There are many ways in which using a bicycle as your mode of transport is a wholly positive thing. It’s relatively inexpensive, it’s good for the environment and it keeps you fit as you travel around. Indeed, many people throughout the UK choose to cycle as much for pleasure as necessity, and seek to introduce the habit to their children at the earliest opportunity.
Setting all of that aside, however, there’s no way of getting round the fact that cycling on the same roads used by a host of motor vehicles can be a dangerous proposition. The risk is heightened by other road users’ often reckless attitude towards cyclists, by cyclists’ occasional lack of visibility and by the vulnerability of a cyclist in the event of any kind of accident.
The statistics back this up, with figures from 2018 indicating that 17,550 cyclists were injured in reported accidents during the year, with 4,106 being seriously injured whilst 99 were sadly killed.
Whilst the upsides of riding a bike are clear and to be applauded, the risks inherent in the activity are such that the Department for Transport commissioned a report triggered by concern over the rising number of killed or seriously injured whilst riding a bicycle on the road. The report sought to establish the causes of such incidents, and the findings firmly established that most of the danger facing cyclists can be traced to the behaviour of other road users:
The risk to cyclists posed by the negligent behaviour of other vehicles is something which doesn’t look set to reduce any time in the immediate future. According to the latest figures, at the end of 2018 there were 38.2 million licensed vehicles on British roads, an increase of 1.2 percent on the previous year.
The fact that cycling can be dangerous thanks to the attitude of other road users is compounded by the nature of the injuries often inflicted upon those involved in accidents. According to figures collected by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, 40% of cyclists involved in road accidents suffer injuries to their arms, and 25% to their legs. Chest and abdomen injuries are rare, at 5%, but often serious, whilst, according to hospital data, 40% of cyclists and 45% of child cyclists suffer head injuries.
The serious nature of such injuries can be life changing, and compensation may well be required not only in recognition of the personal injuries you’ve suffered but also to fund the cost of ongoing care, medical treatment and lost earnings.
If you’re a cyclist (or the relative of a cyclist) who’s unlucky enough to be involved in an accident of this kind then you may well be in a position to make a claim for compensation. If you’ve been injured and it wasn’t your fault, then it’s deeply unfair to expect you to have to carry the burden of this injury entirely on your own. Even a relatively ‘minor’ accident can result in long term pain, distress and expense, both direct and indirect.
If this accident was brought about by the negligence of another party – if a driver failed to spot your bike at a junction, for example, or a lorry turns left in front of you without looking – then it’s wrong that you should be left to get on with recovering entirely under your own steam, and a successful compensation claim can go some way towards mitigating this unfairness.
Making a claim for compensation isn’t about cashing in on your accident, or punishing the other party, it’s about fairness and ensuring that, having suffered as a result of the original incident, you don’t have to carry on suffering into the future. The key to a successful claim lies in demonstrating that the bicycle accident in question wasn’t your fault, and that it resulted in you suffering a personal injury.
If you feel you’re in this position, submit the online claim form, or call free on 0800 234 6438 and speak to a trained legal adviser. They’ll take the details of your accident and give you an honest and clear appraisal as to whether you’re in a position to make a claim. If you wish to proceed, they can put you in touch with an epxert bicycle injury solicitor, working on a no win no fee basis. They will only take on cases which they’re confident of winning, meaning you can trust them to be utterly honest in their assessment of your claim.
If you do claim for compensation, then any payment you’re seeking will be based on several factors. The first and most obvious of these is the pain and distress, both physical and psychological, that the accident has put you through. Any compensation awarded for this will be calculated on the basis of the type and severity of your injuries.
On top of this, you’ll be able to claim for expenses directly arising from the accident. Expenses of this kind might include travel costs, medical bills, the costs of repairing or replacing your bike and other equipment and any other money which you would not have had to spend if the accident hadn’t happened. In order to maximise your chances of success it’s vital to keep any receipts for such expenses.
If you’ve been injured whilst out riding your bike because someone else didn’t take sufficient care then you’ve every right to seek compensation to minimise the negative ramifications of this event. Call a legal adviser now with as many details as you can and they’ll set to work on your behalf.
When you submit your details, you'll be in safe hands. Our partners are National Accident Helpline (a brand of National Accident Law, a firm of personal injury solicitors regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority). They are the UK's leading personal injury service. Their friendly legal services advisers will call you to talk about your claim and give you free, no-obligation advice. National Accident Law may pay us a marketing fee for our services.
By submitting your personal data, you agree for your details to be sent to National Accident Law so they can contact you to discuss your claim.
If you win your case, your solicitor's success fee will be taken from the compensation you are awarded - up to a maximum of 25%. Your solicitor will discuss any fees before starting your case.