Advice about crash

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Biker123
Posts: 2
Joined: 15 Jan 2023, 9:30pm

Advice about crash

Post by Biker123 »

Can anyone advise please- I was knocked off my bike by a car a few weeks ago. Driver was apologetic and provided name, address, reg etc. in the confusion at the time I failed to get her insurance details.
She has reported it to the police, now I’m waiting to see if they will give me her insurance details.
My house insurance only has a limited value per cycle cover, nowhere near enough to buy me a like for like replacement. Anyone out there able to offer practical advice, or been in a similar situation ? Thanks
slowster
Moderator
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Joined: 7 Jul 2017, 10:37am

Re: Advice

Post by slowster »

Welcome to the forum, although I am sorry that it should be in these circumstances.

I have moved your post to the 'On The Road board'. In addition to any replies you get to your own post, you will find many other threads in this board where people have raised similar questions, and you should be able to find at least some by scrolling through the board and/or by using the search function.
Jdsk
Posts: 24639
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Advice

Post by Jdsk »

Welcome.

Usual advice:
• Keep a contemporaneous record of all communications.
• Decide what you want to claim for and cost it: sounds like damage to your bike... anything else?
• If you're feeling angry get someone else to check your correspondence before you send it.
• Don't delay.

As above: read through similar threads.

Have you already decided what you want to claim?

Jonathan
Toffee
Posts: 151
Joined: 2 Sep 2014, 9:28pm

Re: Advice about crash

Post by Toffee »

Biker123 wrote: 15 Jan 2023, 9:38pm Can anyone advise please- I was knocked off my bike by a car a few weeks ago. Driver was apologetic and provided name, address, reg etc. in the confusion at the time I failed to get her insurance details.
She has reported it to the police, now I’m waiting to see if they will give me her insurance details.
My house insurance only has a limited value per cycle cover, nowhere near enough to buy me a like for like replacement. Anyone out there able to offer practical advice, or been in a similar situation ? Thanks
Why don't you just ask the driver if you already have their details
Biker123
Posts: 2
Joined: 15 Jan 2023, 9:30pm

Re: Advice about crash

Post by Biker123 »

Thanks guys, I’m looking to recover the value of my bike from her insurers, she’s not answering my calls, is she obliged to provide that?
Jdsk
Posts: 24639
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Advice about crash

Post by Jdsk »

If you're not going to use professional help I would recommend letting her know the compensation that you seek, with supporting documentation of the value.

It's up to her whether she involves her insurer.

Jonathan
User avatar
Cowsham
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Joined: 4 Nov 2019, 1:33pm

Re: Advice about crash

Post by Cowsham »

Jdsk wrote: 16 Jan 2023, 9:12pm If you're not going to use professional help I would recommend letting her know the compensation that you seek, with supporting documentation of the value.

It's up to her whether she involves her insurer.

Jonathan
She has to involve her insurance even if not actually making a claim. She must tell her insurer about the accident but if not making a claim she must specify this to them.

Also wrt getting insurance details

Even if there was no personal injury involved, if someone holds you responsible for the accident they have the right to request your insurance details.

This request can be made later and not necessarily at the time of the accident.

A failure to provide your insurance details without a reasonable excuse is also an offence.
I am here. Where are you?
joeegg
Posts: 35
Joined: 25 Apr 2021, 8:23pm

Re: Advice about crash

Post by joeegg »

I am almost in the same boat as Biker123.
I was knocked off yesterday and spent a few hours in hospital. Police were called,looked at cctv,then declared the driver at fault. They are sending me over their statement plus the drivers details including insurance.
So,do i try and deal with driver directly or go through his insurance company ? My helmet is damaged and i suspect damage to the bike but i haven't inspected that yet as it was taken to a nearby garage.My wife thinks deal direct with with the driver,a man in his 70's,but i am erring towards his insurance company.
thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Advice about crash

Post by thirdcrank »

joeegg wrote: 1 Mar 2023, 9:13am I am almost in the same boat as Biker123.
I was knocked off yesterday and spent a few hours in hospital. Police were called,looked at cctv,then declared the driver at fault. They are sending me over their statement plus the drivers details including insurance.
So,do i try and deal with driver directly or go through his insurance company ? My helmet is damaged and i suspect damage to the bike but i haven't inspected that yet as it was taken to a nearby garage.My wife thinks deal direct with with the driver,a man in his 70's,but i am erring towards his insurance company.
You have not mentioned the extent of any injuries you sustained in the crash. That's central to any decision.
joeegg
Posts: 35
Joined: 25 Apr 2021, 8:23pm

Re: Advice about crash

Post by joeegg »

No injuries.CT scan showed no broken bones,just a bit of shoulder ache.About 18 months ago i had a triple bypass and in the accident i landed on my chest so that concerned me the most.
Jdsk
Posts: 24639
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Advice about crash

Post by Jdsk »

As above: what compensation are you seeking?

Than the usual advice:
Don't delay.
Keep a contemporaneous written record of all communications.
Do you have access to legal advice through eg insurance, club or union membership?

Jonathan
thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Advice about crash

Post by thirdcrank »

joeegg wrote: 1 Mar 2023, 9:35am No injuries.CT scan showed no broken bones,just a bit of shoulder ache.About 18 months ago i had a triple bypass and in the accident i landed on my chest so that concerned me the most.
If you are uninjured, that's excellent news, so long as you are sure about that. The bad news is that in terms of pursuing any compo, you are pretty much on your own.

Preserve all the evidence, including estimates for replacement or repair of your damaged bike and helmet and ask the driver to stump up. If they don't do so, get more formal with a written claim. If they've had a change of mind about paying, then you have to decide if it's worth making a claim through the courts. AFAIK, the driver has a contractual duty to refer things like this to their insurer, but that's not your concern.

I'd reiterate that injuries are central to this. If it turns out that eg this has adversely affected your ticker, there are few if any private motorists who could pick up the tab, even if they preferred not to involve their insurer. OTOH, it's not cost-effective for an insurer to haggle over a replacement helmet and some bike repairs.

My hero, stoobs, a forum member who hasn't posted recently, took a claim to court, IIRC addressing all his correspondence to the driver and ignoring their insurer, who tried to mess him about. At court, he was wrongly accused of having legal support and testified he had done it DIY, followin the government's online advice with the immortal wors
Even a monkey could do it.
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Beaten to it, but thanks to George Osborne, unless more serious injuries unfortunately emerge, the assistance you can get from lawyers is very limited.
joeegg
Posts: 35
Joined: 25 Apr 2021, 8:23pm

Re: Advice about crash

Post by joeegg »

I think the costs would be a new helmet and any damage to the bike. Is it worth involving a legal representative on my behalf for what may be a relatively small claim or deal with the drivers insurance company direct. I am a member of Cycling UK so could contact their legal service. I won't be certain of the amount involved until i inspect the bike.
Jdsk
Posts: 24639
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Advice about crash

Post by Jdsk »

You need to be sure that you won't want to add anything to those costs. It's possible but awkward to add others later.

I would always recommend taking legal advice if it's free. It's reassuring to know that you're doing it right.

I'd claim from the individual, and then see if they want to use their insurer.

Jonathan
thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Advice about crash

Post by thirdcrank »

joeegg wrote: 1 Mar 2023, 10:37am I think the costs would be a new helmet and any damage to the bike. Is it worth involving a legal representative on my behalf for what may be a relatively small claim or deal with the drivers insurance company direct. I am a member of Cycling UK so could contact their legal service. I won't be certain of the amount involved until i inspect the bike.
I'd say that if you are a member of cyclingUK then contact them immediately. BUT, be aware that the assistance they can offer may be limited to advice. I may have conflated two separate issues in my earlier post, but with claims limited to a few hundred quid, there's not much more they can do.

Unless you have had some sort of 100% "all clear" from the hospital etc., any responsible adviser will alert you to be sure you really are uninjured
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More slow typing on my part
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