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Bike Accident Compensation Claims

Statistically, casualties resulting from bike accidents – irrespective of whether the victim is a pedal cyclist or motorcyclist – are twice as likely to suffer a serious injury or fatality as any other class of road user. Despite initiatives such as the First National Cycle Policy and the National Motorcycle Action Plan, Ireland has one of the worst records in Europe for bike accidents.

Bike accidents are generally attributed to a lack of care from car and lorry drivers rather than dangerous use of the roads by bike accident victims. The average age of casualties in bike accidents is over 35 years – indicating that injuries are not being sustained by reckless teenagers or children who have not yet developed road sense. It is more likely, according to Road Safety Authority figures, that the victims of bike accidents are commuting to or from work during the rush hour, and during a period of the day when car and lorry drivers may not yet be fully awake, or may have other things on their minds.

Pedal cyclists and motorcyclists are more vulnerable to poor road surfaces and bike accidents can be caused by freezing weather conditions or fuel spillages on the road surface. They are also less likely to be spotted by pedestrians walking out into the road between parked vehicles, and many bike accidents have beencaused by the riders attempting to avoid a collision with a pedestrian – injuring themselves in the process.

Free Advice about Your Accident

We have a free telephone advice service where you can speak personally with a specialised personal injury* claims solicitor and discuss your bike accident with them.

If it is not a convenient time to call right now, please leave your contact details in the call-back box below and one of our team will be back in touch with you.

Injuries from Bike Accidents

Not only are bike accidents statistically more likely to result in serious injury, but the nature of the injury is generally more expensive in terms of any rehabilitation period required and the length of time that a victim in a bike accident has to take off  work. The most common serious injury sustained in bike accidents is a fractured bone – usually the fibula or tibia – which leaves the patient immobile for a long period of time. Broken bones and spinal damage combined account for more than a quarter of the most serious injuries reported in bike accidents.

Head and spinal bike injuries may not be immediately apparent, as the injuries are not always externally visible. They are often caused by the impact of the head or back with a solid surface (usually the road) and either the brain being forced against the skull – with resulting damage to the brain tissue – or the soft ligaments around the vertebrae being squeezed together by the force of the collision. Even without sustaining a serious injury in a bike accident, a victim can suffer psychological trauma from the incident which may rob them of their confidence to get back on their bike.

In serious bike accidents, an ambulance would normally be called so that the victim can receive medical attention on site. However, no matter how slight you feel your injuries are, whenever you have been involved in a bike accident you should always have a precautionary medical examination to ensure that there are no risks to your long term health. In cases where the bike accident was not your fault, consult with a specialist personal injury claims solicitor about claiming compensation for your injuries.

Claiming Compensation for Bike Accidents

Claiming compensation for bike accidents is done through the Injuries Board Ireland – the same way as any personal injuries* claim. If the injured party is a child, a parent or guardian will have to claim on their behalf as “next friend”, having reported the incident to the Gardai and enclosing a medical report when submitting the application form to the Injuries Board Ireland. Motorcyclists who have suffered a serious injury which has required them to take time away from work will also have to include a statement proving any loss of earnings as well as receipts for any medical expenses incurred and the cost of treatment for rehabilitation.

A solicitor will be able to give you advice on completing the application form to the Injuries Board Ireland or take over responsibility for submitting it himself on your behalf. Once the negligent party´s insurance company has agreed that they are prepared for the Injuries Board Ireland to assess the injuries from your bike accident, you (or your child) will need to have an independent medical examination – the results will enable the Injuries Board Ireland to process your application and determine an assessment of how much compensation is due to you.

If either party disagrees with the assessment, the negligent party declines to admit liability for your injuries or claims that you contributed to your own injuries (for example by not wearing a helmet), then the Injuries Board Ireland will issue an authorisation for you to pursue your claim for bike accidents compensation through the courts. Depending on the severity of your injuries, this could be the District, Circuit or High Court. However, agreement will frequently be reached between your solicitor and the insurance company before a court appearance is required.

Solicitors and Bike Accidents

One of the underestimated advantages of using a specialist personal injury claims solicitor when claiming compensation for injuries sustained in bike accidents, is that they are aware of the much higher percentage of serious injuries that are suffered in these road traffic accidents. Previously, there has been an acknowledged bias against pedal cyclists and motorcyclists involved in bike accidents, and trying to overcome this without adequate legal representation may mean that you do not receive a fair amount of compensation for your injuries.

Free Advice about Your Potential Compensation

If you have been involved in a bike accident for which you were not entirely to blame, you can discuss your potential claim for compensation with an experienced solicitor on our legal claims advice helpline. Compensation payments for injuries sustained in a bike accident can be quite high because of the often severe nature of those injuries. It is not recommended that anybody attempts to go through the compensation procedure without legal advice.

For this reason, we have established a free telephone advice service which will enable you to speak directly with a specialised personal injury claims solicitor and discuss your bike accident with them. Our helpline is open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

If it is not a convenient time to call right now, please leave your contact details in the call-back box below and one of our team will be back in touch with you.

There is no charge for this service and you are under no obligation to proceed with a claim once you have spoken with our solicitor. In most cases, if you do to pursue a claim for compensation, our fees and any legal costs are paid for by the negligent party´s insurance company; however,we will advise you in advance of any exceptions to this. As you have nothing to lose and potentially plenty to gain by contacting us, we look forward to hearing from you soon.