Suffering injuries in a bicycle accident can mean a substantial hit, not just to your body and your overall health – not to mention your bicycl – but also to your finances. You have substantial medical bills to deal with and a lot of losses related to your overall income.

A bicycle accident claim can help restore some of those lost funds – but just how much should you expect? How much compensation is normal in a bicycle accident claim?

No bicycle accident claim is quite like any other. Ultimately, the compensation you recover will depend on the insurance company, the extent of your injuries, and the losses you have faced. However, you can often break down the compensation you might recover in a serious claim based on the specific losses you have faced. If you have questions about a bicycle accident settlement, from the offer made by the insurance company to how much you should expect, a lawyer can help you break down your losses in a more effective way.

What Injuries did You Sustain in Your Bicycle Accident, and What did Treatment Cost?

In many cases, you may want to wait to file a bicycle accident claim until you have a solid idea of what your medical treatment will look like. Immediately after the accident, you may not even know the full extent of your injuries or how much your medical treatments will ultimately cost. You may have unexpected complications in the recovery process, or you might discover that you need more therapy than you initially expected to make a full recovery.

Once you have had a chance to recover from the majority of your injuries, you can work with a lawyer to put together an effective bicycle accident claim that includes compensation for all the medical expenses you faced following the accident. Be sure not to wait too long as time limits apply to your case.

A lawyer can make sure you incorporate all relevant expenses, from the cost of medical treatment, including:

Ambulance transportation
Hospital bills
Corrective surgery
Physical therapy

For a free legal consultation, call (800) 537-8185

What If Your Bicycle Accident Injuries Cause You to Miss Work?

If you had to miss work because of your bicycle accident injuries, it may add an additional layer of worry to your future plans and your financial status. Even if your employer is willing to work with you to get you back to work as soon as possible, you may find that the lost time at work adds up to significant financial strain.

You may have to miss work for:

An initial recovery period
Extensive recovery after surgical treatment
Follow-up appointments, including physical or occupational therapy

In some cases, your injuries may heavily interfere with your ability to return to work at all. Talk to a personal injury attorney about the income you have lost as a direct result of your injuries and your bicycle accident. You may also want to discuss any sick time or leave time that you used to help cover your time off work, since you may, in some cases, have the right to include compensation for those losses.

What If You Suffer Other Losses Caused By Your Bicycle Accident?

When you file a bicycle accident claim, in addition to compensation for the financial losses you faced because of the accident, you may have the right to include the overall suffering caused by the accident. Referred to as pain and suffering, may not include direct financial losses on your part, which can make it more difficult to calculate. Instead, payment for pain and suffering allows you to pursue financial compensation for non-financial losses related to the accident.

Non-financial losses may include a variety of things. Compensation for your pain and suffering may start, for example, with compensation for the physical pain you have sustained as a direct result of your accident. It may also include compensation for the other suffering you have dealt with during your recovery.

Did your bicycle accident cause a loss of independence? Have you had a hard time getting back to the activities you once enjoyed? Have you struggled with the isolation that often comes along with serious injuries? You can include all those elements of suffering within your request for compensation for pain and suffering after your accident.

Click to contact our personal injury lawyers today

Dealing With the Insurance Company As You Pursue a Bicycle Accident Settlement

To seek a settlement for a bicycle accident, you will most often deal with the liable driver’s insurance company. If you have dealt with car insurance claims related to damage to your vehicle in the past, you may assume that a bicycle accident claim will go relatively smoothly. However, if you suffered injuries in your bicycle accident and need to claim compensation for your losses, you may have a difficult time pursuing compensation.

The insurance company may try to:

Shift liability for the accident to you, or at least shift partial liability to you, to effectively limit your payout
Deny the extent of your injuries
Deny the extent of the treatments you needed for your injuries
Show that you did not suffer the limitations you claim following your accident
Issue a low settlement offer soon after the accident and pressure you to accept it so that the insurance company does not have to accept further liability

After a bicycle accident that involves injuries of any kind, working with an experienced bicycle accident lawyer gives you the best chance of securing the settlement you deserve. A lawyer can work with you to break down your financial losses, discuss your right to compensation, and even negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf.

Furthermore, a lawyer can help you avoid many of the mistakes often made after an accident, which can make it easier for you to maximize your compensation.

Questions?Call (800) 537-8185
to find a Morris Bart office near you.