A Guide To Cycle Accident Claims

By Stephen Bishop. Last updated 16th June 2023. Welcome to our bike accident claims guide. Cycle accident claims are one of the most common types of personal injury claims made today due mainly to the fact that so many people cycle every day. People cycle to commute to work, to get fit, to stay healthy or simply because it’s much cheaper than operating a motor vehicle.

The benefits of cycling are quite obvious but the downside is when a cycling accident happens it can cause a lot of damage both physically and financially. If you have been involved in a cycling accident, or you are considering making a claim because somebody you know was seriously (or fatally) injured in a cycling accident, then give us a all on 0161 696 9685. It’s free to call or claims management service, or if you want to learn more first then keep reading our in-depth guide.

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A Guide To Cycling And Bicycle Accident Claims

Cycling is becoming more and more popular across the UK for a number of reasons. However, with more cyclists, there have been, unfortunately, more cycling related accidents.

This guide aims to help you understand what cycling accident solicitors can do for you when you’ve had a cycling accident. In addition, we’ll look at how much compensation you could receive and what you need to do to start your claim. This bike accident claims guide will also cover the types of cycling accident you can claim for, what you need to in the event of a cycling accident and how to proceed if your cycling accident involved an uninsured driver.

Our experts operate on a no win no fee basis and they can take the lead on any type of cycle accident claims. In short, if your cycling accident was somebody else’s fault then you are probably eligible for compensation and we are experts at getting the most compensation for your cycling accident whilst making the claim process as easy as possible for you.

Cycle accident claims

Cycling accident claims

What are Cycling Accidents?

Cyclists are some of the most vulnerable road users, lacking the metal shell of cars and the like. Therefore, they have a far higher casualty rate per mile travelled. 

A fatal or serious cycling accident is much more likely to occur on urban roads than in the countryside and the majority of all cycling accidents happen at or near a junction. A cycling accident is most likely to occur at a T-junction or a roundabout where cyclists are commonly involved in collisions with motor vehicles.

The types of cycling accident injuries listed by ROSPA include injuries to arms and legs, chest injuries and head injuries. A head injury is one of the most common injuries when the cycling accident leads to a fatality. If you’re a cyclist injured as a result of a third-party, you could be eligible to make bike accident claims for yourself. For more information on cycle accident claims, please continue our guide or call one of our advisors. 

Common Causes Of Cycling Accidents

There are many types of cycling accident that lead to bicycle injury claims but some of the more common ones are:

  • Pot holes and poorly maintained road surfaces.
  • Oil, petrol or diesel spills on the road surface which causes the road to become slippery.
  • Drivers of other vehicles not paying attention.
  • Vehicles not indicating properly at roundabouts.
  • Negligence by motor vehicle drivers such as moving into the path of the cyclist or even opening the car door as cyclist is passing.

It is fair to say that most cycling accident injuries are accidental but if you’ve suffered personal injury and somebody else was at fault then we have a panel of personal injury solicitors who are experts in dealing in cycling accidents and operate on a no win no fee basis.

Cycling Accident And Safety Statistics For The UK

Cycling accidents can be quite varied in nature. In 2018, ROSPA reported that there were 17,950 casualties of cyclists on British roads. In short, 99 cyclists were killed, with a further 4,106 seriously injured and 13,345 sustaining minor injuries. Cyclists are some of the most vulnerable road users, lacking the metal shell of cars and the like. Therefore, they have a far higher casualty rate per mile travelled. 

The report doesn’t record the number of accidents where somebody else was at fault. However, the very fact that so many people are involved in a cycling accident is worrying and drives our panel of cycling accident solicitors to help those who fall victim to them. To learn how we help bike accident claims succeed, please get in touch today. Alternatively, keep reading to learn more about cycle accident claims.

Safety Tips For Cyclists

There are a number of things a cyclist can do to avoid being involved in a cycling accident. Some are more obvious than others but if you want to be less likely to have a cycling accident then you should try and do the following:

  • Ensure your bike is in good condition. A bike service can be as little as £20 but can make the bike run much smoother and ensure things like the brakes are operating correctly. Also check tyre pressures once every fortnight or so.

  • Be aware of other road users around you, vehicles can lead to a cycling accident but so can pedestrians crossing in front of you.

  • Wear a cycle helmet at all times. If you do have a cycling accident then a helmet can save your life.

  • Don’t wear headphones while cycling as you will not be able to hear early warnings that a cycling accident is about to happen such as a car horn or a pedestrian alerting you to something.

  • Stick to the rules of the road. Red lights, stop signs and one way streets should all be adhered to by all road users. If you are found to have breached any of the rules of the road when you had a cycling accident then you may not be eligible to proceed with a claim.

  • When riding at night ensure you have working lights. A common cycling accident at night time is where the cyclist didn’t see a pot hole so have a strong beam that points down to the road ahead especially in unlit areas.

In general you should be aware of what’s going on around you, don’t ride too fast or beyond your capability and stick to the rules of the road at all times.

Obviously, a cycling accident can happen at any time, even if you follow the steps above, and if it does because of somebody else’s negligence then we are here to help make your bike accident claims for you.

Bike Accident Claim Tips

If you’ve been injured in a cycle accident, you may be able to claim compensation if the accident was caused by the negligence of another road user. There are certain steps you can take that could increase your chances of success. For instance, you’ll need to gather evidence to corroborate your version of events.

Some examples of this could be:

  • Visual evidence – This can include a few forms of proof. CCTV/dashcam footage and photographs can be useful. You can provide evidence of the scene of the accident and of your injuries.
  • Medical records – You have a right to request these at any time. They will contain vital details such as information pertaining to your injuries as well as how you were treated and any medication you were prescribed.
  • Witness contact details – Others may have seen the accident. Make sure you have a way of contacting them so they could submit a statement.

There are other forms of evidence you could acquire – this is not a complete list. If you’d like more examples or information in general regarding what you can do to help support your claim, get in touch with our advisors today. If your bike has been hit by a car, legal advice can be sought by reaching to us out today.

Cyclists Involved In Hit And Run Accidents

If the other party involved in your cycling accident doesn’t stop at the scene of the accident then you may think that you don’t have anybody to claim against but there is something called the ‘untraced drivers agreement’ with the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB).

When you have a cycling accident and the driver doesn’t remain at the scene we can make a claim for your cycling accident with the MIB and they will investigate with us and try to work out a fair amount of compensation for your personal injuries and any damage to your property. So even if you can’t trace the other person involved in your cycling accident then get in touch and one of our specialists can begin the process of your personal injury claim.

A hit and run accident is one of the worst cycling accidents there are an we know it can leave the cyclist traumatised. Therefore, we always approach bike accident claims sympathetically and professionally for all of our clients.

Can You Claim Compensation If You Were Hit By An Uninsured Driver?

If you are at the scene of your cycling accident and it becomes apparent that the driver of the vehicle is uninsured you may worry that you won’t be able to make a claim for compensation. However, as with hit and run cycling accidents we will be able to make a claim through the MIB.

The process that the MIB follow can be quite complex but our team are experts and know what the MIB will need to process the claim for your cycling accident and will ensure the claim is processed quickly on your behalf.

As with all types of cycling accident claims (and any personal injury claims) there is a time limit when your cycling accident was caused by an uninsured driver of 3 years from the date of the cycling accident for the personal injury claim and 9 months from the date of your cycling accident claims for any damage to your property.

The main point to remember is that we know how to make this type of claim for your cycling accident so don’t worry. We are the experts and we will try to get the compensation for your cycling accident on your behalf, regardless of if the driver was insured or not.

Cycling Accident Compensation Settlement Amounts

If you make a successful cycle claim, then you will receive general damages as part of your settlement. This compensates you for the pain and suffering you’ve experienced due to the injuries caused by your cycling accident.

The amount of compensation offered for general damages in a cycling accident claim is decided on a case-by-case basis. However, lots of legal professionals may refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to help them when valuing this head of claim. This document provides guideline compensation amounts for different injuries. We have included some of the figures listed in the 16th edition of this publication in the table below.

This table should be used as a guide only.

Type of InjuryAmmountDescription
Minor back injury£7,890 to £12,510Simple bruising and sprains
Moderate back injury£27,760 to £38,780Loss of imobility with some pain
Severe back injury£91,090 to £160,980Long-term loss of mobility and potentially paralysis
Minor shoulder injury£4,350 to £7,890Short-tem immobility for 2 years or less
Moderate shoulder injury£7,890 to £12,770Long-term immobilty of one or both shoulders
Severe shoulder injury£19,200 to £48,030Long-term immobilty of one or both arms
Minor head injury£2,210 to £12,770Minor injury with full recovery
Moderate head injury£43,060 to £90,720Some affect on mental abilities
Minor neck injuryUp to £7,890Simple bruising and sprains
Moderate neck injury£24,990 to £38,490Long-term loss of mobility and pain
Severe neck injuryIn the region of £148,330Long-term loss of mobility and potentially paralysis

If you are eligible to claim for general damages, then you may also be able to receive special damages as part of your cycling collision compensation. Special damages may be included in a personal injury claim to cover for financial losses or expenses that have been directly caused by your injuries.

An example of special damages may be loss of earnings if you’ve had to take time off work due to your cycling accident injuries. If a cycle accident solicitor supports your case, they can help with calculating the value of your potential personal injury claim.

For more advice on compensation for cycling accidents, contact our advisors today.

No Win No Fee Bicycle Accident Claims

We pride ourselves that all of the solicitors making up our panel work on a no win no fee basis. This means that claiming for cycling accident won’t involve any up from expense from your side. It also means that you know there’s a good chance of us being successful and receiving compensation for your cycling accident injury because, with our knowledge and experience, we’d never take on a case that we didn’t think had a real chance of gaining compensation.

Our no win no fee offer for your cycling accident claim means that, if we weren’t successful in gaining you compensation for your cycling accident then you wouldn’t pay a penny.

Why You Should Trust Legal Helpline With Your Cycling Accident Claim

There are plenty of reasons why you should trust us to make your cycling accident compensation claim. Firstly we’ve got years of experience in making claims for different accidents and we’ve got the customer feedback to backup our claims that we really care for our customers and want to get you the compensation you deserve for your cycling accident.

Also, unlike solicitors who charge you by the hour for their service, we have a vested interest in making a successful claim for compensation on your behalf. Unlike those solicitors, if we’re not successful then we don’t get paid. We will only take on your cycling accident claim if we believe it has a good chance of being a successful claim and we will always try our hardest to get you every penny you deserve in compensation for your cycling accident.

We are specialists in cycling accident claims so you don’t need to worry about legal jargon or processes as we’ll deal with your compensation claim every step of the way and keep you fully informed on what stage your cycling accident claim is at.

Speak to Legal Helpline Today

If you believe that your cycling accident was not your fault, or you are claiming on behalf of somebody who’s cycling accident lead to such serious injuries that they are unable to make the cycling accident claim themselves, then get in touch with us today on 0161 696 9685. Our team of trained advisers and cycling accident claims specialists are waiting to begin your claim for you.

If you’re not sure if your cycling accident is serious enough or if somebody else is to blame then give us a call now and we’ll listen to your side of the story first and then make a decision with you. Don’t worry about knowing if you’ve got enough information as we’ll guide you through the whole process of making your cycling accident claim and make the whole process as simple as possible for you.

Remember, if we take on your cycling accident claim then it will be on a no win no fee basis meaning there is no financial risk to you.

Cycle Accident Claims FAQs

Here, we’ll look at some commonly asked questions about cycle accident claims.

How much compensation can I claim for a cycling accident?

Your compensation award depends on factors unique to your case, including the severity of injuries sustained, the impact that they’ve had and how you’ve suffered as a result. For an estimate, however, you can contact Legal Helpline for a free consultation.

How do I claim after a cycle accident?

Although a having a personal injury lawyer is not a requirement for making cycle accident claims, they can significantly boost your claim’s chances of success. What’s more, they could get you more compensation than you could on your own. Therefore, please contact Legal Helpline today to learn more about the services we offer.

Helpful Links And Resources

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