Bicycle accidents can be caused by a wide variety of factors, but they often involve miscommunications or a clear negligent interaction between bicyclists and motor vehicles. When these accidents happen, no potential injuries should be just ignored. In some instances, many injuries don’t begin to present themselves for days, if not weeks later. If you are involved in an accident while on your bicycle, it is important to conduct a self-evaluation and seek medical attention if you have any doubts about your condition.
Start With Your Head
Ideally, you wear a helmet whenever riding to protect yourself from potential injury. Wearing a helmet can save your life and minimize serious trauma to your brain. It is important to regularly check your helmet for any cracks. If you’ve made an impact hard enough to crack the helmet, there is a good chance that you may have additional injuries. This is also important if you lost consciousness or are experiencing confusion or vision changes.
Spine and Neck
Following your head, you’ll want to evaluate your spine and neck. If you are experiencing any pain in your neck, or you have numbness, tingles, or a complete inability to move your fingers or toes you may have sustained a serious injury. When it comes to your neck or spine, you don’t want to take any risks. Even the slightest concern warrants a trip to the hospital.
Take a Deep Breath
Broken ribs or a punctured lung can be a real concern following a bicycle accident. Take a deep, slow breath. If you experience any pain, this could be a warning sign that you’ve punctured a lung. Seek immediate attention before the condition gets worse.
Seek Medical Attention
If you have any doubts about potential injuries, it is best to seek medical attention. What may seem like a minor ache on-site could develop into a much more serious issue in the days following the incident. If you were injured due to negligence by a driver of a motor vehicle, you could have a valid personal injury case. Contact our office to learn more about how we can help.
