What To Consider Legally If You’ve Been Hit By A Bike Rider As A Pedestrian

What To Consider Legally If You’ve Been Hit By A Bike Rider As A Pedestrian

By Irene Wall

Sometimes, people don’t necessarily need to be in vehicles when they’re travelling. As a pedestrian, there are certain perks and benefits of being able to walk to your destination. Not only does it count as a healthy option, but it’s also a good way to maintain fitness, and it can be a convenient way of traveling as it can save costs when your destinations are close. Unfortunately, paths you have to travel as a pedestrian are very close to where bikes are supposed to go, which means the odds of you being hit by a bike as a pedestrian aren’t impossibly low. It’s important then to consider what to do legally if you’ve been hit by a bike rider as a pedestrian.

Do remember however that because different areas have different traffic laws, it’s essential to understand that a basic idea of how traffic laws work in your area and the advice of a legal professional can blend together to give you a more thorough understanding of what to take note of when being hit by a bike as a pedestrian.

If you’ve been hit by a bike rider as a pedestrian, it’s important to remember a couple of things. According to Find Law, it’s relevant to be aware of how traffic law works in terms of riding bikes as injuries concerning them may follow different aspects of the law than what you might be used to. Car accidents and vehicular injuries are things of concern, but bikes also have their own category as there are different factors involved. Legal considerations when you’ve been hit by a bike rider as a pedestrian, however, tend to be similar.

Assess Safety, Surroundings

When you’re hit by a bike rider, check your safety first and assess the surroundings after you’ve been hit. Regardless of whether or not you’re injured, move to a safe space but don’t leave the scene of the accident.

  • This is important as your safety is your first and utmost priority. However, go to the hospital if you think you really are in need of immediate medical attention. If not, try to stay in the area to gather more information.

Assess Information, Documentation

If the driver is in the scene of the incident, ask him or her for their contact information. Get their name, contact number, and email address. If you’re unable to get this information, try asking someone else to do it for you. This is important as you need to be able to aware of all the information of the people involved in the incident.

  • In speaking of information, try to get contact details of witnesses in the area as well. Don’t be rude and aggressive, but instead try to be approachable. Get their names and contact details, as you may have to contact them in the future.
  • If there’s any way to capture the license plate of the bike, please do so. Take a photo of the bike, the scene of the place, and yourself if you’ve sustained injuries. This will help you build a stronger case when contacting your insurer, or should you have decided to file a case.
  • Try to get as many details of the incident as possible. Try to include what happened, conditions of the road and weather, and the specific time of the incident. Try to be as detailed as possible and keep a record of it on your person. You can send it to yourself in the phone, or as an email. If you feel anything after the incident such as pain in muscles or any parts of the body, record them as well.

Assess Communication, Support

There will be instances where the driver or biker may approach you and apologise for the incident. A lot of people unfortunately also tend to deny involvement in the matter. Don’t let the driver negotiate with you, and instead keep your part of the story factual and consistent with the things above.

  • Don’t immediately repair your bike, and don’t attempt to throw away any form of damaged equipment, or clean the clothes you’ve worn. Try to wait for the incident to be solved before you do anything else with the things on your person during the incident.
  • If the biker that hit you is in some way intoxicated, it might be a good idea to communicate with a lawyer such as those in this site in order to find a good course of action should you want to file a case for compensation.

Conclusion

It’s a bit perplexing as to how pedestrians can even be involved in accidents, especially when they’re hit by a bike and its rider. However, as these accidents do still happen, it’s important to understand just how it can affect you and what to consider legally if you’ve been hit by a bike rider as a pedestrian. Admittedly, it’s not going to be a walk in the park, and sometimes the tendency is to really panic, but trying to keep a cool head and approaching the issue with a bit of finesse can greatly help your situation.

 

Disclaimer: Please remember that this article shouldn’t be treated as any form of legal advice. It’s advised you speak with a lawyer or a legal counsel in order to learn about the specifics of the topic and how it can be applied to your situation.

 

Irene Wall

Irene Wall has been writing about law for more than a decade. She writes pieces on various law topics that she hopes could help the common reader with their concerns. She enjoys playing basketball with her sons during her free time

What To Consider Before Taking Out Health Insurance

What To Consider Before Taking Out Health Insurance

By Jessica Wilson

Insurance can be a very tricky subject, especially when there are factors like costs and resources to consider. One of these insurance options is taking out health insurance which, at first glance, can be a good investment on your end, but there’s no doubt that there’s a part of you that wants to make sure things about insurance are clarified properly before investing any time or money.

Things and what to consider before taking out health insurance are important things to consider when thinking of getting such an investment. Do consult a financial professional before taking out health insurance, as you have to be prepared not just for the benefits it can give, but the costs on your end as well.

Quality of Care

It’s important to remember that when you take out health insurance, there are a number of factors that will be totally out of your control.

For instance, according to The Balance, some health plans actually make you use the doctors under the employ of the company. This means if you have a physician you see often, try to check if your medical professional is within the health care plan network you’re considering. Should you have to check and choose a new doctor from their employ, try to consider the kind of credentials they have and if they are suited for the kind of care you need.

  • This applies with the specialists you may want see especially when it’s about certain conditions you have. They are ones to operate on you, which means considerations have to be extremely careful on your end.
  • Try to assess whether or not hospital and emergency room care is covered in your particular plan. What exactly for the insurance plan constitutes the term “emergency”? Try to make sure you are well aware of how they define these special terms.
  • Try to check how regular health screenings work and which parts of these services are actually covered. Assess how managed care plans get to affect these screenings, especially on your kind of periodic service. Interestingly, some insurance plans don’t even cover these aspects at all.
  • Try to check if they also cover prescription drug coverage. This is especially crucial if you need to use drugs or different kinds of medicines on a regular basis.
  • Health insurance also doesn’t necessarily mean insurance only for extreme injuries and accidents. There are some forms of insurance, such as those here, that also cover general health and wellness. It may be helpful to look into these before choosing the kind of insurance coverage you want.

External Aspects, Services

Aside from the quality of care, it’s important to also consider the kind of external services and aspects of the health care plan in itself. For instance, try to assess if there are preexisting conditions or waiting periods that you should consider. A lot of people tend to forget to confirm how preexisting conditions or waiting periods factor into their new health insurance coverage.

  • Try to assess the kind of services that are covered with the health plans you want to consider. What other plans do they have? Do they offer programs related to mental health care, home health care, hospice, nursing home care, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, alternative treatments, experimental treatments, and even chiropractic care?

Costs, Assessment Matters

Perhaps the last thing to consider is to make sure the cost of the health insurance is something you can tackle in the first place. While there are a lot of good prospects in terms of coverage you can get, it’s always helpful to make sure you try to keep yourself within the confines of something you can actually commit to pay for. Remember, the benefits of health insurance can only be reaped if they are consistently paid. Don’t overwork yourself into making sure you meet those standards, as your overworking can lead to health problems that could be a waste of your hard-earned insurance.

  • Make sure you do things in moderation – the same thing works when it comes to health insurance. If you’re looking into plans for yourself and your family, make sure the one you’re getting is something you can fit into your budget. If there are adjustments to be made with lifestyle choices and your savings, make sure it’s something you can commit to in the long-term, as health insurance really works best as a form of security.
  • Before taking out an insurance policy, make sure you make proper assessment not just of the costs, but its potential effects on your life as well. Do consult a financial, legal, and medical professional on the kinds of impacts a health insurance could have on other aspects of your life outside the insurance in itself. Understanding the full extents of  coverage can greatly help you decide properly.

Conclusion

Taking out health insurance can be a good way to make sure your bases are covered when it comes to health concerns, but sometimes it can be hard to decide which one is right for you. This is especially true if you look at all the kinds of insurance options out there. However, all these options generally mean one thing: there are many ways for you to look after your health, and deciding which one works for you can take a lot of time and deliberation. Knowing what to consider, at least on a basic level, could give you a headstart when it comes to deliberating on which of these options you have to consider first.

Jessica Wilson

Jessica is a professional health expert who works for some major health industry giants. She currently writes for Membersown and is dedicated to helping people learn more about health related topics along the journey. When she’s not a health advocate, she enjoys some down time traveling or talking with family. “

On The Brink Of War? Understanding The North Korean Threat

On The Brink Of War? Understanding The North Korean Threat

 

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by Jerry Mooney

As the year winds down, it’s impossible not to breathe a sigh of relief. It has, after all, been a year of Trump and Brexit negotiations. And, the tempestuous political climate has certainly taken its toll. While we can’t be sure what the next year has to bring, it seems at the moment as though things couldn’t get much worse.

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The main political issue on our minds is, of course, North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. Not a day goes by without some terrifying update on the situation. Most recently, a missile has been released which would be capable of reaching as far as Washington. While the test run led to some issues on re-entry, the fact that such a missile exists is enough to send fear through most of our hearts.

Of course, it’s taken awhile to get to this point. Tensions between North Korea and the U.S. have been brewing all year. While some of us initially hoped Trump could calm the situation, we were bitterly disappointed by his improvised and provocative speech, where he promised that North Korean threats would be “…met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.”. Since then, the situation has only worsened, with Trump’s national security advisor declaring this week that the potential for war is growing each day.

Indeed, from the outside, the situation seems pretty hopeless. Neither Trump nor Jong Un look willing to back down. It’s no wonder, then, that many of us are left wondering just what the threat levels are. Despite blown up statements from various members of Congress, many of us are left wondering how real the North Korean threat is. Should we be preparing bunkers and stockpiling food?

While it’s difficult to judge what two such impulsive figures will do, it seems safe to say that we’re not on the brink of war just yet. We seem to be in an antagonistic stage, which has yet to turn into anything more sinister. Bear in mind, too, that no country WANTS to use nuclear weapons. Doing so would spell mutually destroyed destruction, and has kept us safe from large-scale warfare since the days of the cold war.

It’s also fair to say that most of our fear comes from the unknown entity of North Korea. This is the most secretive nation in the world. In fact, it’s near enough impossible to gain an accurate representation of life here. Tourists are shown a very slanted idea of North Korea. The closest picture we can gain is from defectors, like Yeonmi Park, who have come forward and shared their stories.

Kim Jong Un has built his personality by feeding into that mystery. It’s thought that even his age (33) is just an estimate. While many of us fear the unpredictable behavior of Trump, at least we know facts regarding his lifestyle. The same just can’t be said for the North Korean leader. Hence, we have no real way of knowing if he’ll follow through on his seeming provocation.

That said, research can help us gather a picture of Kim Jong Un which may help to put some people’s minds at ease. By unraveling the mystery, we can certainly understand his motivations a little better. Here are some of the facts that you may not have been aware of.

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Schooling

Few of us think of Kim Jong Un as an educated man. Certainly, the media often depict him as someone who doesn’t use logic when making decisions. But, like many world leaders, Jong Un’s education was top notch. During his teen years, he studied under a pseudonym at one of Switzerland’s top private schools. On top of which, he also has two degrees to his name, one in physics, and another as an Army officer.

In short; this isn’t a trigger-happy man who doesn’t know what he’s doing. While some reports claim that Jong Un leads his army with no training, it just isn’t true. Plus, anyone with a physics degree will be fully aware of the risks related to nuclear weapons.

Traveling

There also seems to be a general idea that Kim Jong Un doesn’t really travel anywhere. Perhaps it’s because North Korea seems like a whole world away. Many of us have this idea of a leader who hasn’t seen much of the world and has lived a sheltered existence. Again, it isn’t true. As mentioned above, Jong Un spent most of his teen years living abroad. There are also reports of young visits to China and Japan. In fact, Jong Un even has a favorite jet; the Ilyushin IL-62, as featured on this list of the top five Ilyushin aircraft. Admittedly, there have been no reports of his leaving the country since becoming leader in 2011. Plus, planned UN visits haven’t come to fruition. Most people suspect this is down to fear. But, it would be incorrect to assume that travel has never been on this leader’s cards.

Hobbies

To demystify the persona a little more, it’s worth noting that Kim Jong Un is a massive basketball fan. When he was younger, he was an avid supporter of Michael Jordan. He’s even developed a close friendship with retired NBA player, Dennis Rodman, who he’s met on various occasions. He’s also rumoured to have an extensive collection of Nike shoes. These are hardly hobbies you would automatically associate with America’s enemy number 1.

The history of North Korean weapons

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It’s also worth finding out a little about North Korea’s nuclear past. While no one can deny that tests have come more to the fore this year, that doesn’t necessarily mean that nuclear warfare is a completely new concept for North Korea. In fact, the country’s missile program was initially developed in the 1970s, with the help of the then Soviet Union. But, in 1985, North Korea signed a little something called the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Still, things haven’t been plain sailing since then. As early as 1993, The International Atomic Energy Agency had questions over North Korea’s dedication, nearly resulting in their pulling out of the treaty. Jump forward to 2002, and Bush highlighted North Korea as a country which was ‘seeking weapons of mass destruction’. Later that same year, he revealed that North Korea had admitted to a secret nuclear arsenal.

In 2003, North Korea withdrew from the NPT agreement and declared its nuclear weapons. Testing then started in 2006, and North Korea and America have been involved in disputes on the matter ever since. While North Korea did originally accept a settlement of $400 million to close its main nuclear reactor, this doesn’t seem to have solved anything, with more tests taking place in 2009. In fact, as it stands, there have been six nuclear tests, only two of which were conducted this year.

So, what does it all mean?

A look at the facts does prove that things are getting worse. After all, the two tests from this year have been on intercontinental missiles. But, remember, Kim Jong Un is an educated man with a degree in physics. More than even Trump, this is a man who knows the risks of a nuclear arsenal. And, if North Korean spokespeople are anything to go by, this is more about defence than attack. That said, it’s still worth noting that, as things heat up between the two leaders, our futures look increasingly uncertain. All we can do is keep an eye on the news, and hope the two countries find a way to settle their differences.


                                                                                                                        Jerry Mooney is co-founder and managing editor of zenruption and Jerry Mooney Books and the author of History Yoghurt and the Moon. He studied at the University of Munich and Lewis and Clark College where he received his BA in International Affairs and West European Studies. He has recently taught Language and Communications at a small, private college and owned various businesses, including an investment company. Jerry is committed to zenrupting the forces that block social, political and economic justice. He can also be found on Twitter.

Travel Tools to Manage Your Business On the Road

Travel Tools to Manage Your Business On the Road

By Jerry Mooney

Being a traveling business person is sometimes a choice, and sometimes a matter of necessity. You might need to travel to keep your business going, meeting with investors, making sales, and networking with collaborators. However, some people also choose to run a business while they travel. With the ability to access everything you need online, you can manage your business from anywhere. If you travel a lot, you’ll need the right tools to help you stay in touch with staff, clients, and more, and to get your work done. Take a look at these essentials if you’re planning on taking your business traveling.

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Cloud Services

The first thing any traveling business person needs is the right tools to stay in touch with their company. You can’t be out of the loop for long periods if you want to keep everyone happy and make sure it’s all ticking along. You’ll need to be able to access a variety of things, from important documents to payroll. Fortunately, cloud services and software make this so much easier. Using software like Office 365 means that you can access what you need, wherever you are. You just need to be able to get online. It makes it so much easier to work collaboratively, communicate, and always have the most up-to-date information.

Travel Router/Hotspot

If you need to get online to run your business, you need to have an internet connection available as much as possible. While choosing a hotel with free WiFi and checking for local internet cafes might be helpful, it’s not always ideal. Taking a travel router or hotspot with you can help you out if you’re struggling to get a stable connection. You might be able to plug it into your hotel’s wired connection or use it as an independent hotspot if you can’t find an existing connection to use. Having a mobile hotspot could save you when you’re in a tight spot, and you really need to contact someone or access an important file.

Mobile Devices and Apps

To access everything you need online, you’re going to need the right device. And that device will need to be loaded up with all your essential apps. Your smartphone, tablet or laptop won’t just help you get connected, either. It’s also invaluable for helping you stay organized and in touch with people. Most people will have a smartphone they can use to keep a calendar, make phone calls, take notes, and more. However, you’ll often find you need a tablet with a keyboard or a laptop to do everything you need to do.

A Decent Headset

A lot of your communication while you’re traveling can be done via email. However, sometimes you need to make a phone call or sit in on a conference call. Sometimes, you might have to do this in random locations, although it’s always best if you can hire a private space. Make sure you have decent headphones and a good microphone, especially for making online and long-distance calls. You might want noise-canceling headphones to block out any activity around you.

 

Before taking your business on the road, make sure you’re prepared. You should be able to stay involved with everything that’s happening.

Banish The Boredom On Your Next Road Trip

Banish The Boredom On Your Next Road Trip

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By Sharon Jones

Got a road trip coming up soon? Whether this is for leisure or travel to get to your next business, you might already be dreading the long journey. Not many people enjoy sitting in the car for a few hours on end, even if the route does pass some awesome sights.
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All that boredom is really nothing to worry about, though. As long as you know all of the following ideas and tips, you will be able to banish boredom in no time at all!

Research The Route

Don’t just set out on the road trip with just the basics of the route. It’s much better to do your homework and spend your time researching the route. That way, you will know exactly what there is to say along the way, and you can spend some of your time trying to spot the sights. You will find that this makes the road trip a lot more inspiring and entertaining.

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Get Your Tablet Ready

It will be necessary to bring some entertainment with you for the long and winding road, and a tablet device is perfect for this as they are so portable. You will be able to play casino online and stream YouTube videos while you have Internet data, but it’s also a good idea to download some apps and install programs so that you have some entertainment options if you don’t always have Internet. For example, you could always download a couple of movies or episodes of your favorite TV show.

Take Some Detours

This might not work if you are traveling for work and are on a tight deadline but, if at all possible, you should try and take as many detours as possible. That way, you can keep your journey interesting by heading to nearby sights and attractions. By taking the scenic route and as many detours as possible, you will see some magnificent sights that aren’t always visible on the highway.

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Give The Kids Jobs

Traveling with little ones? Then you are probably worried that they will start to complain and cause trouble as soon as they get bored. There’s one way around this – you just need to give them some simple jobs and responsibilities while they are in the car. For instance, you could hand older kids a map and ask them to help you navigate.

Read About Road Trips

Why not relax with a good book while you’re in the back seat? There are lots of popular novels and books that are all themed on road trips, and these will be the perfect accompaniment to your journey. One of the most famous road trip books has to be Jack Kerouac’s On The Road. Don’t worry if you are driving; you can still enjoy a good book on the road – you just need to find it in an audiobook format so that you can listen to it.  

 

Boredom and road trips don’t have to go hand in hand, especially when you use the above ideas!





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