As a bicyclist, you may be wondering if you are afforded the same insurance coverage as any other motorist. Read on to discover how insurance coverage applies to bicycle accidents and how one of the seasoned Howard County bicycle accident attorneys at Llyod J. Eisenberg & Associates can help you recover your damages.
Who is commonly at fault for bicycle accidents in Maryland?
When bicyclists share Maryland roads with other motorists, accidents may occur. This is especially the case if there is no bike lane present. That said, bicycle accidents may occur in the following ways:
- A bicycle accident with a motor vehicle:
- Reckless driving.
- Distracted driving.
- Drunk or drugged driving.
- Fatigued driving.
- A bicycle accident with a pedestrian:
- Failure to abide by traffic signals.
- Walking in the bike lane.
- A bicycle accident with another bicyclist:
- Speeding.
- Cycling in the wrong direction.
- A bicycle accident with a stationary object:
- Colliding with a tree.
- Colliding with a pole.
- Colliding with an illegally parked vehicle.
How does insurance coverage apply to bicycle accidents in Maryland?
In the state of Maryland, a fault-based insurance system is followed to determine how a victim of an auto accident will be compensated for their injuries and damages. So, for an accident with an automobile and a bicyclist, this system may make it more difficult for you to recover damages than in a no-fault insurance state, where the actual fault of you and the other driver is inconsequential.
For an accident with a pedestrian or another bicyclist, you may be able to receive compensation from their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. But for an accident with a stationary object, you may have to turn to your insurance.
What should I do to better my chances of insurance coverage?
You will want to collect as much proof as possible to prove to the at-fault party’s insurance company that your bicycle accident was due to no fault of your own. You can make this possible by taking the following approach immediately after your bicycle accident:
- Call 911 so that a police report can be written and so that an ambulance can be dispatched to the scene of the accident.
- Retain a copy of the police report later on.
- Take photos and videos of your injuries, damages, and the hazards that contributed to your accident.
- Retain photos and videos from witnesses for further proof later on.
- Ask the at-fault party for their name, phone number, driver’s license number, license plate number, insurance company name, insurance policy number, etc.
- Retain contact information from witnesses for testimony later on.
- Attend medical treatment at the scene and follow-up appointments at the hospital and with your primary physician.
- Retain copies of your medical documents that state the date, time, and extent of your injuries, along with copies of your medical bills, later on.
- Employ one of the competent Howard County auto accident attorneys.
- Retain surveillance camera footage of your accident from your attorney later on.
