Injured in a Cycling Accident? Get Free Legal Advice
When Can A Cyclist Claim Against A Motorist?
In the most simple terms, a cyclist can claim against a motorist when an accident was the latter’s fault. Motorists are legally obliged to carry insurance, and it is from this policy that an injured cyclist will often be able to claim compensation, both for an injury and its associated costs, and the damage done to property, an important financial consideration with some bicycles now costing more than the average car.
In many cases, however, a cyclist will be in some measure to blame for an accident, and depending on to what extent, a motorist’s liability will be harder to establish.
- Cyclists Can Claim Against Motorists For Careless Driving
- How Do Collisions Between Cyclists And Motorists Happen?
- What Should A Cyclist Do After A Collision With A Motorist?
- £60,000 Compensation Claim Won For Cyclist Hit By Car
- Cycling Accident Claims Surge During Lockdown
Can A Cyclist Sue An Unidentified Motorist?
Mr F was in severe pain and couldn’t move following the accident. An ambulance was called to take him to hospital, where an X-ray showed that he had sustained a fracture to his lower spine. He was unable to return to work for 3 months after the accident, during which time he was in continual pain and discomfort.
Mr F got in touch with Bartletts Solicitors after reading about a case we had previously handled involving similar circumstances to his own. We agreed to represent him on a No Win No Fee basis in a personal injury claim against the motorist in question. Fortunately in this case, a van driver who was behind Mr F’s bike at the time had dashcam footage that was important in establishing the circumstances of the accident. We were also able to obtain the vehicle’s registration number after requesting the police incident report, and were therefore able to submit our client’s claim to the motorist’s insurers relatively quickly.
Mr F experienced ongoing pain and weakness in his lower back following the accident, and had also lost a considerable sum in earnings during his enforced time off work. Within a few months of starting the claim, the insurer’s accepted full liability for the accident, and Mr F received a sum in compensation, which he was ultimately satisfied with.
This upsurge is seemingly at odds with the fact that traffic levels have fallen significantly, with many people avoiding the daily commute by working from home, and roads far emptier than usual. While it is impossible to pinpoint a single major cause, a number of factors appear to be contributing to the situation.
Firstly, more and more people are choosing to cycle to work and to get around towns and cities, thereby avoiding public transport and maintaining social distancing. At the same time, the government continues to allocate money from the £2 billion fund it announced in May 2020 to promote alternative and greener forms of transport, and to encourage people to take more exercise to the benefit of both their physical and mental health.
In November, the Department of Transport announced £175m in funding for councils in England to create safe spaces for cyclists and walkers, including Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and segregated cycle lanes. With an increasing number of cyclists on the roads and many choosing to cycle in public for the first time, a rise in the number of accidents would appear to be a logical consequence.
Further reasons that have been suggested include an increase in speeding among motorists taking advantage of emptier roads, and the fact that drivers still using the roads present more of a risk to cyclists and pedestrians than more careful and cautious motorists who are opting for other forms of transport or else remaining at home.
It can only be hoped that government initiatives to reallocate road space and create safer environments for cyclists will reverse this worrying trend, and that the undoubted benefits of fewer cars and more bikes on UK roads will include a fall in the number of crashes involving cyclists and motorists.
Why Choose Bartletts Solicitors?
Solid Traditional Values Delivered
In A Modern Convenient Manner
Every year we help over a thousand injured people, many of whom are cyclists, make claims for compensation on a no win no fee basis.
Our service is designed to be easy to use: meetings by phone & email, local medical appointments, sign documents online, or visit our city centre offices.
Our solicitors are very experienced in cyclist injury claims having worked at the firm for an average of 18 years.
Customer service is very important to us. John Bartlett has been managing the firm for over 40 years and takes customer satisfaction very seriously.
How Can Bartletts Solicitors Help You?
A free no obligation quick case assessment, followed by a No Win No Fee claim.
We help you recover whatever you have lost financially whilst injured, including your bike.
Get back on your bike as quickly as possible with expert medical care. Rebuild your confidence as a cyclist.
We take all the stress out of the claim and ensure you recover everything you are entitled to.
Send Our Cycling Accident Team An Enquiry:
Cycling Accident Team:

Call now for your free consultation. We guarantee you a warm welcome and a lawyer with the expertise that you would expect from a leading personal injury firm.
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