If a driver hits you while you were biking, you would normally stop, get the driver’s information, and make a claim with their auto insurance carrier. However, when the driver flees the scene of the accident, you can be left with serious injuries and no clear way of recovering compensation. The legal team at Fine Law Firm can investigate the accident and help you explore your legal options. Below, we discuss the steps to take following a hit and run bicycle accident. You can also contact us at (505) 889-3463 to discuss your legal rights and options.
Get Medical Attention
The first thing to do after a bicycle accident is to make sure you get medical attention for any injuries you sustained in the accident. This can help protect your health and create an important record of the injuries caused by your accident.
You may be able to recover compensation for the medical expenses you incur due to the injuries, such as:
- Ambulance services
- Hospital stays
- Emergency services
- Doctor visits
- Prescription medication
File a Police Report
It is critical that you file a police report as soon as possible. This can get the process of identifying the driver started. Give any information you have to the police about the driver, including:
- What they looked like
- The direction they fled in
- Whether they said anything at the scene of the accident
- A description of the vehicle they were driving, including the make, model, and color
- Any of the license plate you remembered
Even if the police are not able to locate the driver, making a report can help you when you make an insurance claim.
Document the Accident
Because the scene of the accident will be cleaned up, try to document what you can of the accident or ask someone else to do it for you. This process involves:
- Taking pictures of the accident scene, damage to your bike, and the vehicle that hit you
- Collecting contact information from any witnesses
- Writing down what you remember about the accident while your memory is fresh
Explore Options for Compensation
Even if the at-fault driver fled the scene of the accident, you may still have options to recover compensation for the injuries you have suffered, such as:
- Locating the at-fault driver and filing a claim with their insurance company – If you can locate the other driver, you can file a claim with their liability insurance carrier for the damages you have suffered.
- Locating the at-fault driver and filing a personal injury lawsuit against them – In the event you locate the driver and find they don’t have any insurance, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the driver if they have other assets you could potentially recover.
- Filing a claim with your own insurance coverage – You may have insurance in place that could cover your losses, such as uninsured motorist coverage, personal injury protection, medical payments, uninsured motorist bodily injury, uninsured motorist property damage, homeowner’s insurance, or renter’s insurance.
Contact a Bike Accident Lawyer for Help
If you were injured in a hit and run bike accident, you do not deserve to have to go through the claims process alone. The experienced bike accident lawyers with Fine Law Firm are ready to help you with all aspects of your accident claim. If you are the victim of a hit and run bicycle accident in New Mexico, you have legal options to recover compensation for your damages. Contact us today at (505) 889-3463 to learn more.