What if I’m Hit While Walking or Biking in New Jersey?

If you get hit by a car while walking or riding a bicycle in New Jersey, try to remain calm and get immediate medical attention. Call 911 to report the accident to local police. If possible, exchange information with the driver who struck you. As you prepare for the insurance claims process, consult with a personal injury lawyer in New Jersey for advice that you can trust about how to maximize your recovery.

Ensure Your Safety

Try to remain calm and get to a safe location. As a pedestrian or cyclist, you could be at risk of getting hit by another car if you remain in the road or a crosswalk. Ask for assistance moving out of the road, if necessary.

If you have symptoms of a spinal cord injury – such as severe back pain, numbness or tingling, or the inability to move any part of your body – restrict your movements as much as possible. Only move if you are in immediate danger. Wait for paramedics to arrive so that they can stabilize your spine to prevent further injury.

Do Not Delay Medical Care

Your injuries after getting hit by a car can be catastrophic or life-threatening. Your adrenaline from shock, however, may mask pain and other injury symptoms. You should always seek immediate medical care after a bicycle or pedestrian accident due to the possibility of hidden or delayed injuries.

Prompt medical care can ensure your safety and optimize your physical recovery. It is also important for insurance purposes; an insurance company will look for reasons to deny or diminish coverage, including gaps in medical care. Getting prompt and proper treatment can protect your right to receive insurance benefits.

Get a Police Report

You should always report a pedestrian or bicycle accident to the police. New Jersey law requires crash reporting when an accident results in injuries, deaths or expensive property damage. Collisions between motor vehicles and vulnerable road users almost always meet these parameters.

Call 911 to get in touch with local law enforcement. They should send an officer to the scene to investigate and write up a report. Ask for your police report number before they leave. You can use this to get a copy of your report later, to submit it alongside your insurance claim.

Document the Scene

If you can, take photos or videos at the accident scene before you leave to go to the hospital. If you can’t do this yourself, have a friend or family member gather evidence for you. Take pictures of the car, your injuries and the larger crash scene. Write down names and contact information for the motor vehicle driver and eyewitnesses. Look around for surveillance footage or dashcams.

Pursue Compensation

Once you’ve received medical care, start focusing on the claims process. New Jersey is a no-fault state, meaning an injured pedestrian’s own personal injury protection (PIP) insurance may pay for his or her medical expenses, lost wages and other losses.

If you do not have automobile insurance or your injuries are serious, however, you can most likely file a lawsuit to hold the at-fault driver accountable. To optimize your case outcome without taking on the stress of the legal process, contact a bicycle or pedestrian accident attorney near you.

Representation from a lawyer can ensure that an insurance company does not take advantage of you. You can trust your New Jersey car accident attorney to fight for maximum compensation while you focus on your emotional and physical recoveries. For a free consultation about a recent incident in New Jersey, contact The Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Hasson, P.C.