As a group, cyclists are one of the most vulnerable types of road users. Even at low speeds, being knocked off a bike can cause serious and life-threatening injuries. As with any other road traffic accident, if you’ve been thrown from your bike in an accident that was not your fault, you could claim compensation against the responsible party. This guide will look at how much compensation for being knocked off a bike might be awarded, how the claims process works, and the types of accidents you could claim for.

Our team of specially-trained advisors are here to help with the claims process. To start, they’ll review your claim during a no-obligation consultation and explain your options for free. Then, if your claim appears strong enough, they’ll introduce you to one of our personal injury solicitors. Importantly, they’ll represent you on a No Win No Fee basis if your case is taken on. That means that you only need to pay legal fees if your claim is successful.

To find out whether you’re eligible to claim compensation for being knocked off a bike right away, please call 0800 6524 881 today. Alternatively, please continue reading to learn more about your options.

Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For Being Knocked Off A Bike?

If your claim is referred to one of our solicitors, they’ll check whether you’ve got a reasonable chance of success before agreeing to represent you. This means that they’ll check whether:

• The defendant breached their duty of care as set out in the Road Traffic Act 1988; and
• The defendant’s negligence caused an accident; and
• You were injured after being knocked off your bike in that accident.

Importantly, you could still make a claim if you were partially responsible for the accident. For example, if you were listening to music through headphones while riding your bike, your solicitor and the defendant’s insurers might agree that you were 25% to blame for your injuries. Therefore, the claim could still go ahead but any settlement would be reduced accordingly.

What To Do If You Get Knocked Off Your Bike

In the event that you are knocked off of your bike and injured as a result, you should:

• Move to a safe place if you’re able to do so.
• Call an ambulance if your injuries are serious. Visit A&E or a GP surgery for less serious injuries.
• Call the police if nobody else has already done so.
• Gather contact details from anybody who witnessed your accident.
• Make notes about the other vehicle involved including the make, model, colour and vehicle registration number.
• Exchange contact details with the driver of the other vehicle. If they are unwilling to give their details, they are breaking the law.
• If any of the vehicles that have stopped are fitted with a dashcam, ask the owner for a copy of any relevant footage.

By taking the steps listed here, you’ll be collecting evidence which will be useful if you decide to make a claim for compensation.

Examples Of Driver Negligence Cyclists Could Claim Compensation For

As explained in the first section, you must be able to prove that you were knocked off your bike because the defendant was negligent in some way. This means that you could claim if the driver:

• Was speeding or driving carelessly.
• Was drunk or under the influence of drugs.
• Changed lanes without spotting you.
• Cut across you at a junction or on a roundabout.
• Failed to see you because they were distracted by their phone or another device.
• Opened their car door without checking and knocked you off your bike.

Since early 2021, cyclists have been promoted up the hierarchy of road users according to changes made to the Highway Code. That means that drivers must allow cyclists plenty of room when passing and allow them to ride in the middle of the road on quiet roads. Failure to do so could also constitute negligence if the driver’s actions led to an accident in which you were knocked off of your bike.

Common Injuries Cyclists Claim Compensation For Being Knocked Off A Bike

Some of the most common injuries cyclists suffer from knocked off their bike include:

• Fractures and breaks (including broken wrists, broken collarbones and fractured kneecaps).
• Cuts, grazes and bruises.
• Chest, abdomen, and spleen injuries.
• Head injuries and concussions (even if a helmet was worn).
• Minor back injuries.
• Ligament, muscle, tendon and other soft tissue injuries.

Essentially, any injury that was sustained from being knocked off a bike by a car or other vehicle that was caused by somebody else could enable you to claim compensation. Please get in touch if you’d like us to check whether you might be entitled to compensation.

Claiming Compensation For A Child Knocked Off Their Bike By A Car

Legally, children under 18 cannot represent themselves in a personal injury claim. However, the litigation friend process allows parents, guardians and other responsible adults to claim on the child’s behalf if they’ve been knocked off their bike by a car.

Our solicitors could help you to become a litigation friend. Once approved by a court, you’ll deal with the claim in the normal way but with the child’s best interests in mind at all times.

If the claim is successful, the settlement amount will need to be approved by a court and it will be held in a court account until the child turns 18 years old. As a litigation friend, you can apply to the court to release funds if you write to them and explain how the money will benefit the child.

What About Hit And Run Claims?

If you or your child was knocked off a bike in a hit-and-run, please don’t worry. Our solicitors could still help a cyclist hit by a car claim compensation through the Motor Insurers Bureau. You’ll need to report the incident to the police and collect as much information about the vehicle involved. Please get in touch if you’d like to find out more.

Fatal Collisions

Government statistics show that 141 cyclists were killed in road traffic accidents in 2021. If you’ve lost a loved one after they were knocked off their bike, we know that no amount of compensation will make things better.

However, if you relied on the deceased financially, compensation could be sought to cover their loss of income, pension or benefits. Compensation could also be claimed for any immediate costs such as funeral expenses.

If you call a member of our team, they’ll deal with your fatal accident claim compassionately and work at a pace that suits you.

How Much Compensation Will I Get For Being Knocked Off A Bike?

Personal injury claims are based on general damages (any pain and suffering) and special damages (costs and expenses caused by your injuries). Importantly, no two claims are the same so there isn’t a set amount of compensation you’d get for being knocked off a bike. However, in principle, you could be compensated for:

• Physical suffering caused by your injuries.
• Mental health injuries such as distress, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression.
• Earning lost because of your injuries.
• Any detrimental effect your injuries have on your personal life (hobbies, family activities etc).
• The cost of replacing damaged items such as your bike.
• Travel costs such as fuel and parking fees associated with your treatment.
• The cost of a professional carer or the time a loved one spent caring for you.
• Medical costs including physiotherapy.
• Home adaptations to help improve your quality of life if you’ve been left disabled after being knocked off your bike.

Our specialist solicitors will try to fully understand how your injuries have affected you so that they can try and claim the maximum possible compensation for your suffering.

Average Compensation For Being Knocked Off Bike

The Judicial College produce guideline compensation figures (for general damages) to help courts and solicitors when settling upon a payout amount. We’ve used their data for our compensation calculator so that you can get some idea of the average compensation for being knocked off a bike for varying injuries.

To determine the severity of your injuries, you’ll have an independent medical assessment as part of the claims process. During the appointment, a medical specialist will examine your injuries, discuss how you’ve been affected and read any medical notes available to them. They will send a report to your solicitor and the defendant’s insurers and this will form the basis of any settlement offer.

Time Limits For Claiming Compensation

As with any personal injury claim, if you’ve been knocked off your bike, a 3-year time limit will apply if you seek compensation. This will usually begin on the date of your accident but could be extended if your date of knowledge was later (if you were in a coma following the accident for example).

Personal injury claims on behalf of a child do not have a time limit so long as their litigation friend begins the claims process before the child’s 18^th birthday.

Starting The Claims Process For Being Knocked Off A Bike

If this guide has been helpful and you’d now like to start the claims process, please call us on 0800 6524 881. We’ll review your claim for free and explain your options with no obligation.

If you would like to proceed and one of our solicitors agrees to represent you, they’ll do so on a No Win No Fee basis. Knowing that in advance should make the claim much less stressful for you.

If you’d like to find out how much compensation for being knocked off a bike might be awarded, please use our live chat service to get in touch.