The Hidden Costs of a Bicycle Crash

As you lay on the pavement, you look towards your bike. The pain you feel when you see the damage to your bicycle, however, is nothing compared to the pain in your body. In the days and weeks following a bicycle crash, you will see just how quickly the costs can add up.

Within just a few minutes you hear the sirens and feel relieved to know that medical personnel are arriving. The medical technicians assess your condition and prepare to take you to the hospital. You nod, accepting your fate, and knowing you have little choice in the matter. With one last glimpse you see your destroyed bike, and mentally calculate the hundreds or thousands of dollars it will take to purchase a new one.

At the hospital, you are rushed into the emergency room for care. The doctors and nurses check you over and the medical tests begin. Your bed is wheeled through the corridors of the hospital, and you are told you will undergo a CT scan. The CT scan is similar to an advanced x-ray, as it takes images from numerous angles. From the results of this scan, your physician can see if you have internal damage, as well as fractures. This test, however, is expensive and can cost thousands of dollars.

The physician comes in your hospital room to give you the results of your tests. You have a concussion, as well as internal bleeding and a broken ankle. You will need surgery to stop the bleeding. Within minutes, your room becomes a bustle of activities, as nurses and surgical technicians prepare to take you to the operating room. Fortunately, the surgeon is skilled and has performed many similar operations. You come through without any difficulty and wake up feeling groggy, but without pain.

Your significant other has now arrived at the hospital and embraces you, happy to see you are out of danger. But behind her relief, you know she must be stressed. The operation and hospital stay will cost many thousands of dollars. Still, no cost is too great when it comes to your health and wellbeing. Over the next several days, you rest and recover.

Before releasing you from the hospital, your doctor comes in to talk to you. She tells you that, because of your concussion, you will be unable to work for at least two weeks. You will need to rest as much as possible and avoid reading, watching television, or any activities that require significant thought. This means that you will spend much of the next couple of weeks resting, and therefore will not be able to earn your paycheck. Although you know you need the rest, you feel unnerved to think how your family will get by without your income. Instead of resting your mind, as prescribed, you cannot help but think about how you will make your meager savings last to get you through.

Finally, after several weeks, you are ready to return to work. Although your ankle is in a cast and you are using crutches, you are still able to perform most of your work tasks. But there is still a long road ahead for you. You will require months of physical therapy to regain full function and strength in your ankle.

As you can see, the costs of a bicycle crash extend for weeks, even months after the crash. At such a vulnerable time in your life, you need a powerful force on your side. At the Law Firm of Kass & Moses, we are well versed in bicycle law and have represented hundreds of injured cyclists. We have over five decades combined experience going to bat for cyclists who have suffered injuries in bicycle crashes. At such a difficult time in your life, it is important to have a dedicated team on your side. Even if you were the victim of a hit and run, you can still be compensated for your injuries. Contact us today to learn how we can help you overcome the hidden costs of a bicycle crash!