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How to Find Bike Accident Advice in San Francisco

Getting into a bicycle accident is scary. Not only is it usually a huge shock and could involve a serious bike injury, but it’s also likely something you have never been through before in your life.

Needless to say, it can be very overwhelming. Many people feel extremely lost in the days and weeks following a bike accident.

You’ll be dealing with a whole number of issues you’ve never had to deal with before, and not only that, but the stakes are incredibly high. Often, after a bicycle crash, you’ll be dealing with your own health and recovery, mounting medical costs and bills, high pressure calls from the driver’s insurance company pushing you to take a settlement, and getting your work and personal life back on track.

If you feel overwhelmed and in need of bike accident advice after a crash, you are not alone. Here are three of the best places to look for bike accident advice in San Francisco.

1. Your medical team

First and foremost, your health is the most important thing to take care of after a bicycle accident. You want to do everything possible to ensure that you will recover fully and be able to live a life as you lived before your crash.

Work with your doctors to create a treatment plan that works for you; don’t be afraid to speak up and ask questions. If you aren’t sure about something, ask for your doctor or nurse’s advice about other options or why a course of action is the most effective.

Make sure to ask about the things that are important to you. If getting back on your bike or being able to run or hike or walk your dog is what is most important, then ask them how you can make those things happen again and what additional work (like yoga, physical therapy, etc) you can add to your treatment regimen.

Ask them for their advice on when you should start trying to ride your bike again, and what to do if you feel (understandably) shaky the first few times out. They will most likely have seen many cases like yours before and will have knowledge and experience (and years of medical training!) to share.

2. A local San Francisco bicycle coalition

We are lucky that San Francisco is a city full of cyclists and cycling advocates. There is nothing like talking to a fellow cyclist who has been through what you are going through, who can offer you practical advice in language that you actually understand.

Most cyclists don’t know exactly what their rights are before, during, and after a crash. A bicycle coalition in your neighborhood can help you understand what to do next by drawing on the power of their community to share information and experiences. They can also connect you with advocacy groups and attorneys who can help you in the event you need to pursue a legal case.

Get in touch with a group like the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition to be connected with people and resources that can help you.

3. An experienced attorney, like those you’ll find at Bay Area Bicycle Law

Hiring an attorney can be an intimidating idea, but an experienced bicycle law attorney is actually one of the best places to get advice about your bike accident. And here is the best part: you can get their advice for free.

Any worthwhile attorney will offer a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation to discuss your case before you hire them. You can ask them questions and get advice on whether or not you have a strong legal case worth pursuing. Only after this first meeting do you have to decide to hire them or not, so there’s really no reason not to at least do a consultation.

Not only will an attorney know the ins and outs of the laws for cyclists and drivers in San Francisco, but they will also know how to make a winning case against the driver who hit you. Unfortunately, most legal cases are about more than just who was at fault or not. Every crash is different and there are so many factors that influence if you get a settlement at all, let alone one for a fair amount.

Attorneys can help you with advice for stressful conversations with insurance companies, too. If you decide to hire an attorney, they can even become your representative; they’ll speak on your behalf in negotiations, and make sure you get the best possible outcome.

Don’t be afraid to ask for bike accident advice

After a bike injury, don’t be afraid to reach out to ask for bike accident advice and help. It can be scary to ask for advice — especially when, as adults, we are expected to do so much on our own without help — but this is a situation that is too important to not try every resource you can.

There are plenty of people (especially in a major cycling city like San Francisco) who have expertise and experience and advice that can help you get back on your feet as quickly and healthily as possible.

If you have had a bike crash and need legal advice on your case, call Bay Area Bicycle Law now to talk to an experienced attorney who can help you understand where you stand and what you can do next. Call 415-466-8717 now!