The unfortunate reality about sharing public spaces is that accidents will happen. This is especially true when you consider how much sharing has to be accounted for when you consider motorways and other areas frequented by vehicles and pedestrians of all kinds. There is no telling what can and can’t happen when you’re sharing a road with a semi-truck or a laneway with walkers.
When it comes to cyclists, they face a lot of danger in the everyday movement they participate in because they must be treated as a vehicle, but cars can do serious damage to them. This results in plenty of bike accidents on a daily basis, and while it’s unfortunate at best and tragic at worst, there are ways to prepare. Getting a lawyer is one such way, and here are the reasons why you need this specialized legal expert on your side in the event of a bike accident.
Prevent Self-Incrimination
Lawyers have seen a thing or two in their time practicing, even the new lawyers, so they provide a lot of context on what to and not to do regarding a legal case. This Bakersfield personal injury lawyer has probably seen when people self-incriminate, otherwise known as providing information that hurts their case or claim. It doesn’t matter if the accident happens in California or Maine, the issue at hand is not knowing when to keep quiet about a pending case, so a lawyer helps walk you through the dos and don’ts of discussing an open investigation like an accident.
Help Organize Collected Evidence
If you’re in good enough health and mental condition after the accident, it’s usually advised that you collect evidence at the scene to help your claim of being hit or infringed upon in your freedom of movement. This evidence helps formulate your case beyond a reasonable doubt of your word vs. theirs and a lawyer is a key part of helping you determine what is and isn’t relevant. Pictures, videos, eyewitness accounts, anything that can be used in a court or to help bolster your claim of being hit while cycling is another reason for lawyers being the heroes in your corner.
Provide Emotional Support
Usually, you picture lawyers as cold and calculated, making clever deductions in the courtroom, and generally being above the emotions of the case at hand, but the opposite is true in many instances. Lawyers can be clever and very sharp, but they also help provide a valuable resource as emotional support for victims of crimes. Many lawyers get into specific fields, like bike accidents, because they have a connection to it in some way or they just want to help people out because they know how scary this time can be. A lawyer is an invaluable asset when it comes to emotional support.
Help Act as a Mediator for the Insurance Company
Dealing with the insurance company is a drag, and you probably have very little experience dealing with the intricacies of claims and adjustments and investigations of insurance matters. This can be stressful on you, but not when you have a lawyer to act as a mediator on your behalf in this instance. Having that level of support makes it a lot easier to work through the paperwork and determine the best course of action when it comes to getting the justice you deserve.
Collect Proper Compensation for Damages
The one thing everyone wants to hear after getting hurt in an accident is how much money they stand to make, but it only matters if you can actually get the compensation. Until then, it’s just potential money sitting on the table, for which a lawyer is adept at maneuvering their way through the riff-raff to secure you the right monetary amount you need. This helps cover emotional damages, missed wages from time spent not working due to injuries, damage to your bike or equipment, and medical bills that are a direct consequence of the accident. The need for compensation can be the most important if the accident is serious enough, and in that case, you’d want a lawyer on your team.
Navigating all of the responsibilities after an accident is tough enough when you have to juggle the emotional damage and physical harm you received, but luckily that is why lawyers exist. Getting the right help is necessary to returning back to normalcy following an unfortunate incident on your bike, so the reasons you’ve seen here are good enough to convince you why a lawyer is always a must for these situations.