Colonial Heights Bicycle Accident Attorney

If you have been involved in an accident and you are able, you should do the following:

• Check yourself for injuries, and call 911 if you are injured
• If you are able, move yourself to safety
• Call the police to report the accident
• Document the scene by taking photos of everything
• Get contact and insurance information from the other driver
• Identify any potential witnesses and ask for their contact information
• If you are unable to ride or your bike is not ridable, call a friend or family member to get you
• Talk to a bicycle accident lawyer at Commonwealth Law Group in Colonial Heights

You should obtain a complete medical checkup as soon as you are able. If you are unable to take the above steps, ask someone to call 911 so you can get immediate medical care.

Sometimes people are reluctant to involve a lawyer after they have been injured. Hiring a lawyer can be beneficial in ways you may not realize. You should consider hiring a bicycle accident lawyer to represent you after an injury since they can:

• Thoroughly investigate your accident to assign blame
• Work with medical professionals to determine the cost of medical care
• Negotiate with insurance companies and lawyers
• Represent you in a trial if that becomes necessary

Hiring a bike accident attorney is a smart thing to do to make sure your rights are protected. Having an effective negotiator on your side with knowledge of the legal process can maximize your compensation.

An experienced Colonial Heights bicycle accident lawyer from Commonwealth Law Group has the skills necessary to estimate the value of your case. Although every case is unique, there are certain factors that an attorney will take into account when estimating the value of your case. These include:

• Medical expenses
• Lost income
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering

Your bicycle injury lawyer will be able to determine a compensation value that is just and fair.

It is not unusual for insurance adjusters to reach out to injured people with a settlement offer. If you accept their offer, you’ll also be expected to sign a form in which you give away your right to bring a lawsuit against them in the future to obtain more compensation.

Oftentimes, their offers are for far less money than your case may be worth. The money you get from a quick settlement may not cover your needs, and if you sign a waiver, you will have no recourse. If you are talking with an insurance adjuster, it is to your benefit to never sign anything without first consulting with a bicycle accident lawyer.

Some states operate under a comparative fault system. Under this system, a judge in civil court can assign a percentage of blame to each party. The final damage award would be reduced by the same percentage of blame assigned to the injured party.

In the state of Virginia, the contributory fault system applies. This means that in your Colonial Heights bicycle injury lawsuit, you will not be able to recover any damages if you are partially to blame for the crash that caused your injury.

Laws that govern the amount of time in which legal action should begin are called statutes of limitations. 

Under Virginia law, you have two years from the date of your accident in which to initiate your claim. If you wait until that period has passed, you will most likely be unable to pursue a legal remedy for your injuries.