Lawyer Brenda Hollingsworth – Bicycle and Car Accidents on Ottawa Streets

Ottawa personal injury lawyer Brenda Hollingsworth appeared on Daytime Ottawa today to review what steps you should take if you are injured in an Ottawa accident involving a motor vehicle and a bicycle.

Here is Auger Hollingsworth’s

10 Steps to Take After a Motor Vehicle – Bicycle Collision

1. Get Safe–  Make sure you are off the road, out of the way of oncoming traffic.  Save yourself first, worry about your bike after.
2. Don’t Apologize or Explain – Be polite but do not accept responsibility or explain what you were doing to the other driver(s).
3. Call the Police and / or Ambulance–  Remember, what may seem like a minor accident or minor injuries can get much worse as the hours or days go by and pain sets in.  If you don’t call the police to the scene, you miss the opportunity to have a report done at the scene.  Get the officer’s name and badge number.
4. Look for Witnesses.  Assuming you are able, track down the names and numbers of people who witnessed the accident.  Don’t have a pen and paper?  Consider texting the info on your cell.  Many PDA’s have “note” options.
5. Take Photos–  Remember your cell phone has a camera.  Take photos of all sides of any vehicle involved, do a close up of any damage, consider photos of witnesses, license plate numbers and the accident scene.
6. Exchange Information– Get the name and contact info of any involved driver and vehicle owner.  Take the driver’s license number and insurance information too.
7. Get Immediate Medical Attention–  If you do not need to go to the emergency room, visit your family doctor or walk-in clinic shortly after the accident.  Sprains, strains and even fractures are not always immediately obvious.  If you wait, you may have a hard time proving the accident caused the injury.
8. Document the Damage to Your Bike–   Have your bike assessed by an experienced bike technician or engineer before it is repaired or scrapped.
9. Report the Accident.-  Even if the bike accident was not your fault, report it to your auto insurer to activate your accident benefits.  If you don’t have auto insurance, report the accident to the other person’s insurer.
10. Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer for a Free no Obligation Consultation.  If you contact Auger Hollingsworth, we will provide you with a free copy of our two books:  An Injured Victim’s Guide to Fairm Compensation and Crash Course:  A Savvy Woman’s Guide to Ontario Accident Claims.  Both have important information for cycling accident victims.

If you have been injured by a car while riding a bicycle or as a pedestrian, it’s important to speak with a top personal injury lawyer as soon as you’ve received necessary medical treatment. For more information, contact the Ottawa lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth by email [email protected] or by phone at (613) 233-4529.