There are various safety cautions and advice to remember when riding a bike; many of those are related to bike accidents.
After falling off a bike, there’s a lot you need to do to ensure your safety. Here, we’ll talk all about it, from taking care of your injuries and reporting the crash down to all the legal process, and recovery tips.
What to do after a bike accident? To answer simply, what you need to do is to avoid moving too much, assess yourself, perform first aid & call for help!
Table of Contents
Post-Accident Checklist
1. Immediate Actions to Take After a Bike Accident
Checklist 1: Stay calm, stay still, & check if you have any injuries
Assess your body if you have any bike injuries. This can vary from small injuries to big ones, but they all need full attention.
Check if you’re experiencing any leg pain. You will probably have sore muscles after the crash; however, at that very moment, you should slow down and try moving your arms and legs to see if they are in pain.
After seeing to it that you do not have any severe injuries, try to stand up slowly. Otherwise, you can always call for help if there are people around.
Checklist 2: Perform first aid
Injury treatment is the number one priority. One of the most common injuries caused by a bike crashing is a hand injury or an arm injury.
If you’re suffering from bleeding parts, applying pressure on the area is the first-aid injury treatment to stop its bleeding.
Perform first aid by immobilizing it by wrapping it in a bandage. You may wrap it in a sling for extra support if it’s an arm injury.
Checklist 3: Call for help
Whether it’s your family member, an ambulance, or anyone that could help you, call for help. The best thing to do is to seek medical attention right away.
2. Reporting Process
Checklist 1: Call authorities
Once you’re settled, proceed to contact the cops. In accidents like these, it is an obligation for you or the other party involved to report the scene of the crime within 24 hours.
Checklist 2: Gather the necessary details
Obtain as much information as possible such as the names of those involved, the driver’s license numbers, addresses, phone numbers, etc.
Don’t forget to also get the names and information of at least two witnesses present during the incident scene.
You should also preserve any evidence whether it’s damaged bike parts or clothing.
Checklist 3: Take photos as evidence
From injury pictures, photos of your crashed bike, accident videos, down to any kind of casualties caused by the crash.
All of these are all integral information and will help you later on.
Checklist 4: Make a police report
Write down your police report and include every detail, including the bicycle fall injuries inflicted on you and how the crash happened.
Checklist 5: Seeking a professional lawyer
And when it comes to incidents, there’s always a possibility that the situation may call for legal assistance. The legal process always starts with hiring a lawyer.
So when should you hire a bike accident lawyer? Here are some instances that signify having an attorney is what you need:
- You are a victim inflicted of significant injuries
- You are experiencing problems with your insurance company (reduced compensation or rejected claims)
- The accident involves numerous parties & there is trouble in identifying liability
- You have legal inquiries about your compensation
Financial Compensation for a Bike Accident
The final compensation depends on the victim’s financial losses, it can start from $4000 to over $80,000. Starting from all the bills down to the numerous ways that hinder you from earning caused by accident.
Suppose the other party owes you compensation of $40,000 but only has $20,000. You may not get the compensation you deserve; however, you can still look for other resources to gather the total amount owed to you. How? filing a successful bike accident insurance claim.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Obtain the insurance details of the other party
- Contact your insurance provider for your claim as soon as possible
- Provide all the necessary details, such as the evidence. (This strengthens your claim.)
- Get ready with your First Information Report (FIR)
- Provide the right documentation
- Wait & cooperate with your insurance provider
Tips to avoid claim rejection
- Mention the policies stated in your bike insurance policy relevant to your incident.
- Be timely with your renewals
- Avoid claiming for damages with lacking or no proof
- Stick to a consistent story
Bike Accident Recovery Process
The recovery process of a bicycle accident injury depends on the type of injury one suffers. Suppose it’s a sprain, a fractured bone, or anything similar to that. In that case, it usually takes about 2 months or more to recover.
Recovering from a cycling accident with milder injuries takes less healing time. With proper resting & the right treatment, you can get back on your feet as early as a month.
Of course, healing processes are different for everybody, and it depends on how your body responds to the treatment you’re getting. So it all varies depending from person to person!
You can still take some extra measures to ensure your body gets the right care. This often leads to a faster recovery! Here are all the tips you need for faster recovery after a bike accident:
- Tip 1 – Rest for as much as you can
- Tip 2 – Eat some calories & an extra serving of protein
- Tip 3 – Gently stretch & perform slow movements. This prevents your body from being too tight & stiff.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bike Repair and Replacement
Depending on the type of bike you have, the costs of repair and replacement may vary. If you own a huge bike with heavyweight parts, it may cost a lot more.
For replacement here are estimated prices of some bike parts:
| Bike parts | Estimated Price |
| ● Bike frame | |
| – Carbon fiber material | $2500 |
| – Titanium | $3500-4000 |
| – Aluminum ALloy | $1500 |
| – Steel | $2300 |
| ● Bike post & saddle | $100 |
| ● Fork | $70 |
| ● Headset | $35 |
| ● Stem | $20 – $40 |
| ● Handlebar | $40 |
| ● Disc brakes | $40 |
| ● Caliper brakes/ Rim Brakes | $25 |
| ● V- Brakes | $20 |
| ● Brake pads | $8 |
| ● Brake levers | $10 |
| ● Brake arm | $4 |
| ● Brake cables | $5 |
| ● Brake Noodle | $2.50 |
| ● Wheels | $130 |
| ● Tires | $50 |
| ● Bottom Bracket and Crankset | $50 |
| ● Bike gears | $20 |
| ● Bike chain | $10 |
Common Cycling Crash Injuries
- 1. Head Injury – can vary from skull fractures & scrapes. The most severe head injury is called a traumatic brain injury. Symptoms include memory loss, mental changes, mood swings, etc.
- 2. Bodily trauma – These are musculoskeletal trauma or broken soft-tissue injuries that may be caused after a collision. This can be in the form of a torn ligament, a dislocated shoulder, broken ribs, and more.
- 3. Back injuries – This can be damage to the body’s spinal column. If not treated, this can lead to paralysis as there is trauma inflicted upon the neck and the back.
- 4. Facial injuries – This can vary from broken jaws, broken teeth, a broken nose, or vision damage.
What can I do to prevent future bike accidents?
Always check and assess your bikes for any problems, obey the speed limit, and always drive defensively.
When should I go to the doctor after a bike crash?
It’s always best to go immediately right after the crash. Even if you think you’re okay. It’s good to consult a professional and undergo some testing to ensure your body is doing good externally and internally.
Conclusion
The line “ I fell off my bike” is always a staple in every biker’s life! And no matter how mild or severe the accident is, regardless of your body figure–you may be thin, strong muscular, or even a fat guy, your body still needs attention.
Not only that, you have to do many steps in the post-accident stage that are necessary for your welfare. Luckily, in this article on what to do after a bike accident, we’ve got it all covered.
Now you know what to advise fellow biker friends when they say “I had a bike accident!” Feel free to share this article!
“I ride my bike to work for years, but is that enough? Our carelessness towards our surroundings has taken a toll on the environment. And now, everyone is responsible for changes; even the most minor contribution is counted. With this hope and spirit, I started with my partner to establish Biketoworkday to help more individuals commute to their work sites on their bikes.”