All motorists have a duty to take care for the safety of other road users – including cyclists!
But it’s a sad fact of life that some motorists just don’t take the care they should when driving near cyclists.
Figures published by Lancashire County Council for accidents in conjunction with the police confirm that there are still large numbers of cycling accidents on our roads every year and, because of their vulnerable position, cyclists account a significant proportion of serious injuries and fatalities.
There are some obvious steps that cyclists can take to keep themselves safe:
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Always follow the Highway Code,
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Wear a helmet,
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Wear bright colours whenever possible, and
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Always display at least one light (preferably more) when cycling in the dull or dark conditions.
But if the worst happens we are here to help.
Here at Farleys, we have many years of representing injured cyclists in claims for compensation where an accident is caused by a careless motorist. It probably helps that some of our team of specialist lawyers are keen cyclists themselves.
We can help with a claim against the careless motorist to include compensation for: any injuries suffered, any loss of earnings and the replacement or repair of expensive bikes, clothing and accessories.
We are always happy to work on no win no fee terms in cycling accident claims.
Cycling Accident – Case Study
We successfully assisted Mr H* in pursuing a claim for compensation following a nasty cycling accident.
Mr H, from Burnley, was out for a ride on his bike. He was wearing bright coloured clothes and riding a bright coloured bike, but a careless motorist failed to see him at a mini roundabout and drove straight into collision with him.
His bike was damaged beyond repair and Mr H was injured.
He was recommended to Farleys by his local bike shop and I agreed to deal with the case on no win no fee terms.
The insurers for the careless driver quickly liability for the accident and we arranged for Mr H to receive an early interim payment to cover the cost of replacing the bike – a brand new Mondraker electric mountain bike worth around £8,000!
Mr H suffered a variety of thankfully relatively minor physical injuries. But he also suffered significant psychological injury because the accident brought back all the trauma of another serious accident he had been involved in a couple of years earlier.
We obtained expert medical evidence about Mr H’s physical and psychological injuries and attempted to negotiate with the insurers, but they didn’t seem to recognise the seriousness of the case. So, we brought court proceedings against the careless driver and the insurers then reconsidered their position and recently agreed to settle Mr H’s claim for over £20,000.
Mr H had some very kind things to say about us when the case was settled: –
I had an awfully upsetting cycling accident, Paul Mulderrig came recommended from his local cycling shop, he provided a 1st class service. He was honest and up front with me over the telephone. A while later I met Paul who was obviously very professional and I was surprised how approachable, friendly and humble he was. I felt extremely reassured in his presence as this accident brought out trauma from a previous accident. His patience with the driver’s solicitor was unbelievable. I would thoroughly recommend Paul and his Rawtenstall staff given the five-star service I’ve experienced.
Contact a Cycling Accident Claim Solicitor
If you’ve been injured in an accident which wasn’t your fault whilst out on your bike, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation. To discuss your case with an experienced personal injury solicitor, please contact the team at Farleys on 0845 287 0939, get in touch by email, or use the online chat below.
*Name has been anonymised to in respect of our client’s privacy