By Stephen Bishop. Last Updated 30th May 2024. If you have been injured in a motorbike accident, you may want to know the next steps you should take to make a motorbike accident claim. This guide will help by providing information on what you can do following an accident in which you sustained harm.
This article firstly discusses the personal injury compensation claims eligibility criteria to help you determine whether or not you have an eligible road traffic accident claim. We then discuss some possible causes of a motorbike accident and how another road user could potentially be at fault.
Moreover, we explore different types of evidence that would strengthen a motorbike injury claim, proving both who is liable for the accident and how badly you have suffered from your injuries.
The following section explores what factors are considered when valuing your personal injury compensation and what payouts awarded for successful motorbike accident claims could include.
Lastly, we touch on how our panel of No Win No Fee solicitors could help you seek compensation. If you wish to have a solicitor from our panel represent your case, contact an advisor. They can assess your case for free. You can reach them 24/7 by using any of the following contact details:
- Call us on 0161 696 9685
- Use our live chat feature
- Complete our contact form
Select A Section
- Can I Make A Motorbike Accident Claim?
- What Could Cause A Motorbike Accident?
- What Evidence Can Support A Motorbike Accident Claim?
- Motorbike Accident Compensation Claim Calculator
- Start Your Motorbike Accident Claim On A No Win No Fee Basis
- Learn More About Motorbike Accident Claims
Can I Make A Motorbike Accident Claim?
All road users, including cyclists, motorists and pedestrians, owe each other a duty of care to minimise the risk of causing harm or damage to one another on the roads. To uphold this duty, they must follow the rules in The Highway Code and adhere to the Road Traffic Act 1988.
Failure to uphold this duty of care could result in a motorbike accident happening. If you have been injured on a motorbike because of another road user not complying with their duty of care, then you may be able to make a motorbike accident claim.
In more specific terms, you only have a valid personal injury claim if you can show the following eligibility criteria:
- You were owed a duty of care.
- There was a breach of this duty of care.
- Because of this breach, you suffered an injury.
Contact our team to learn more about whether you can begin legal proceedings following your accident. An advisor can determine the eligibility of your motorbike accident claim.
What Could Cause A Motorbike Accident?
Motor vehicle accidents that involve motorbikes can happen due to a variety of reasons. However, to claim, you must prove that another road user was at least partially responsible for the accident in which you were injured.
Let’s take a look at some examples:
- A driver exceeding the speed limit cannot break in time for the red traffic lights, rear-ending you while you are waiting at the lights.
- An HGV driver fails to check it’s safe before turning right at a T-junction, causing them to crash into you while you’re on your motorbike.
- Car dooring, i.e. road users opening the door of a parked car hitting an oncoming motorcyclist without looking.
Some injuries that could be sustained from these accidents include paralysis, brain damage, and broken bones, such as a broken hip or broken femur,
To discuss your specific case, call an advisor using the number at the top of the page.
What Evidence Can Support A Motorbike Accident Claim?
When making a motorcycle accident claim, gathering evidence to ensure you have a strong case is important. Evidence can help prove who is to blame for your injury and how your injury is physically and psychologically affecting you.
Types of evidence you could collect to strengthen your case include:
- Medical records – For example, an independent medical assessment may be arranged as part of the claims process to assess the full extent of your injuries. The report from this assessment could be used as evidence alongside copies of your medical records.
- Police records – You must report your road traffic accident to the police within 24 hours if no details were exchanged at the time of the accident. This police report can help substantiate your claim.
- Photographic evidence – Take pictures of the accident site, injury and damage to involved vehicles.
- CCTV footage – You could request CCTV or dash cam footage of the road accident.
- Witness contact details – These could be used to get statements from witnesses at a later date.
One of the road traffic accident solicitors from our panel can help gather the listed evidence if you have an eligible claim. Find out whether they can assist you by calling the number above.
Motorbike Accident Compensation Claim Calculator
Following a successful motorbike accident claim, your compensation payout can comprise of general damages and potentially special damages as well.
General damages compensate for the pain and suffering caused by the injuries you have sustained.
Those who value general damages may use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), which includes guideline compensation brackets for different injuries.
The table below includes some of these compensation brackets for injuries you may claim for following a motorbike accident. Please keep in mind that this table is a guide only. The first figure is not based on any entries found in the JCG.
| Injury Type | Severity Level | Comments | Compensation Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Serious Injuries Plus Special Damages | Serious | If you are eligible to claim for multiple serious injuries from a motorbike accident, then you may receive a payout covering all injuries plus any related special damages, such as the cost of home care provisions. | Up to £1,000,000+ |
| Paralysis | Tetraplegia (a) | Upper and lower body paralysis. | £396,140 to £493,000 |
| Paraplegia (b) | Lower body paralysis. | £267,340 to £346,890 | |
| Brain damage | Very severe (a) | There will be issues, such as, little to no language function, little or no evidence of the person having a meaningful response to their environment and a requirement of full-time nursing care. | £344,150 to £493,000 |
| Moderately severe (b) | There will be a substantial dependence on others and the need for constant care. | £267,340 to £344,150 | |
| Less severe (d) | A good recovery and the ability to return to work and partake in a normal social life. Some issues continue to persist, such as poor concentration. | £18,700 to £52,550 | |
| Arm amputation | One arm is lost (b) (i) | The arm is amputated at shoulder level. | Not less than £167,380 |
| One arm is lost (b) (iii) | Amputated below the elbow. | £117,360 to £133,810 | |
| Leg | Amputation (a) (iii) | One leg amputated above the knee. | £127,930 to £167,760 |
| Chest | Traumatic injury (b) | Affecting the heart, chest, and/or lung(s) resulting in permanent damage and a reduced life expectancy, for example. | £80,240 to £122,850 |
| Simple injury (d) | Example of injury includes a single penetrating wound resulting in permanent tissue damage and no significant long-term effect on lung function. | £15,370 to £21,920 |
You may be able to claim additionally for special damages, which covers financial losses or expenses caused by your injuries. Some examples may include:
- The cost of property adaptation.
- Loss of earnings and future income related to your injuries and recovery period.
- Care costs.
- Travel expenses for attending important appointments.
To claim special damages, you will need certain documents as evidence, such as receipts, payslips, bank statements or invoices which confirm your financial losses.
Contact our advisors today for more information about motorbike accident compensation.
Start Your Motorbike Accident Claim On A No Win No Fee Basis
You can get in touch with an advisor for a free case check and to ask any questions you might have regarding your potential claim. If it’s found that your motorbike accident claim is eligible, you could be passed onto our panel of No Win No Fee solicitors should you wish to have legal representation. The contract they all work under is called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
CFAs are advantageous to you as a claimant as there are no immediate or ongoing costs for your solicitor’s services, and you do not have to pay for their work if your claim fails.
Instead, if your claim succeeds, your solicitor will take a percentage of your compensation that is legally capped, known as their success fee.
To see if you are eligible to connect to our panel of No Win No Fee solicitors, speak to an advisor today by:
- Calling us on 0161 696 9685
- Using our live chat feature
- Completing our contact form
Learn More About Motorbike Accident Claims
Please see our other personal injury guides and additional resources that offer related information:
Our guides:
- Find out who could claim compensation for a back injury after a car accident and the process of doing so.
- Learn about the time limits for personal injury claims to help you understand when you need to start legal proceedings.
- Discover when you could make a bus accident claim and the compensation you could potentially be awarded.
Other resources:
- NHS – Guidance on when to call 999.
- THINK! – Information on road safety laws.
- GOV.UK – information on receiving Statutory Sick Pay.
Thank you for reading this guide on when you could begin a motorbike accident claim. If you have any other questions, call an advisor on the number above.