How Much Compensation Will I Get For A Bike Accident?

Bike users are particularly vulnerable to Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs). Even when bike helmets are worn, the lack of vehicular protection means that even a minor bike accident can lead to serious injuries. If you’re injured in a bike accident caused by another road user’s negligence, you could claim compensation for any injuries. If you’re trying to find out, “How much compensation will I get for a bike accident?”, this guide should help.

Our specialist advisors are on hand to help if you’d like to discuss a claim for a bike accident. During your initial consultation, you can ask questions about your claim and you’ll receive free legal advice about your options. Where your claim appears to have a fair chance of success, we could pass it to one of our personal injury solicitors. Importantly, you’ll only have to pay their legal fees if your claim is won because they offer a No Win No Fee service for all accepted claims.

To learn more about bike accident claims, please read on. Alternatively, please call our team on 0800 6524 881 today if you’re ready to discuss your case right away.

Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For A Bike Accident?

There are a few criteria that must be met before one of our personal injury solicitors will take on a claim for a bike accident. During your consultation, they’ll check whether:

• The other person involved (the defendant) owed you a duty of care; and
• The defendant caused a bike accident because they were negligent; and
• You were injured during that accident.

You’re not expected to know how to prove if a legal duty of care existed as this is something your solicitor will verify for you. For now, it’s enough to know that all road users have a duty to try and keep others safe because of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Also, some authorities have a duty to inspect and repair roads and cycle tracks because of the Highways Act 1980. Furthermore, the Highway Code was amended in January 2022 to give cyclists more protection on the road.

So, rather than concentrating on legislation, your role will be to prove how your bike accident occurred and who was responsible. To help with this, we’ll explain the types of evidence you could use later on.

How Much Compensation Will I Get For A Bike Accident Claim?

How much compensation for a bike accident you could claim will be based on the level of suffering caused (general damages) and any costs you paid because of the accident (special damages). If one of our solicitors takes on your claim, they may be able to secure compensation to cover:

• The physical pain caused by your injuries.
• Any mental harm resulting from your injuries (PTSD, anguish, depression etc).
• Physiotherapy costs or surgery at a private hospital.
• Loss of earnings.
• Loss of amenity – any loss of enjoyment related to your hobbies and other usual activities.
• Travel expenses including parking or fuel costs when visiting a hospital.
• The cost of replacing your bike, helmet or other items damaged during the bike accident.
• Care costs if you needed somebody to support you while you were injured.
• Home adaptations if you’re left with a disability and the changes will help you to cope.
• Future loss of earnings for longer-term injuries.

Your solicitor will need to gather evidence to prove how serious your injuries were before they can give you a proper compensation estimate for your bike accident. To help with this, you’ll need to be assessed by an independent expert as part of the claims process. Their report will help your solicitor to understand your prognosis and determine what level of compensation should be paid.

Bike Accident Compensation Calculator

You can use our compensation calculator below to review the potential compensation ranges for a number of relevant bike accident injuries:

Please don’t rely on these figures as each case is unique and any settlement will be based on your circumstances.

Common Causes Of Bike Accident Claims

According to government statistics, there were around 15,000 cyclists injured in 2023. Of those, 3,942 were serious injuries and 87 were, unfortunately, fatal injuries.

To give you some idea of what sorts of bike accidents you could claim compensation for, we’ve added a few examples below:

• If you were a cyclist hit by a car entering a cycle lane to pass a car that was turning right.
• Where you were knocked off your bike by a car door being opened.
• If you were thrown from your bike because of a road defect such as a pothole.
• Where a vehicle pulled out at a junction and collided with you because they failed to spot you.

This is just a sample of the types of bike accidents that could lead to a compensation claim. If you would like to discuss a different type of accident, please contact us today.

Common Injuries Caused By Bike Accidents

Based on the criteria listed earlier, you could claim compensation for many injuries following a bike accident. Some of the most common injuries claimed for include:

To discuss your claim for a bike accident with a personal injury solicitor today, please call us for free on 0800 6524 881.

Evidence To Support A Compensation Claim For A Bike Accident

There are several steps you could take following a bike accident to help support a cycling injury claim. These include:

• Seek medical treatment. If you don’t go to hospital in an ambulance, you should attend yourself. This will ensure your injuries are treated properly. Additionally, the medical records from your appointment could be used as evidence to support your claim.
• Speak to witnesses. Try to get the contact details of anybody else who saw the bike accident happen. If necessary, your solicitor could ask them for a statement of what they saw.
• Get the other driver’s details. If there’s another vehicle driver involved and they’ve stopped, take a note of their vehicle’s details and ask for their contact details.
• Take photographs. Where possible, you should take photographs of the bike accident scene before anything is moved. This should help make it easier to demonstrate what happened.
• Secure dashcam footage. If a vehicle that stopped at the scene was fitted with a dashcam, ask the driver for a copy of the relevant footage.

Each of these steps could be important if you do decide to claim compensation for a bike accident as they could provide the evidence to prove what happened, who was to blame, and how you’ve suffered.

Claiming Compensation Following A Fatal Bike Accident

If you’ve lost a loved one in a bike accident because of another road user’s negligence, we understand that no amount of compensation will make things any better. However, if your loss causes you financial hardship, you may wish to talk to us about your options.

During your free consultation, your advisor will explain your options compassionately and you’ll be under no pressure to proceed. If you do proceed with a claim, however, your solicitor could help you to claim:

• Compensation if you were financially dependent on the deceased.
• Help towards costs such as funeral expenses.

If you’re the executor of your loved one’s estate, your solicitor could also help you to make a fatal accident claim for their death and the suffering they endured. Please call today if you’d like to know more.

What About Hit & Run Bike Accidents?

If you’ve been involved in a hit-and-run accident, you could still be compensated through the Motor Insurers Bureau scheme.

Our solicitors can help with this process but you must try to make a note of as many details about the accident as possible. This should include dates, times and locations plus as much information about the other vehicle as possible (number plate, make, model and colour).

Time Limits For Claiming Compensation For Bike Accident

If you’re injured in a bike accident, you will usually have 3-years from the date of the bike accident to start a claim. Exceptions may sometimes apply.

Where a child is injured, the 3-year time limit does not apply until their 18^th birthday. Therefore, a parent or representative could claim on their behalf at any point before then as a litigation friend.

Rather than waiting, we’d suggest that you call our team as soon as possible to start your claim. That’s because evidence gathering and arranging for medical assessments can take some time so it’s best to get these things done so that you don’t miss out on the compensation you might be entitled to.

Starting The Bike Accident Claims Process

If you would like to claim compensation for a bike accident that was not your fault, call us today on 0800 6524 881. Our team will review your case for free and explain your options without obligation.

Should your claim be taken on, your solicitor will represent you on a No Win No Fee basis meaning you won’t pay them for their work unless you are compensated.

If you have any immediate questions about how much compensation for a bike accident you could claim, please use live chat to get in touch.