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Claiming compensation for bicycle injuries

Cyclists are more vulnerable on the road than many other road users. The weather, road and traffic conditions, their smaller size relative to other vehicles, and the awareness and attitude of other drivers around them can all reduce their visibility and safety.

If a cyclist suffers a serious injury which was caused by the negligence of another road user, they may be entitled to claim compensation for their injury and its consequences. Serious injury claims need early advice and specialist handling from experienced solicitors to give the injured person the best chance of recovery and full compensation.

Children on bikes are even more vulnerable. They are smaller and less visible around parked or moving vehicles. They may be less able to see other vehicles when emerging onto or crossing a road. Their road sense and control of their bicycle may be less developed than adult cyclists, so extra care needs to be taken by motorists around children on bikes. Even where children are not immediately visible, motorists are expected to anticipate that children may be cycling in residential areas, near to schools, shops, parks, playgrounds and other leisure facilities, and to slow down and take extra care.

Cyclists are more likely to suffer serious injury from a road accident, collision or fall. They do not have the ‘crumple zone’ protection that the structure of a car gives its driver and passengers or an airbag to cushion their fall. Whilst cycle helmets provide valuable protection from skull fracture in lower impact accidents, a cyclist remains vulnerable to severe injury to their brain, spine and other parts of the body if hit by another vehicle.
 

Recent cycle claims cases

  • £520,000 settlement for the bereaved, dependant family of a cyclist who died after being knocked off his bicycle by a vehicle whose driver was on their mobile phone. After securing a substantial interim payment to relieve the family’s financial hardship, we obtained a full value settlement of this complex loss of dependency claim.

  • A six-figure compensation settlement for a cyclist who suffered multiple injuries including skull, facial and rib fractures,  hearing loss, pain and depression, when she was knocked off her bike by another vehicle.

  • An interim payment followed by £120,000 settlement for a cyclist who suffered injuries to his knee, ankle and finger, ongoing pain and a psychological reaction when he was knocked off his bike by a moped.

When can I claim compensation after a cycling accident?

Injured cyclists may be entitled to claim compensation for their injury if the accident was caused by another road user:

  • Tailgating or driving too close to the bike in front
  • Overtaking too close or in a dangerous location
  • Failing to see the cyclist on the road and colliding with them
  • Failing to stop or slow down at a road junction, roundabout or traffic lights (where the cyclist had right of way)
  • Speeding
  • Losing control of their vehicle
  • Failing to keep to their own side of the road or lane
  • Failing to look when changing lane
  • Failing to keep to the highway code
  • Driving a car which was unroadworthy, such as defective lights, mirrors, indicators, tyres or brakes
  • Driving whilst on a mobile phone (or was otherwise distracted within the car)

An injured cyclist may also have a claim against the highway authority, police, or other agencies responsible for safety on the road, if their injury was caused by their negligence. These claims often follow an injury caused by:

  • a defective road surface,
  • unmarked ramps,
  • unlit skips or road works.
     
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What kind of cycle accident injuries can I claim compensation for?

We have helped recover compensation for clients after cycling accident injuries left them with:

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How to claim after a bicycle accident?

The first step is to speak with one of our cycle accidents experts by contacting us for a free, no-obligation consultation. This initial conversation is to hear your account of the incident and how it has impacted you and your family. At this stage we can advise you on whether we believe you have a claim. 

If you decide to make a claim through our solicitors we will then discuss your funding options and the next steps we will need to take.

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How much cycle accident compensation could I receive?

The amount of compensation that you can receive in a cycle accident claim is determined by a number of specific factors, including the seriousness of the injury, the degree of any permanent disability brought on by the injury, the effect the injury has on your life moving forward.

We will obtain medical evidence about the nature and extent of your injuries and any non medical evidence about the long term needs and financial implications of your injuries such as care or equipment needs.

Once we have gathered all the required data and reports, we will give you advice on the amount of compensation you should anticipate receiving and get in touch with the at-fault party's insurer to negotiate a settlement on your behalf.

Contact us online or by phone at 0800 124 4845 to begin the claims procedure.

We can claim compensation for:

  • Rehabilitation costs, including:
    • Brain injury rehabilitation
    • Physical rehabilitation
    • Vocational rehabilitation
    • Educational rehabilitation
  • Costs of care
  • Costs of case management
  • Costs of specialist equipment
  • Costs of assistive technology
  • Adapted vehicles and transport costs
  • Loss of earnings and pension
  • Medical costs
  • Prosthetics after amputation
  • Special educational support
  • Cost of therapies such as:
    • occupational therapy (OT)
    • physiotherapy,
    • speech and language therapy
    • psychological counselling
  • Costs of adapted accommodation
  • Costs of domestic assistance
  • Court of Protection and deputyship costs
  • Loss of dependency – replacing the cost of the deceased’s income and services eg DIY, housework,  childcare for eligible dependents (fatal cases)
  • Statutory bereavement award (fatal cases)
  • Reasonable funeral costs (fatal cases)
     
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Partly at fault – can I claim for my injury if I wasn’t wearing a cycle helmet?

Common examples of a cyclist’s contributory negligence include not wearing a  helmet, not wearing high visibility clothing if cycling at night, or the cyclist’s dangerous overtaking or other behaviour.

The fact that a cyclist wasn’t wearing a helmet at the time of their accident rarely prevents them from making a claim.

Cycle helmets are recommended by RoSPA, Headway and Cycle Smart because they can help reduce serious injury from skull fractures in an accident, but they are not compulsory under English law. 

Many injuries, including brain injury, spinal injuries, amputations or major trauma, are not avoided by wearing a helmet. 

Where an injury was not made worse by the cyclist’s failure to wear a helmet, the amount of compensation for the injury should not be affected. 

Where an injury would have been avoided or less serious if the cyclist had been wearing a helmet, there may be a ‘discount’ or reduction in the amount of compensation that they receive.

Contributory negligence is sometimes used by defendant insurers as a negotiating or stalling device. It is important that the injured person’s solicitor has the necessary level of experience and understanding of these serious injury claims to ensure that the injured claimant receives their full entitlement to compensation. 

Boyes Turner’s personal injury team are experienced in overcoming insurers’ unjustified attempts to reduce their liability on the basis of the cyclist’s contributory negligence.

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Severe, complex, multiple or psychological injuries from a cycling accident

A sudden, severe injury can affect every aspect of the injured person’s life. Serious brain injuries, in particular, cause physical, cognitive (mental or intellectual), neurological, sensory and psychological disability. These injuries are not simple to evaluate or to adjust to.

The injured person may need a lengthy period of specialist, multidisciplinary rehabilitation, ongoing therapies, and help with psychological adjustment to their disability, reduced independence and mobility. They may not ever be able to return to former activities, walk, drive or return to work. This causes financial hardship and stress within the family.

Chronic pain, PTSD and psychological reactions can affect the injured person’s ability to respond to treatment, which is often misunderstood in the context of a compensation claim.

A staged, skillfully managed approach to the client’s recovery, rehabilitation and their claim is needed in these complex cases. Our team’s supportive relationships with these client families often continue long after the conclusion of the claim.

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Rehabilitation after a cycling accident – maximising recovery AND compensation

At Boyes Turner, we believe that our severely injured clients deserve the best chance of recovery. We help them achieve this with rehabilitation.

Where our client is seriously injured in a road accident, we can often secure immediate funding from the negligent driver’s insurer to get our client’s rehab underway. For many clients, this maximises their recovery by allowing a seamless continuation of treatment from acute hospital care to rehabilitation. The earlier the rehab, the better the recovery.

Every small gain in the client’s recovery gives them more benefit from their compensation. This might come from being able to use assistive technology to communicate, learn, access education, entertainment or work. It might improve their independence through the use of prosthetics, specialist wheelchairs or adapted vehicles. It might be the difference that allows them to live independently, with support, in adapted accommodation.  

Following rehab, a client’s ongoing needs and abilities will determine how every aspect of their lives can be improved with the help that can be provided by compensation.

Rehabilitation is not a substitute for compensation. Clients who have not recovered to a level where they can make use of available help do not achieve the highest levels of compensation. Serious disability will affect the client for the rest of their life.

Their quality of life, and their ability to participate and live a meaningful life, will come from achieving their maximum recovery, assisted by compensation.  Any solicitor or injury claims handler who fears the effect that a client’s recovery from rehabilitation might have on their claim is not acting in their client’s best interests.

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Compensation claims for children who have been injured in a cycling accident

Just as children need extra care on the road, they need extra care from their solicitor in handling their claim.We understand how deeply, and the many ways that a child’s severe injury affects the child and their family. 

Parents often suffer from conflicting feelings of anger and (misplaced) guilt depending on the circumstances of the child’s accident. These feelings sometimes make it very hard for them to claim their child’s entitlement to compensation.

Our lawyers understand these concerns and work sensitively with the child’s parents throughout the claim, whilst complying with our duty to act in the best interests of the child.

Claims for children are subject to different time limits and must meet additional court requirements, for example, in the way that their settlements are agreed and their money is managed.

These requirements are for the protection of the child and are often reassuring to parents, particularly when the child’s injury gives rise to a substantial compensation claim.

Boyes Turner’s claims solicitors are experts in achieving maximum settlements for severely injured children.  We act for the child, whilst supporting their parents throughout and often long after the conclusion of their claim.

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Fatal injury claims in cycling accidents

When a cyclist dies from injuries caused by somebody else’s negligence, their dependent family members may be entitled to claim compensation.

Depending on the circumstances of the case, eligible family members may also be able to claim compensation for the deceased’s pain and suffering leading up to their death, a statutory bereavement payment, and reasonable funeral costs and other expenses arising from the death.  

We provide support and representation for the families of deceased accident victims at inquests, protecting their interests and guiding them through the process by which the coroner establishes the facts surrounding the accident and the cause of the deceased’s death.

The sudden loss of a family member is always hard to come to terms with but is often made worse by the financial hardship which follows the death of a parent or partner. Where the family relied on the deceased’s income or their responsibilities within the home, such as childcare or domestic tasks, we can provide some relief from the financial worry by securing interim payments and making a ‘loss of dependency’ claim.

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Why choose our cycling accident solicitors?

At Boyes Turner your serious injury claim will always be handled by an experienced solicitor.

Our personal injury lawyers are APIL accredited and top rated nationally by Legal 500 and Chambers Directory for their expertise in serious, high value personal injury claims.

Our work with charities such as Headway and Cycle Smart means that we understand the catastrophic impact that a sudden, devastating injury has upon the individual and their family.

We are skilled in helping our clients and their families through the rehabilitation and recovery process which follows a life-changing injury and, with the help of compensation, supporting them to rebuild fulfilling and meaningful lives.  

By choosing Boyes Turner’s personal injury team you can be sure that your claim will be handled by experienced solicitors with the skills to recover your full entitlement to compensation, even in the most severely injured or complex claims.

Complex personal injury claims – specialist lawyers for difficult/complex cases 

We are recognised specialists in personal injury cases involving complex liability, medical or financial issues. We help clients with claims involving multiple possible defendants, conflicting witness evidence, contributory negligence allegations or highly complex injury.

We often secure rehabilitation and compensation successfully for clients whose claims were turned away by other firms,  owing to their legal or medical complexity. Our serious injury lawyers have the skills and the experience to help our injured clients meet their needs.
 

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Contact us today

  • No upfront costs & no win, no fee
  • Accredited legal experts
  • Help accessing rehabilitation
  • Free & no obligation initial advice

Call us free 0800 124 4845

Call our specialist legal teams Monday - Friday, 9:00 - 17.30 for free, no obligation advice.

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  • No upfront costs & no win, no fee
  • Expert rehabilitation help
  • Free & no obligation initial advice

Meet your specialist team

Our specialist Cycling accident claims team are considered leaders in the field and have a significant amount of expertise.
Kim Milan

Kim Milan

Senior Partner

Claire Roantree headshots

Claire Roantree

Partner

Martin Anderson

Martin Anderson

Associate Solicitor

Beth Hatton headshoot

Beth Hatton

Paralegal

Roshni Patel photo

Roshni Patel

Paralegal

Kim Milan
Claire Roantree headshots
Martin Anderson
Beth Hatton headshoot
Roshni Patel photo

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Cycle accident cases

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Awards & Accreditations

Our teams have been nationally recognised over the past decade for their dedication and commitment to securing maximum compensation for our clients

              Brake | The Road Safety Charity

"Personal Injury Claim"

Claire is exceptionally knowledgeable in the personal injury legal domain, especially in the specific area of my injury. From our very first conversation, she was clear in explaining the potential different routes that the process could take and provided me with expectations of what I could expect along the journey.

She ensured that all bases were covered, organising meetings, discussions and necessary specialist appointments, in order to bring together the case and take it forward. Claire was then able to use her extensive pool of contacts, to appoint an "area leading" barrister, to represent me.

Overall, I was very pleased with appointing Claire and Boyes Turner to act as my solicitor for the legal claim that I pursued. Thank you for all of your support.

Boyes Turner Client

"Boyes turner workplace injury claim"

I approached Claire Roantree of Boyes Turner in regards to making a claim about a workplace burns injury. It was something that had scarred me physically and mentally and taken a huge toll on the lives of me and my family. Claire wasted no time in finding out what happened and made sure I was treated by known experts and quickly finding an answer to my burns scarring and how I could be treated to help manage my pain. Claire also helped me by appointing a psychiatrist to understand my situation and help me cope with post traumatic stress disorder. As well as taking as much stress of the claim away, she was thorough in every situation, making sure I had the best possible claim, and handled it all expertly, I am so very grateful to her and her team. They have helped guide my life back into a positive direction and I can't thank her enough!

Boyes Turner Client

"Personal Injury claim"

Excellent service from Claire and her team at all times. We were kept up to date at each stage of our claim. The outcome was much better than we expected and we would not hesitate to recommend Boyes Turner to family and friends.

Boyes Turner Client

"Lifechanging Law Firm"

Kim handled my personal injury claim after a car accident with immeasurable expertise and compassion. Boyes Turner arranged every part of my private rehabilitation, which greatly improved the speed and quality of my recovery.

Each stage of the litigation process was dealt with efficiently and succinctly. This was then always explained without using unclear legal jargon.

On both health and financial levels, I would be in a far worse position without Kim’s invaluable input. I cannot recommend this firm enough.

Jessica

"Helping me start to get my life back together"

The last 6 years since my incident have been so my mental health and general life. When I chose Boyes Turner, I was expecting just a solicitor to take my case forward. What in fact I actually got is a solicitor who genuinely cared about what had happened to me and wanted to help me get justice. Without their support I would have probably given in and excepted what happened. I am so glad that I didn’t, now it’s over I am now feeling empowered knowing it wasn’t my fault. They have given me hope for the future. It is more than a job for Claire, she is caring and kind, are wants the best for clients. Thank you.

Rhiannon
Rated Excellent 4.8/5