Been involved in a bicycle accident? Should You Seek Compensation
“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.” Sherlock Holmes author, Arthur Conan Doyle, Scientific American, 1896
Many cycling pundits and experts agree that not only is cycling healthy for us, but it is also beneficial to our beleaguered environment. Ergo, it makes sense both from a heath perspective and an environmental point of view to attempt to entrench a culture of cycling into our society as a primary means of transport. In fact, the citizens of many countries such as The Netherlands already espouse the cycling tradition where they cycle to school, work, friends, as well as the shops and back.
Bicycle crash statistics
Unfortunately, there also seems to be a world-wide disrespect for cyclists by motor vehicle drivers. If I have to be honest, this disrespect can go both ways; as as result, both cyclist and driver wind up in a conflict situation and the cyclist (because of the exposed nature of cycling) often finishes up on the losing side of the conflict.
Furthermore, the USA national statistics for bicycle injuries and deaths back this assertion up. According to the pedbikeinfo.org factsheet on bicycle accidents, the estimated number of bicycle injuries in 2015 is 45 000. However, research also shows that only 10% of bicycle crash injuries are ever reported to the police. Consequently, we actually have no idea of how many cyclists are actually injured as the result of a collision with a motor vehicle.
Bicyclist
Public domain image/Man vyi
Claiming for compensation
At the outset of this discussion on how to claim for compensation if you have been injured in a bicycle accident, I believe it is important to note that hiring a bicycle accident lawyer does not mean that you want revenge or payback for the crash. Let’s cite a simple example: If your bicycle is stolen, would you submit a claim against your insurance policy in order to purchase a new bicycle? Well, seeking compensation for an accident is a similar scenario. The only difference is that your body and your bicycle are broken and not stolen.
Even if the accident was not serious, you are still entitled to submit a personal injury claim against the person who is deemed responsible for the accident. In my experience, it is prudent to hire a specialist bicycle accident lawyer to submit your claim on your behalf. He is vastly experienced in the finer points of the Personal Injury Law; consequently, he will navigate his way around a Personal Injury Court with ease to ensure that you get the best result possible.
Final words
Let me reiterate the point about submitting a personal claim and revenge. There is a vast difference between taking revenge on the person who caused your accident and claiming for reasonable compensation to help you get through the difficult period following the accident.
Author: Pankaj Deb
photo by Okan Caliskan via Pixabay
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