If I get hit on my bicycle, do I have to call the police?
Yes, you need to call the police. Read more tips on what you need to do after a bicycle accident.
Should I see a doctor after my bicycle accident?
Yes - right away. Sometimes injuries don't reveal themselves until days or even weeks after the accident. The insurance adjuster will hold it against you if you delayed seeing a doctor. For more information about why you need to see a doctor now, please read: Should I See A Doctor After The Accident?
Here's a list of Santa Clara County emergency rooms.
Here are some injuries that can happen if you get hit on your bike:
- Back injuries
- Brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Disfigurement or scarring
- Infection after an accident
- Internal injuries (organ damage)
- Knee injuries
- Loss of a limb
- Neck injuries
- Paralysis
- Senses: accident-related loss of smell or taste
- Silent injuries
- Wrongful Death
Should I talk to the other person's insurance company about my personal injury case?
No - they are not looking out for you. The other person's insurance company looks out for itself, looks for ways to reduce the value of your claim, or better yet, not pay you at all. For more reasons why you should not talk to the other person's insurance, read this FAQs About Insurance Adjusters and these Insurance Tactics
Should I talk to my own insurance company about my bicycle injury case?
No - even your own insurance is not looking out for you! They also look out for themselves, trying to reduce the value of your claim, or better yet, not pay you at all. For more reasons why you should not talk to your own insurance, read this FAQs About Insurance Adjusters and these Insurance Tactics
Who pays for a hit-and-run bicycle accident?
There are a few possibilities when it comes to getting paid for a hit and run accident:
The other person's auto insurance
If you got the plate of the fleeing car, the police might be able to get the insurance information of the hit and run driver. Depending on your injuries, the driver could be charged with a hit and run causing injuries.
The criminal court
If the person gets charged with hit and run, that's a crime. The criminal court can order them to pay your bills as a part of their criminal sentence. But the criminal court can not order anyone to pay for pain and suffering.
Your auto insurance
If you had uninsured motorist coverage, your own insurance might pay your hit-and-run bicycle accident claim. It depends on the terms of your car insurance policy, which I can review for you. I am Gardner Law's San Jose accident attorney Renée Yvonne Gardner.
Is it okay to post on Facebook about my accident?
No. Do not post on any social media about your injury accident. Anything you post on any social media, or on your blog, can be used against you by any insurance company. Remember, insurance companies are not on your side. Read more about social media dangers here: Social Media and Accidents and Social Media "Rules" To Live By".
The other driver's insurance company already offered to settle with me. Should I settle my accident case with them?
No. All insurance companies have procedures for assessing bicycle accident claims. If the other driver's insurance is already offering to settle, you may want to settle the case now, to get it over with. But, I advise you to NOT handle a bicycle accident on your own because insurance companies offer less than what your case is worth. If you settle without an attorney, you will not get the best possible settlement encompassing your medical bills, future medical costs, wage loss, future wage loss, pain and suffering, and more. For more insurance adjuster ploys and tactics, read FAQs About Insurance Adjusters and Insurance Tactics.
Is there a good attorney I can trust with my bicycle accident case?
Yes! I have experience handling personal injury bicycle accidents and wrongful death. If you had a bicycle accident, call me at (408) 214-5555. I speak Spanish - hablo español. I'm here to help. If your loved one passed away in a bicycle accident, reach out to me about your wrongful death case.