Bicycle And E-Scooter Accidents
Bicycles and E-Scooters offer an alternative and convenient way to commute to work or school for many people in the Denver Metro area.
They are also a very popular way for people to engage in recreational activities, further they are a great way to make short trips around town or run errands in a fast and cost effective way.
There can also be dangers involved in operating a bicycle or E-Scooter on public roadways, trails, parking lots, sidewalks, or in other similar venues. The negligence of an at-fault driver, or the condition of the street surfacing can lead to serious consequences for a rider.
People riding a bicycle or E-Scooter can be injured by the negligence of others when:
Motorists unexpectedly throw open a vehicle door causing the rider to strike the open door often times causing injury to both the rider and the motorist.
Riders are struck by motorists that are either not paying attention, or are distracted by their cell phones, the car radio, other people in their vehicle, or by obstacles present in their vehicles which can obscure a driver’s line of sight.
Road rage incidents are more common than most people would like to believe. Tragically a motorist may approach a rider in an engaged state and either intentionally strike the rider with their vehicle or intimidate the rider with their vehicle so as to cause the rider to crash on their bicycle or E-Scooter as a result.
Potholes, road damage, (i.e. cracks in the road surfacing, road grating, loose manhole covers, and public utility covers, etc..) and other dangerous conditions on the roadway are the cause of many serious injuries to riders of both bicycles and E-Scooters. If you are traveling at speed and you become separated (are ejected) from your bicycle or E-Scooter there is little to protect you from sustaining serious injury when your body comes in contact with the street surfacing at speed.
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having been involved in a bicycle or E-Scooter crash involving an at fault vehicle driver, or a dangerous road condition, here are the steps that you should immediately take:
Move from the path of traffic first, get out of danger, be safe.
Call 911: Protect yourself by calling 911. Ask the 911 operator to have police to respond to the collision scene, and request paramedics and an ambulance (if necessary). You will want the police to respond to the scene of the collision to document the circumstances surrounding the collision, you will also want the police to draft and file a police report on your behalf (a.k.a. Traffic Accident Report). This document will ensure that the details of the collision are accurately reported and officially documented. Do Not allow anyone to talk you out of calling the Police following a bicycle or E-Scooter accident, call 911 no matter what.
Collect the other Driver’s Information. While you are waiting for the police and/or ambulance to arrive, exchange information with the other driver, or drivers. Take a cell phone picture of their Driver’s licenses, auto insurance cards, and vehicle registrations. If your injuries were caused by road damage or other road hazards or obstructions in the roadway, take a cell phone picture or that road hazard or obstruction in the roadway as well. Potholes that were unrepaired for months or weeks have a habit of being repaired by the municipality within hours or days of the report of your injury with that pothole or road hazard. Document the road damage, road hazard, or other obstruction that caused your injury, take a cell phone picture ASAP before it is repaired, and the opportunity to document the cause of your injury is gone forever.
Take Cell Phone Pictures. If you can do it safely, take cell phone pictures of the accident scene, the damage to your bicycle or E-Scooter, and the damage caused to the other vehicles involved in the collision. Also take pictures of your injuries, and the injuries that your passengers or other riders suffered as well (if you’re riding in a group, and they were injured as well).
Get contact information from any witnesses. Write down the contact information (name, address, phone number, etc..) for any witnesses that may have witnessed the collision, dangerous road condition, or hazard when the police arrive on scene, let the police know that there is a witness or witnesses who can provide information about how the collision occurred or the location and circumstances surrounding the dangerous road condition. The police officer will interview that witness and include that witnesses statement in the police report.
Do not make any statements to anyone and contact Accident Injury Attorneys. Other than asking the other driver, or drivers for their license, registration, and insurance card information, and collecting witness contact information, do not make any statements to the other drivers, or anyone else at the scene of the collision, the dangerous road condition, or road hazard. Further, do not speak to anyone from any insurance company including an insurance claims agent, or insurance investigator either. Remain silent.
Insurance companies may try to pressure you to give your side of the story concerning your bicycle or E-Scooter accident. Do not talk to an insurance company without first consulting with an attorney, this includes your own auto insurance carrier as well, not just the other driver’s auto insurance carrier.
You have a right to speak with any attorney before you speak with anyone about your car accident. Insurance companies are eager to speak with you very soon after your bicycle or E-scooter accident, it’s not because they are trying to help you, it may be because they are attempting to collect information to use against you, do not help them devalue your claim. Remain Silent and speak with an attorney, from Accident Injury Attorneys as soon as possible after your motorcycle accident.
Call Accident Injury Attorneys!
We at Accident Injury Attorneys are here to help you. We do not spend a lot of time telling you how great we are, we would rather show you instead. “Less Talk, More Action” – that’s our motto. We believe that talk is cheap, let us prove to you that we’re Denver’s best personal injury law firm.
While its best to never have a bad day, or a be involved in a collision on a bicycle or E-Scooter, if you find yourself in a collision you will want an experienced legal team behind you that has experience litigating the full range of bicycle or E-Scooter collisions involving vehicles dangerous road conditions, or other road hazards from minor collisions to fatal collisions, and everything in between. We help bicycle or E-Scooter riders injured in vehicle collisions, dangerous road conditions, and other hazards get healthier and wealthier.
Call today to schedule your free bicycle or E-Scooter collision personal injury consultation.
