Sustaining an injury in a bicycle accident caused by the negligence of another party can lead to significant financial difficulty for victims. It is imperative for individuals to know where they can turn to recover compensation for their losses. In many cases, this involves an insurance carrier. Here, we want to examine what types of insurance may be able to assist after a bicycle accident occurs in Colorado.
Many bicycle accidents occur as a result of the careless or negligent actions of another driver. In these situations, victims may be able to turn to an auto insurance policy to recover compensation for their injuries.
If the incident was caused by another driver’s negligence, the first course of action is to file a claim against their insurance carrier. This is just like a claim would be filed after a traditional vehicle versus vehicle accident. The injured bicyclist would obtain the insurance information of the negligent driver and then file the claim with the insurance carrier.
In the state of Colorado, every driver is required to carry $25,000 worth of bodily injury liability insurance per person and $50,000 per incident. Additionally, motorists must carry $15,000 minimum of property damage liability coverage.
In the event the at-fault driver did not have auto insurance, or if they fled the scene, individuals may be able to use their own insurance coverage to recover compensation. If a bicyclist carries uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage on their vehicle, they may be able to file a claim and recover compensation from their own insurance carrier, even if they were injured on their bicycle.
We strongly encourage you to examine your current insurance policy to make sure you have these two types of coverage. They are not mandatory in Colorado, but they are incredibly cost-efficient and come in handy when these types of situations arise.
Colorado residents often choose to carry personal injury protection or medical payments coverage as part of their auto insurance policy. This is also not a mandatory type of coverage, but it is incredibly helpful after an accident involving a vehicle occurs, even a bicycle accident. Individuals who carry this type of insurance will be able to file a claim with their own insurance carrier, regardless of who caused the incident. The total amount of medical payments coverage available will depend on each individual policy.
There may be some other options available when it comes to recovering compensation after a bicycle accident. If an individual carries a health insurance plan, then this should cover some of the costs of treatment. Individuals with medical insurance are often able to recover the compensation they need to pay for their current medical bills, but their insurance carrier will likely require repayment of their expenses if the victim recovers compensation from another insurance source, including an auto insurance settlement or a personal injury jury verdict.
If a bicyclist files a civil personal injury lawsuit against an alleged negligent party, they may be able to recover a significant amount of compensation for their injuries and property damage expenses. However, this is not considered insurance, and there is no guarantee a person will win their bicycle accident claim against another party.
