In the unfortunate event that you witness a cycling accident, it can be tricky to know exactly what to do at the moment. Here, we’ll go over the steps you should take, but if you’re looking for more information on cycle accident advice, you can contact us to learn more today.
Seek medical attention if necessary
Regardless of whether you’re directly involved, it’s important to seek medical attention if you suspect you’ve sustained an injury as a result of a cycling accident. A medical professional will ensure that you’re given the best possible care, and identify any injuries that you might have. This is especially important to do early before any injuries worsen.
Provide evidence
To be successful in a cycling accident claim, it’s important that a claimant can paint a clear picture of how a third party’s actions resulted in them being injured. The problem is that an injured person will generally not have the best ability to recount what led to them being injured. This is where you come in.
As a witness, you’re an impartial third party there to tell the truth. It’s important to make sure that you take the details of any parties involved in the accident so you can be called upon later in the claims process to give your testimony. Additionally, it’s a good idea to take photographs of the scene of the accident and anything else that could help to paint the scene of the accident.
Make notes
Eyewitness accounts can make or break a cycle accident claim so it’s important that you’re able to remember key details of what happened. Because of this, it can be a good idea to take notes of what you’ve witnessed so that you don’t forget key details during the period it may take to make a claim. Important things to take down include:
- The date and time of the accident
- Any vehicle details from those involved
- The weather conditions
- The condition of the surface where the accident occurred(any potholes, etc)
Dashcam footage
Dashcam footage is a great source of evidence that can be used to prove liability following a cycling accident. As a witness, if you have dashcam footage of an accident, you should notify the police immediately. You may then be asked to provide your dashcam footage for the investigation.
Claims going further
It’s important to recognise that most cycle accident claims won’t go to court, and will be settled in negotiations between insurance companies. However, there’s always a possibility that both parties won’t agree to a settlement, meaning that the claim goes to civil court. In this case, you may be called forward as a witness to give your testimony. Once all evidence is presented, a decision is made based on who has more evidence to support their side of the claim.
Seeking help when making a claim
If you’ve been involved in a cycle accident and want to make a claim, or simply have more questions, then you can get in touch with our experienced team by making an Enquiry, or call us on 0800 093 6313. Once you’ve gotten in contact, our team of experienced solicitors will be more than happy to help you get the compensation that you deserve.
If you’d like to learn more, you can read more of our guides below:
