Every cyclists worst nightmare is being involved in a collision with a car or truck, because there’s never, ever going to be any doubt about who will come off worst in that scenario. Portland bicycle accident attorneys see victims of such accidents that have been permanently scarred, or who have received traumatic brain injuries, become paralyzed, or worse, they meet the families of those who have been killed in bike vs. car collisions. What can the cyclist do? Cars are much smaller than motor vehicles, which makes them difficult to see when they’re approaching a busy intersection or riding along a row of parked vehicles. Drivers, on occasion, simply don’t see the bicyclist or pay enough attention, but that’s not to say people on bikes never make mistakes.

1. What to do after an Oregon Bicycle Accident
Portland has long been recognized as a bicycle friendly city—in fact many studies and surveys have
named it the most bicycle friendly city in the entire country. The sad correlation to that statistic is
that Portland will also have more than its fair share of bicycle accidents.
Every cyclists worst nightmare is being involved in a collision with a car or truck, because there’s
never, ever going to be any doubt about who will come off worst in that scenario. Portland bicycle
accident attorneys see victims of such accidents that have been permanently scarred, or who have
received traumatic brain injuries, become paralyzed, or worse, they meet the families of those who
have been killed in bike vs. car collisions.
What can the cyclist do?
Cars are much smaller than motor vehicles, which makes them difficult to see when they’re
approaching a busy intersection or riding along a row of parked vehicles. Drivers, on occasion, simply
don’t see the bicyclist or pay enough attention, but that’s not to say people on bikes never make
mistakes.
This is why, apart from the health of everyone involved, the focus of any investigation into a bicycle
accident will be on who was negligent and to what degree. The driver’s insurance company will try
to claim at least a certain degree of negligence on the part of the cyclist in the vast majority of cases,
or they will say that the responsible government agency created an unsafe bicycle lane or
intersection—anything that will save them having to absorb the entire payout themselves.
Cyclists don’t even like to use the word accident, because it implies no one was at fault. They prefer
words like “crash” or “collision,” but the fact is, all bicycle accidents are the result of someone’s
negligence or the combined negligence of more than one person.
Because a cyclist—especially one who has suffered a traumatic injury—will not want to face a
barrage of questions and even accusations from a negligent driver’s insurance company, they would
do well to join forces with an experienced bicycle accident attorney. A good personal injury lawyer
will handle both the necessary investigations into the accident, as well as the questions posed by the
insurance company.
Some dos and don’ts if you’ve been involved in a bike-car accident
It’s not something anyone wants to think about, but if you’re a cyclist and end up being involved in
an accident involving a motor vehicle, there are things you should and shouldn’t do. Failure to heed
these suggestions could lead to any potential claim being seriously undermined. So remember:
• Always wait for the police to arrive, even if you think at the time you haven’t been
seriously injured. It’s important to have an official report available, especially as a means
to confirm the identity of the driver that caused the accident.

2. • Never negotiate with the driver! It is more than common for a driver to initially admit
liability and promise to pay damages, then later change his or her mind and try to shift
the focus of responsibility to the bicyclist. In a number of documented cases, the driver
may suddenly decide they were never even in the area on the day of the accident. They
may also give false information regarding their name, address or insurance details. Let
the police handle it.
• If you’re physically able after the accident, make sure that your version of events is
included in the accident report. Police sometimes don’t wait to speak to the cyclist
before filing their report, especially if the cyclist has been taken to the hospital and the
police have already decided, based on what the driver told them, that the cyclist was at
fault. If, on the other hand, the driver has received a ticket, this could be very helpful to
you should you decide to file a claim.
• Get the driver’s name and contact details, or if you’re too injured to do so, ask a witness
to the accident to do it for you.
• Put on your detective hat and start investigating. Get someone—even if only with a cell
phone—to take photographs of skid marks, your bike, any damage to the car, etc. Also
try to get the names and contact details of additional witnesses. Your bicycle accident
attorney will conduct a thorough investigation, including getting the accident scene
measured and diagrammed, so any information you can give them would be helpful.
• Get medical treatment immediately after the accident. This achieves a number of things,
including:
o Allowing doctors to determine the extent of your injuries, which could be more
serious than you think they are. This could help doctors head or limit potentially
serious and long-term damage.
o Proving to the insurance company that you were definitely injured in the
accident.
o Generating medical reports that could be very useful if you make a claim and it
ends up in court
• Get photos of your injuries as soon as possible after the accident and keep a journal with
entries every couple of days to record your progress, physically and emotionally.
• Never communicate with the driver’s insurance company unless and until you’ve spoken
to your own bicycle accident attorney. Any statement you make could be twisted and
construed as an admission of your own liability. Get a good personal injury attorney on
your side, and let them handle all the negotiations with the insurers.
An interesting and pertinent fact is that simply by teaming with a good personal injury lawyer, you’re
far less likely to end up in court than if you didn’t have legal representation. Insurance companies
are far more likely to settle out of court, with far more reasonable settlement offers, if they know
they would be facing an experienced litigator inside the courtroom.

3. Try to pick a Portland bicycle accident attorney with proven expertise in the specific area of bike
accidents and associated injuries. They should be familiar with things like local bicycle traffic laws,
the names and functions of bicycle components, the speed at which bikes travel and how they
corner and brake, as well as how to establish the monetary value of lost riding time in addition to
injuries, pain and suffering and other out of pocket expenses.