At the start of every year, gyms and roads across Britain become littered with people jogging, cycling and generally trying to get fit, and 2019 is no different. Over the last couple of years, cycling has become an increasingly popular way to keep fit and commute to work. The reason behind this is most likely the awareness around becoming a greener nation and the success of our cycling teams and riders; however, many people seem to forget that it can be very dangerous if you do not take the proper precautions.
Recent statistics show that there are around 18,000 cycling accidents on our road every year, which is very low compared to car traffic collisions. However, these statistics also show that cycling accidents are far more serious than car accidents. A report by The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has revealed that per billion vehicle miles, 1,011 pedal cyclists are killed or seriously injured, in comparison to 26 car drivers.
Perhaps the most surprising fact to come out of the report was that you are more likely to be involved in a cycling accident during the day than in the evening, with 80% occurring in daylight. There are probably many reasons for this – busier roads during the day, more urgency to be somewhere ie. work and maybe due to many cyclists’ efficiency to wear high vis equipment and lights, which make it far safer in the evenings.
What can you do if you have been in a cycling accident?
If you have been involved in a cycling accident, whether it be with a car, pedestrian or another cyclist, the experience can be very traumatic. The last thing on your mind may be thinking about claiming compensation, however, there are measures you can take in case you want to make a claim later down the line.
Firstly, if you are in a fit enough state, you may want to make a note of the incident in as much detail as possible. Modern-day smartphones all contain note-takers so try and put down everything you remember about the accident, this will help later down the line if there are any points of dispute in your claim. You will also want to note down the names and contact details of anyone involved, including registration numbers if possible.
Another brilliant thing about modern technology is the quality of cameras on our phones. Not everyone has a dash camera, and more often than not you won’t be wearing a helmet or body mounted camera, so collecting pictures of the damage to bikes, cars or any other vehicles can be beneficial. If you have any visible injuries, it is worth trying to get pictures of these too.
How to claim compensation for a cycling accident
If you are confident that someone else is to blame for an accident that you have been involved in, you may have a valid claim for compensation. Due to the statute of limitations, you have 3 years to bring a claim from when the incident first occurred, which gives you plenty of time to recover and deal with the more important things before instructing a solicitor.
On rare occasions, the person to blame (the defendant) may approach you with a monetary offer in order to settle a case before any legal proceedings have taken place, however, we would always advise against this. It is best to deal with all matters through a third party in order to protect yourself and make sure you are getting the best advice possible.
Speaking to experts
The Compensation Experts have years of experience dealing with injured cyclists and can advise you as to whether you have a valid claim, whilst putting you in touch with some of countries best traffic collision solicitors. Claiming can be a long and stressful process if you do not instruct the correct team, however, we deliver the service, expertise and care whilst delivering a swift resolution to your claim.
If you would like to speak with one of our team about an accident, why not get in touch on our Freephone number 0161 413 8765 or alternatively use one of our call back request forms found here.