Collision - not sure where to start

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Red Kite
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Joined: 10 Sep 2012, 5:20pm
Location: Hertfordshire, UK

Re: Collision - not sure where to start

Post by Red Kite »

thirdcrank wrote: 11 May 2021, 2:58pm Unless you really know what you are doing I'd say you should not try to negotiate with the driver's insurer.
I don't disagree at all. I think they will probably bite your hand off to settle, at their figure, and I think your personal injury claim - apart from medical expenses - should be on a significantly higher scale than mere whiplash, for example. You'd certainly need to be armed and ready, and if not confident then get advice but I'd make sure to engage on some basis if you haven't already. I and my close family have had several experiences of third parties apparently accepting liability at the time and denying it later.

So sorry that happened to you, b awful experience and doesn't put you in the most objective position for resolving it on your own.

Leigh Day, Slater & Gordon, Bott & Co are law firms that come to mind in regard to personal injury.
Last edited by Red Kite on 11 May 2021, 4:43pm, edited 1 time in total.
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NUKe
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Joined: 23 Apr 2007, 11:07pm
Location: Suffolk

Re: Collision - not sure where to start

Post by NUKe »

a local solicitor can probably deal with this as blame is established, so you dont need a cycling specific solicitor to fight the intricacies of blame. you just need compensation for your loses including their fees. Alternative is CAB who will be able to advise on your own circumstances.

You need someone on your side. the Solicitors that advertise in cycling weekly would be another option.
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thirdcrank
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Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Collision - not sure where to start

Post by thirdcrank »

So sorry that happened to you, b awful experience and doesn't put you in the most objective position for resolving it on your own.
You've lost me there. The only personal injury claim I've ever made - mentioned on the forum before - was the result of being shunted, car written off and I was in a surgical collar for a week. Pre no win, no fee, the solicitor was financed through a scheme jointly run by the Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association and the Association of British Insurers. I actually got into the scheme through their offer of a free hire car. The only slight hiccup was that I returned the hire car on the day I collected the replacement for my written off car but the hire company continued to charge the scheme for months. Between them, they had to sort that out but no problem for me, other than confirming precisely when I had returned the hire car, easily done because I had every scrap of documentation.

As I've posted elsewhere before, long after the crash - possibly more than a year - I received a call out of the blue from a solicitor somewhere in Merseyside. She outlined the offer from the insurer, explaining it was too low but to get more, it would mean being prepared to go to court. She was pleased to hear I was not frightened of giving evidence, having done so at Leeds Assizes, Sessions and Crown Court, as well as regularly prosecuting in various magistrates' courts. She was back on the phone within a few minutes and the offer had been considerably increased (about double IIRC) She said she thought the offer was a good one, that I might get more by going to court but might end up with a big costs bill if the court agreed that the offer was correct. I was more than happy to accept her advice on that and the payout was very smooth. I can see that a good result like that might affect my objectivity but OTOH, it illustrates the value of a decent solicitor. And even with quite extensive experience of the criminal courts, I'd not launch a DIY compo claim.

If I've written something ambiguous which has led to a misunderstanding I'll correct it
mattsccm
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Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Collision - not sure where to start

Post by mattsccm »

May not be of help but should you deal directly with the insurers, and it is worth try, and they are slow to react you could hint that you intend to put all of this in the hands of a claims recovering company who will add their own costs to the claim.
A mate tried this after getting the run around and a phone call changed from " yeah, maybe, when we feel like it" to "cheque ok this week?" Good enough that a couple of year later in a similar situation he did it again. Bingo!
Can't say its a cet but maybe alst resort.
Look in the cycling mags for legal teams who do this sort of thing.
Member of a club? They probably have club membership of BC or CUK and this may be enough to give access to the legal teams
Again can't say but maybe try.
Red Kite
Posts: 47
Joined: 10 Sep 2012, 5:20pm
Location: Hertfordshire, UK

Re: Collision - not sure where to start

Post by Red Kite »

thirdcrank wrote: 11 May 2021, 4:59pm

If I've written something ambiguous which has led to a misunderstanding I'll correct it
No need, I'm sure it's I who have the wrong end of the stick. I intended a reply to the OP quoting your advice.
Cube Touring Hybrid One e-bike, Brompton P6R with Swytch conversion
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