Cycling Accident Claims

By Lewis Houston. Last Updated 14th September 2022. Welcome to our guide about how to make cycling accident claims. You could potentially claim compensation if you’ve been harmed in a cycling accident due to another road user breaching their duty of care towards you.

Cycling accident claims guide

Cycling accident claims guide

When making a personal injury claim, it is important to determine who breached their duty of care. On the roads, all road users have a duty of care to not cause avoidable accidents. Drivers must adhere to the skills of the average motorist. Road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders, drivers and motorcycle users must adhere to the guidance in The Highway Code.

If another road user breaches this duty of care, it’s possible you could come to harm. It is important to note that being wholly or partially responsible will affect your claim. If you are found to be wholly responsible for the accident, you could not make a claim for your injuries. If you were partially responsible, you could still potentially claim, but your compensation would be reduced.

Read on to learn more about cycling accident claims. You may also wish to contact our team of experienced advisors directly. They can offer free and personalised legal advice about your case. If they think your case has a good chance of success, our advisors pass you on to a solicitor from our panel.

Select A Section

  1. Common Cycling Accident Claims
  2. What Injuries Could You Suffer In A Cycling Accident?
  3. What Is The Limitation Period For Cycling Accident Claims?
  4. How Dangerous Are Bicycle Crashes?
  5. Cycling Injury Claims – How Much Are They Worth?
  6. Talk To Us About No Win No Fee Cycling Accident Claims

Common Cycling Accident Claims

The Government classes cyclists as vulnerable road users. This may be because they can be less visible and are also not protected by the metal body of a vehicle.

Cycling accidents could be caused in a multitude of ways. You could be knocked off your bike if someone opens a car door into you or fails to observe the road properly. There could also be a bicycle crash if someone is driving recklessly or under the influence of alcohol.

It’s possible that a cycling accident could be caused by defects to the roads and cycle lanes. If a cycling accident has occurred due to a defect in the road or poor maintenance in a public place, then your claim may be against the controller of the space rather than another road user. Under the Occupier’s Liability Act 1957 it is law that those who are in control of public places must keep them as safe as reasonably as can be expected. This duty of care means they need to take all reasonably practicable steps to keep these visitors from harm.

If you were harmed due to someone breaching their duty of care, you could start a cycle accident claim. Contact our advisors today to find out how you could do this.

Rates Of Accidents Involving Pedal Cyclists

The Department for Transport (DfT) collect statistics on road traffic accidents. From these statistics, we can see that 16,294 cyclists were involved in accidents in 2020. Out of these reported accidents, 11,938 caused slight injuries, whereas 4,215 were reported with serious injuries. 141 cycling accidents were even reported to have led to a fatal injury.

Cycling Accident Statistics

This section includes a graph of contributory factors attributed to cycling accidents in 2020. These are also taken from DfT statistics.

It is important to note that these factors are included in police reports, where the police officer would likely have arrived at the scene after the accident had already occurred.

What Injuries Could You Suffer In A Cycling Accident?

The severity and type of injuries could vary in a cycling accident. This could include:

For example, if you were in a head-on collision with a car going at high speed and hit their windshield, you could potentially suffer from brain damage, laceration injuries and fractured bones.

If you were knocked off your bicycle by a driver failing to look properly, this may be seen as grounds to make a personal injury claim for any harm caused.

However, this section is not exhaustive. If you’ve been harmed in another way in a cycling accident, you could potentially still claim compensation in a cycling accident claim.

What Is The Limitation Period For Cycling Accident Claims?

Under the Limitation Act 1980, you must start a personal injury claim within a certain time frame or they could become time-barred. Generally, the time limit for personal injury claims is 3 years from the accident date or the date you became aware the accident had caused your injury. This is also known as the date of knowledge. However, there are some exceptions to this rule.

For example, if a minor, classed as someone under 18, wants to make a cycling accident claim the court requires a litigation friend to represent them. A litigation friend can be any responsible adult that has the child’s best interests. In these situations, a claim can be started by the litigation friend at any time until the claimant turns 18. After this point, if no claim has been made the claimant can now make their own claim. It must be started within 3 years of their 18th birthday.

For those with diminished mental capacity, the time limit is frozen. During this time a litigation friend can make a claim on the claimant’s behalf. If no claim is made and the claimant recovers the time limit will start from this date. If no recovery is likely then the time limit will be frozen indefinitely and a litigation friend can make a claim on their behalf.

To find out more about how time limitations could apply to you, call our advisors today.

How Long Does It Take To Get Compensation From A Cycling Accident?

Generally, it may be difficult to tell how long a cycling accident claim will take. More complicated cases are likely to take longer. For example, in cases where liability is not definite or evidence is not strong enough.

Alternatively, the simpler the claim, the less time it could take to receive compensation. Having the right solicitor could also help make the claims process smoother and quicker for you. To find out about hiring an expert solicitor from our panel, call our team of advisors.

How Dangerous Are Bicycle Crashes?

Depending on the cause, the injuries resulting from a cycling accident could vary in type and severity. In personal injury claims, injuries are often valued with the help of the Judicial College guidelines (JCG). This is a document showing bracket amounts relating to different injuries. The amounts in this document are taken from past court settlements, so they are not a guarantee for your specific claim.

In the JCG, injuries are often classified as such:

  • Minor
  • Moderate
  • Serious
  • Less Severe
  • Severe

The next section of this article includes a table of possible compensation amounts from the JCG. To find out more about how your claim will be valued, call our team of advisors today.

Cycling Injury Claims – How Much Are They Worth?

Cycling injury claims can include two heads of compensation. The first, general damages, compensates you for the pain and suffering caused by your injuries. This head of compensation could also cover any reduction in the quality of your life. For example, you may now be unable to partake in hobbies that you enjoyed before your injury.

A diagnosis from a medical professional could prove the extent of your injuries to improve your chances of being awarded general damages. A solicitor can help you organise an appointment locally to reduce how much you have to travel.

The second head of compensation is known as special damages, which can compensate for any financial loss caused by your injuries. Examples of what you could be compensated for include:

  • Medical fees
  • Loss of earnings
  • Home adaptations
  • Travel fees

It’s important you keep hold of any evidence for special damages, such as receipts, payslips, bank statements or invoices.

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Injury Compensation Ranges Notes
Severe Back Injuries £91,090 to £160,980 The spinal cord and nerve roots are damaged.
Chest Injuries (a) £100,670 to £150,110 Pain and suffering is prolonged and there is permanent scarring.
Severe (i) Neck Injuries In the region of
£148,330

Severe headaches prove a constant.
Severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder £59,860 to £100,670 The injured person is unable to work at all and all aspects of their life are detrimentally impacted.
Severe (ii) Back Injuries £74,160 to £88,430 Nerve root damage causes a loss of sensation.
Severe (iii) Back Injuries £38,780 to £69,730 Severe pain is likely as well as impaired agility.
Severe Shoulder Injuries £19,200 to £48,030 Significant disability is caused by damage to the brachial plexus.
Moderate Leg Injuries £27,760 to £39,200 Injuries may affect your employment.
Moderate (i) Knee Injuries £14,840 to £26,190 Minor instability is likely.
Modest Foot Injuries Up to £13,740 A limp may be permanent.

In the table above, we have taken compensation brackets from the 16th edition of the JCG to give you an idea of how much you may receive for general damages. Please take into account that the figures do not represent how much you could actually receive and do not address special damages.

If you would like a more accurate estimate of how much your cycling accident claim could be worth, speak to our advisors about your cycling accident today. They can provide a free estimation of your case, with no obligation to claim with us after.

Talk To Us About No Win No Fee Cycling Accident Claims

A No Win No Fee agreement could be offered to you if your case has a good chance of winning.

Firstly the solicitor will want to ensure that your case is valid and they feel it has a reasonable chance of being awarded compensation as if the case loses they will not receive payment from you.

Generally, when you hire a solicitor using what is known as a Conditional Fee Agreement, you will both sign this agreement. On the condition that you are awarded compensation, the solicitor will receive payment for their work. If the claim is unsuccessful but valid then you would not have to pay the solicitor. There are no upfront payments and the success fee the solicitor can take when the case wins comes from your compensation.

If you have any questions about how No Win No Fee solicitors work please call our advisors today. They are available to take your call any time of the day or night.

Related Cycling Accident Claims

We are nearing the end of our guide about cycling accident claims. For more related guides, please see below.

How Long After a Road Traffic Accident Do You Have to Claim? – Find out more about the time limitations attached to a road traffic accident claim from our guide.

How to Claim Back Pain Compensation – If you’re suffering from back pain, our article can help you figure out how to claim compensation.

What is a Catastrophic Injury and Can I Claim? – Learn what a catastrophic injury could be and how you could claim for one from this guide.

Statutory Sick Pay – This government page explains how you can claim SSP after having to take time away from work.

Road Traffic Act 1988 – This legislation outlines what a driving offence could include.

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents – This registered UK charity aims to reduce the number of accidents using advice and guidance.

If you have any questions on our guide on cycling accident claims please do not hesitate to call.