Michigan streets can be busy places where cars and bicycles share the road, making accidents inevitable. What should happen if your parked car becomes a victim of an attack by bicycle riders who leave without reporting themselves or stopping? Unfortunately, car owners have experienced this frustrating yet potentially costly scenario more often than expected; therefore, we present steps you can take to manage this effectively.
1. Assess Damage: Your first step should be assessing any damage done to your car. Take photos from various angles as evidence to support an insurance claim or police report filing process. This documentation could prove essential when filing either.
2. Determine Witnesses: If an incident occurred, determine if any nearby witnesses could provide valuable insights about what transpired and may provide vital details on both cyclist and accident circumstances. Make sure to obtain their contact info should any follow-up be necessary later.
3. Submit a Police Report: Any accident causing property damage in Michigan must be reported immediately to law enforcement, regardless of severity. Speak to your local police department and file a report as soon as possible with as many details as possible, such as time/location details and cyclist/bicyclist descriptions if applicable. Witness statements - provide as much detail as you can!
4. Notify Your Insurance Company: As soon as an incident arises, notify your insurer as quickly as possible by informing them with details and photos taken of any damages sustained to report it as quickly as possible and start the claims process, depending on the terms of your policy they can assist in covering costs related to repairs if needed.
5. Consider CCTV Footage: If the accident occurred in a public location with surveillance cameras, gather footage immediately following. Doing this may help identify cyclists as witnesses for insurance claims or police reports filed later on.
6. Be Aware of Local Ordinances: Different cities across Michigan may have specific ordinances related to bicycle accidents and hit-and-run incidents that might apply to your situation, so familiarize yourself with any local laws that might pertain to you before proceeding further with anything to them. This may alter how best you respond.
7. Seek Legal Advice: If you have questions regarding your rights or any potential legal ramifications resulting from an accident, seek legal advice. They will guide what steps should be taken and provide support in navigating any obstacles that might present themselves in terms of litigation and arbitration proceedings.
8. Stay Patient: While dealing with hit-and-run accidents can be frustrating, you must remain calm during this process. Investigations take time; please stay in contact with law enforcement officials and your insurance provider regarding updates regarding their case status.
9. Prevent Future Incidents: Although accidents cannot always be predicted or avoided, you can take steps to decrease the chances of your parked car being struck by cyclists in future incidents. Park in well-lit areas when possible and reserve designated spots when parking; additionally, consider installing security cameras or dashcams as added layers of security protection for greater peace of mind.
10. Keep Up-To-Date: Keep abreast of developments within your case by regularly following up with authorities and reporting new information to them as it comes. Should any relevant details surface, notify law enforcement and your insurance provider promptly.
Are you the victim of a bicycle accident?
Following these steps can make an accident less daunting; being involved can be emotionally traumatizing; by staying proactive, you can increase the odds of positive outcomes from this unfortunate experience.
Be sure to document all damage, report it to both law enforcement and insurance, seek legal advice as necessary, and remain patient when returning to the road confident.