When out riding your bicycle along Iowa’s streets or bike trails, the last thing you probably think about is car insurance. However, you should be aware that auto insurance might actually cover your damages if you suffer injuries in a bicycle accident.
After a bike crash, you may be able to get compensation for the following damages:
- Medical bills
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Any lost wages because you couldn’t work while recovering from your injuries
Who Pays For My Bicycle Accident Injuries?
If you weren’t at fault for the crash, the first place to look for compensation would be from the driver who hit you. If they have car insurance, their insurance could cover compensation for your injuries and damages.
However, drivers are only required to carry a minimum level of insurance. This may mean they don’t have enough insurance to cover all of the damages incurred in the accident. If that’s the case, your bills and pain and suffering likely wouldn’t be covered by their insurance even if they have coverage.
It may be that the driver has no car insurance. While that is illegal, it also happens more often than you would think. In this case, there are a couple of options you can pursue.
- You could try to sue the driver for their personal property. However, if the driver who hit you doesn’t have insurance, it’s unlikely they’ll have enough personal assets to cover all of your damages.
- You could use your own auto insurance policy to cover your injuries and damages.
Getting Your Medical Bills Covered After a Bike Accident
If you have health insurance, you can use this to get treatment for your injuries and pay medical bills until you settle your claim or get a verdict at trial. Your health insurance will be paid back if you receive a settlement or verdict in your case through a process called subrogation.
If you don’t have insurance, you may be able to use a type of car insurance coverage known as medical payment coverage, or “med pay” coverage. This type of coverage helps accident victims cover some of the damages associated with a crash. As the name implies, it will only help with medical-related bills, so you can’t use it for lost wages or other types of damages.
If you have underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage, this type of coverage can be used to pay for any injuries and damages.
Why You May Have to File a Lawsuit to Get Compensation
Often, the other side won’t be clear on whether they have enough insurance coverage to pay for all of your injuries and damages. You only have a limited amount of time to settle your claim or file a lawsuit, regardless of whether you try to get compensation from the person who hurt you or from your own insurance company.
If you have been in a bicycle crash, we recommend contacting an experienced Iowa personal injury attorney to help with your claim. Negotiating the ins and outs of insurance policies and the various types of coverage can be difficult, and your main focus should be on getting medical treatment for your injuries and healing.
RSH Legal offers a free, no-obligation case evaluation for Iowans injured in bicycle accidents. To schedule yours, call 1-319-774-1903.
