
Another way you can get an accurate record of the accident is to visit the ER. They will create a medical record of the issue, allowing you to have yet another formal recourse, should you need it. All of these actions should help you to build a case, should you need to file a lawsuit for damages.
Stay Safe Out There
Most important of all of the above, is that you observe the rules of the road as best as you possibly can. Always wear the right safety gear and replace your helmet after you fall off. Stay safe out there, bikers of Portland. That tarmac is solid.
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