Accidents Between Pedestrians and Bicyclists: Negligence and Liability

Bicycle vs. pedestrian accidents are clearly not as common as motor vehicle crashes, but they do occur. When they happen, injuries and even death can result. For victims of these kinds of crashes, it often becomes a case of who is negligent and liable for the crash. It is sometimes feasible to obtain compensation for injuries if negligence can be proven.

About Negligence and Liability

When bicycle vs pedestrian accidents take place, negligence may be involved. Whether the blame lies with the pedestrian or the bicyclist, it may be feasible to prove negligence and hold the at-fault party liable for financial losses related to the crash.

Seeking Immediate Assistance

Since bicycle vs. pedestrian crashes do not generally involve automobile insurance coverage, injured parties may need to use their standard health insurance to seek required medical assistance. Most major medical policies will cover injuries from this type of accident. Homeowners insurance or other types of insurance held by the negligent party may also come into play in certain circumstances.

In the immediate timeframe after a crash, the involved parties may want to treat the event like a car accident. This means notifying emergency authorities, filing a report and seeking medical attention before worrying about anything else.

The Importance of Getting a Report

If injuries sustained from a bicycle vs. pedestrian crash are severe enough, making sure a police report is filed can prove important later. This may help a victim better prove negligence and could open the door for possible compensation under the law.

Should obtaining a police report not be possible, victims should record a narrative of the events to the best of their ability. The things to record include:

The location of the crash
The time the crash occurred
A narrative of what happened
A listing of the parties involved and any witnesses
Documentation of the outdoor conditions at the time

Getting Compensation

While actual automobile insurance coverage may not be responsible in this type of crash, there are other possible forms of compensation available for injured, not-at-fault parties. Victims may be able recover money to cover medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and more from:

The at-fault party’s homeowners insurance
The at-fault party’s personal liability insurance
The at-fault party’s personal assets in a civil suit

Getting Legal Assistance

When bicycle vs. pedestrian accidents occur, it might be necessary to seek out legal assistance. A reputable lawyer will be able to advise victims of their rights and help them seek compensation. Since this is an unusual type of crash, the at-fault party may also want to obtain legal guidance.

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