The Right Course Of Action To Take After An Accident

Accident ClaimsAccidents can happen at any time and anywhere. How you react in the aftermath of an accident will have an impact on your recovery. Knowing the right steps to take in the immediate and long-term moments that follow any injury will determine your overall recovery time, and can also have an effect on any accident compensation claims you may be entitled to.

Having an awareness of the right steps to take will make it far easier to take those actions should the worst happen. If you’re not sure what steps you ought to take after an accident, then this guide will provide the answers.

Get Medical Help

This is by far the most important step that you need to take. The seriousness of your injury will dictate the remainder of the actions that you take, but no matter how serious your injury is, make sure that you get looked at by a medical professional. Some symptoms of your injury may not be apparent, and shock alone can have some negative consequences.

If you are involved in a serious incident, then call 999. This will mean that both the police and the paramedics will be immediately involved in the next steps.

Police Awareness

The authorities will want to know the details of how the accident occurred. If there are any arrests to be made, this is where they may happen, although medical attention is always going to be the priority. The police will launch their investigation if there is the potential for fault on anyone involved. Drunk driving accidents or injuries in the workplace may need to be investigated.

Gathering Information

A police report will be filed, and if you’re looking to claim any accident compensation claims, then you will need a copy of this at some point. In the immediate aftermath of an accident or injury, it can be difficult to focus on the essentials.

Try to make sure that you accumulate as much information about your accident as possible. Make sure that you take note of the circumstances of the accident, the names and contact details of those involved, and any other information that you feel is relevant to your case. If you have a working camera on your phone take photos of your injuries and of the scene of the accident.

Contact Your Insurance Company

If your injury is covered by any of your existing insurance policies, now is the time to contact them. This is where the information that you gathered will be of use. You may also want to contact an accident claim expert if you believe that you may be entitled to some form of compensation. Accident claims can be very straightforward, and you may find that any accident compensation UK that you receive can help to aid you through your recovery. Compensation can help to pay for any short or long-term consequences of your accident.

Accidents vary in severity, but even minor injuries can have a negative impact on your life. Make certain that you follow these steps should you be involved in any kind of accident, and both your recovery time and your potential for making accident compensation claims will be improved.

Failing to follow these guidelines could result in ongoing medical issues or the loss of any potential compensation that you may have otherwise received.

A closer look at cycling accidents in the UK – What are your rights?

Cycling AccidentsAt the start of every year, gyms and roads across Britain become littered with people jogging, cycling and generally trying to get fit, and 2019 is no different. Over the last couple of years, cycling has become an increasingly popular way to keep fit and commute to work. The reason behind this is most likely the awareness around becoming a greener nation and the success of our cycling teams and riders; however, many people seem to forget that it can be very dangerous if you do not take the proper precautions.

Recent statistics show that there are around 18,000 cycling accidents on our road every year, which is very low compared to car traffic collisions. However, these statistics also show that cycling accidents are far more serious than car accidents. A report by The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has revealed that per billion vehicle miles, 1,011 pedal cyclists are killed or seriously injured, in comparison to 26 car drivers.

Perhaps the most surprising fact to come out of the report was that you are more likely to be involved in a cycling accident during the day than in the evening, with 80% occurring in daylight. There are probably many reasons for this – busier roads during the day, more urgency to be somewhere ie. work and maybe due to many cyclists’ efficiency to wear high vis equipment and lights, which make it far safer in the evenings.

What can you do if you have been in a cycling accident?

If you have been involved in a cycling accident, whether it be with a car, pedestrian or another cyclist, the experience can be very traumatic. The last thing on your mind may be thinking about claiming compensation, however, there are measures you can take in case you want to make a claim later down the line.

Firstly, if you are in a fit enough state, you may want to make a note of the incident in as much detail as possible. Modern-day smartphones all contain note-takers so try and put down everything you remember about the accident, this will help later down the line if there are any points of dispute in your claim. You will also want to note down the names and contact details of anyone involved, including registration numbers if possible.

Another brilliant thing about modern technology is the quality of cameras on our phones. Not everyone has a dash camera, and more often than not you won’t be wearing a helmet or body mounted camera, so collecting pictures of the damage to bikes, cars or any other vehicles can be beneficial. If you have any visible injuries, it is worth trying to get pictures of these too.

How to claim compensation for a cycling accident

If you are confident that someone else is to blame for an accident that you have been involved in, you may have a valid claim for compensation. Due to the statute of limitations, you have 3 years to bring a claim from when the incident first occurred, which gives you plenty of time to recover and deal with the more important things before instructing a solicitor.

On rare occasions, the person to blame (the defendant) may approach you with a monetary offer in order to settle a case before any legal proceedings have taken place, however, we would always advise against this. It is best to deal with all matters through a third party in order to protect yourself and make sure you are getting the best advice possible.

Speaking to experts

The Compensation Experts have years of experience dealing with injured cyclists and can advise you as to whether you have a valid claim, whilst putting you in touch with some of countries best traffic collision solicitors. Claiming can be a long and stressful process if you do not instruct the correct team, however, we deliver the service, expertise and care whilst delivering a swift resolution to your claim.

If you would like to speak with one of our team about an accident, why not get in touch on our Freephone number 0161 413 8765 or alternatively use one of our call back request forms found here.