Help for non-member of CUK

[lbomaak2]

I had family membership for my son until he was 18. He's not a particularly keen cyclist, only uses a bike for short utility rides, so I didn't insist on him remaining a Cycling UK member.
He has been knocked off in an incident that was clearly the driver's fault: my son was going along a straight road, and a van coming the other way turned right straight across his path. His injuries aren't too serious, although he can't put any weight on his right leg at the moment. His bike is a write-off. The police won't prosecute.
I would be grateful for any advice regarding possible legal redress; e.g. a solicitor who can be relied on to get compensation and won't take most of it back as fees. My son is trying the Citizens Advice Bureau, but they aren't being particularly helpful so far.

[NUKe]

take a look at this topic
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=133764&p=1413884&hilit=knocked#p1413884

Btw you can still use the Cycling UK solictors.
You can deal directly with his insurance company. if there is no serious injury I would do it this way, they can be quite generous t o save getting solicitors involved, Cost of bike and associated gear is peanuts to them.

[Oldjohnw]

Does your domestic insurance policies cover legal costs?

[lbomaak2]

Thank you. What's the easiest way to find out the driver's insurance details? We do have the van registration.

[NUKe]

Do you have the contact details for the Driver they are supposed to provide you with those details either directly or via the Police. If not the Police Should at least do that for you.

[eileithyia]

Any cycling magazine will have adverts from cycling solicitors. You can still use CUK solicitors despite not being a member.

Any 'fees' are added to the costs against the otherside and not deducted from compensation so don't be worried about that.

You might want to keep track of all out of pocket expenses; time off work, lost wages, other damaged items such as clothing, bus / car travel fees anything over and above what you would normally spend.
Keep a diary of injuries how they affect daily living and when they improve.

You should be given the details of the other party's insurers, but certainly they will release details to your solicitor.

[lbomaak2]

take a look at this topic
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=133764&p=1413884&hilit=knocked#p1413884

Btw you can still use the Cycling UK solictors.
You can deal directly with his insurance company. if there is no serious injury I would do it this way, they can be quite generous t o save getting solicitors involved, Cost of bike and associated gear is peanuts to them.

Thank you for your help, we are going to go to his insurers. Sorry for bombarding the Forum with yet more questions (you can see that we haven't had to deal this before!), but:
I wonder if we need to provide all the case details including evidence of hospital checks and GP consultation, receipts of all the expenses incurred because of his immmobility due to pain on one of his legs, missed lectures (he is at university), even takeaways! The hospital had discharged him with crutches but without any document and the GP also did not provide any records. The GP said it is likely a torn ligament or sprain. Uber rides and Just Eat (takeaways) are all paid by electronic transfers and only shown in credit card statements. Would you also advise that we send photos taken at the accident? And presumably we need to get some sort of incident reference number from the police?

[eileithyia]

take a look at this topic
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=133764&p=1413884&hilit=knocked#p1413884

Btw you can still use the Cycling UK solictors.
You can deal directly with his insurance company. if there is no serious injury I would do it this way, they can be quite generous t o save getting solicitors involved, Cost of bike and associated gear is peanuts to them.

Thank you for your help, we are going to go to his insurers. Sorry for bombarding the Forum with yet more questions (you can see that we haven't had to deal this before!), but:
I wonder if we need to provide all the case details including evidence of hospital checks and GP consultation, receipts of all the expenses incurred because of his immmobility due to pain on one of his legs, missed lectures (he is at university), even takeaways! The hospital had discharged him with crutches but without any document and the GP also did not provide any records. The GP said it is likely a torn ligament or sprain. Uber rides and Just Eat (takeaways) are all paid by electronic transfers and only shown in credit card statements. Would you also advise that we send photos taken at the accident? And presumably we need to get some sort of incident reference number from the police?

To be honest this is why I would go to a claims solicitor, they can collate all the electronic data, get medical records and present everything to the other side's insurers. Plus they will not settle too quickly, giving full opportunity to see how the injury heals, you could settle quickly too quickly if injury has not healed, and find 2+years down the road you are still having issues. Soft tissue injuries are often the worst kind of injury to heal.

[lbomaak2]

To be honest this is why I would go to a claims solicitor, they can collate all the electronic data, get medical records and present everything to the other side's insurers. Plus they will not settle too quickly, giving full opportunity to see how the injury heals, you could settle quickly too quickly if injury has not healed, and find 2+years down the road you are still having issues. Soft tissue injuries are often the worst kind of injury to heal.

The driver's insurers have refused to accept liability, so we are going to use a solicitor (quite likely Slater Gordon). And I have been telling my son to get a private physiotherapy appointment, for which I will pay (in the hope that this will be included in any compensation we get).

[Oldjohnw]

The reality is that you can't do the apparently most straightforward vla without legal help.

Remember the guy just this year who ended up with having to pay tens of thousands because he declined help?

[diapason]

I don't know how ethical or otherwise they may be, but there are firms like Injury Lawyers 4 You advertising constantly in TV. Or you may find a local lawyer who will start the ball rolling. The driver is clearly to blame, so his insurance should pay up. Was there a company logo on the van?

As has been said, take loads of photos, keep in touch with any witnesses and and them to write down, sign and date what they saw and keep receipts/records for expenses and loss of earnings etc.

Good luck.

[Darkman]

I don't know how ethical or otherwise they may be, but there are firms like Injury Lawyers 4 You advertising constantly in TV.

I honestly wouldn't touch those with a very long stick.

They only take "open and shut" cases that they would have to be completely inept in order to lose, and rob you of a massive amount of whatever the court awards as "fees". Much like those PPI claim companies who take up to 50% commission for doing something you can easily do yourself in ten minutes.

[diapason]

The only time I needed to make a claim was throough CTC who used Russell, Jones & Walker. I got a decent settlement with no costs, but it took 2+ years.

[mjr]

http://www.cycle-legal.co.uk/ and https://legal.wiggle.co.uk/ to throw two more good-looking options for non-members into the pot.

[PH]

we are going to use a solicitor (quite likely Slater Gordon).

Please report back how you got on with that. I suspect the claim isn't big enough for a Conditional Fee Agreement (No win, no fee) Claims below a certain value (£5,000 when I last used a solicitor) are if not settled directed to the Small Claims Court where legal fees are not recoverable.

I have been telling my son to get a private physiotherapy appointment, for which I will pay (in the hope that this will be included in any compensation we get).

It would be better, if possible, to get his GP to refer him for treatment.