The past five years have seen an increase in the number of people who travel by bicycle. Consequently, there are more injuries and fatalities involving bicycles than ever before, and many people will file cycling accident claims. For anyone who has been hit by a car while riding their bicycle, it is of great importance that they find proper counsel to represent their interests

Before calling counsel, the bicycler must get themselves to the hospital or an urgent care center immediately. Sometimes right after an accident it seems like the person is okay, but this can be due to the physical shock. Even if a bone has been broken, it can be hours or even days before the shock wears off and the pain sets in.

By calling nine-one-one immediately, it helps to ensure that a police report gets filed and the injured party will have all the insurance and contact information for the motorist. Without this step being taken, it may be difficult or even impossible for the injured victim to seem compensation for damages at a later time. In fact, without it, they may not even be able to find the motorist that hit them.

Once the police report has been filed, and the injuries have been seen to, it will be important to retain an attorney right away. Negotiating with the insurance company can result in issues with the claim being made. It will always be to the advantage of the insurance professionals to pay the victim as little as they can possibly get away with.

Adjusters have a few tricks in their arsenal in order to accomplish that goal. First of all, they will attempt to assess contributory negligence. This is simply an assertion that the bicyclist was also negligent, and therefore contributed to their own injuries in some way, thus minimizing the responsibility of the motorist in the event.

By having legal representation, victims of these accidents can avoid being taken advantage of in this way. It is not uncommon for a person to obsess about an event afterwards, finding ways they think they might have been able to avoid it. The human mind does this as a survival mechanism designed to keep one safe from future dangers.

The insurance professional knows this fact, and will use this neural mechanism to convince the victim that the event was somehow their fault, or that they contributed to it in some way, and thus should accept a lesser settlement. Having legal protection during this very vulnerable time is vital. Accidents happen so quickly that, very often, there is no time to react, and it is only in hindsight that one can reevaluate the event.

Never attempt to negotiate a settlement with an insurance company in cycling accident claims. Having an attorney who specializes in these matters is important for the healing of the victim. Being struck by an automobile can result in catastrophic injuries, and the bicyclist will want to focus on healing and rehabilitation.