commuter crash

[Kumquat]

Hi
Yesterday I was knocked off my bike whilst travelling to work.
A car pulled out in front me at a crossroads and I piled into the passenger side.
I have a painfully bruised thigh and a few stiff joints but nothing broken.
The bike needs a new brake/lever and the mech hanger straightening out.
Can anyone recommend a cycle specific solicitors to help me recover
The repair costs?
The driver gave me all his details and admitted liability.
I have an incident reference no from the police and have had a basic medical check.
Anyone else had this experience?

[jBay]

Are you looking for more than just the cost of the broken bike parts/cost to fit in a LBS?
If not, why not just speak to them - most people feel bad about an accident and are reasonable.

Quicker than a formal route and less stressful/annoying.

Just a thought

[Matt]

Talk to CTC

[Blah]

Definitely CTC. They've been very helpful to me in the past, even when it's been my fault

[Zippy]

British Cycling were very good when it happened to me once (long time ago now). They use Leigh Day & Co solicitors. Have to be a member of BC though...(and I only happened to be because I was racing a lot that year, so lucky I guess).

But, having been through the whole lengthy process (coz the drive was being a knut, it's only coz I had the foresight to get the details of a passer by as an independent witness that I managed to get anything out of it); if the driver is admitting liability etc. then I suggest doing it amicably because that is soo much easier and more gentlemanly.

[jamiep]

Search on the singletrackworld forum as there are plenty of threads with advice/links

[barney]

Hi
Yesterday I was knocked off my bike whilst travelling to work.

Anyone else had this experience?

I got knocked off my bike last June (similar circumstances) and I was off my bike for a long time and was still having physio in March this year!

I wasn't going to bother going down the legal route but then when I weighed up everything... damage to bike, personal injury, inability to ride (and therefore cost of bus fares to work) and the fact that I'd paid for a few events like BB200 meant that it all added up. Plus I was bloody angry at how easily it could have been avoided, I could've been injured far worse.

It took a while but I ended up with £3,000 plus damages, I've always been against the "whiplash claim culture" but everyone who knows me said I was more than entitled to it (plus my wife said I was a miserable git whilst I wasn't riding).

If it helps I can give you the name of my solicitors who specialised in my type of claim?

[mountainbaker]

Might be some useful info in here
http://www.lfgss.com/thread4213.html

[adjustablewench]

I was knocked off on my way home from work on wednesday. Have a tatty elbow and a very sore shoulder

I actually work in the personal injury department of the solicitors who deal with CTC claims . . . . . You can not imagine how much I have been 'advised' this week. And im still not sure about claiming.

Part of me does think I should do it to make the guy think twice next time. He had seen me and waited for me to pass him as he pulled off from being parked - only to take me out 50 yards further on doing a left turn without indicating immediately in front of me . . . Not impressed!

The jusry is out atm - a quick grand on a pre med offer does sound tempting . . .

[Ray Young]

I was knocked off on my way home from work on wednesday. Have a tatty elbow and a very sore shoulder

I actually work in the personal injury department of the solicitors who deal with CTC claims . . . . . You can not imagine how much I have been 'advised' this week. And im still not sure about claiming.

Part of me does think I should do it to make the guy think twice next time. He had seen me and waited for me to pass him as he pulled off from being parked - only to take me out 50 yards further on doing a left turn without indicating immediately in front of me . . . Not impressed!

The jusry is out atm - a quick grand on a pre med offer does sound tempting . . .

Not looking in his mirror and not indicating is pure laziness and bad driving on his part, do him and teach him a lesson I say. You could have been injured far worse.

[99percentchimp]

I got taken out on a high speed roundabout a few years ago - I could tell that they hadn't even looked at me (looking behind me for faster moving vehicles but no eye contact) so entirely their fault - I was in reflectives and lit up etc. I turned away from her to avoid her going over me from the side but went down very heavily - bike was bent beyond repair. Lucky not to have been run over by the next car/truck coming round the roundabout at 40mph (I hear this is how cycle couriers often get very badly injured).
It was a girl from work in a hurry to get home. She was very upset and offered to pay for the bike and I thought saving her insurance issues would be a good thing.
I heard afterwards she was moaning to colleagues about the cost of a replacement for my commuter (I didn't claim anything for injury, damaged clothing etc.).
In hindsight (always 20/20!) I really wish I'd gone the insurance route and claimed for everything but I did have an issue with the 'blame/claim' culture etc.
I'd go with CTC or similar now.

[Ray Young]

I'm afraid the "blame/claim" culture is here to stay so you might as well use it to your advantage in my opinion.

[99percentchimp]

That's where I've sadly ended up Ray - I still think "if you've had a trip or a fall" you should look where you're bloody going though