If you have recently been on a health kick, or you are simply looking to save money on petrol, chances are that the old bike will have been pulled out of the garage and put back onto the road. With the lovely summer weather, it’s definitely worth getting out there and enjoying it, and what better way than with a casual bicycle ride in your local area?
Although cycling is relatively safe, unfortunately as with most things this is not always the case, and if you are the victim of negligence then you could be left with severe injuries and costs to deal with. This can be a harsh reality, especially if the accident wasn’t your fault, and you are often left asking “What should I do next?”
It’s not always easy to know what to do, but if you are the victim of an accident that was clearly not your fault then you shouldn’t have to deal with this alone. In this situation a compensation claim could be something that you will consider, to get your financials and your life back on track.
So where might I consider making a claim?
Claims can be made in almost any situation where an accident has been caused through no fault of your own. Some common examples of where you might look to make a claim of this type include:
- Claims against a motor vehicle driver who may have been speeding or perhaps been careless on the road
- Claims against a HGV driver who may have been careless, speeding or failed to adhere to the appropriate road rules
- Claims against a public transport operator for speeding or careless driving
- Claims for accidents where another user has broken the road rules – i.e. running a red light, failing to adhere to the rules at a roundabout etc…
As you can see there are a number of situations where you may have been the victim through absolutely no fault of your own, and in this situation you shouldn’t have to suffer. You could consider a claim if you find that you have been a victim in this situation.
What can I claim for?
In general when it comes to making a claim for compensation, most of the claims tend to be quite financially driven, and this is often because as a victim you have been left out of pocket financially. Whether it’s through medical expenses, hospital fees or simply the fact that you aren’t able to work, you will often find that your financial situation can become quite serious as the result of an accident like this – and therefore you may need financial assistance in the future.
Some examples of areas where you might look to make a compensation claim include:
- Medical costs and expenses relating to any hospital stay, physiotherapy, rehabilitation and generally any expenses that you incur. These can be costly and you could look to claim them back if the accident wasn’t your fault
- You could look to claim for any lost income if you haven’t been able to work after your injury. A loss of income can substantially impact a person, so if you are unable to work this could be an area of compensation
- If you have suffered psychologically in your life as a result of an accident, perhaps you have been traumatised and you aren’t dealing with it well, then you could look to make a claim to cover any costs that have been incurred.
How could I go about making a claim?
If the words Bicycle Accident Compensation claim are enough to send you to sleep, then chances are that it’s something that you won’t have considered – and if like me you try to avoid legal minefields on a regular basis, chances are that you will have overlooked it altogether.
The problem is that if you the victim of negligence, chances are it could affect you financially, and as such inadvertently it’s going to have a big impact on your life. Whether you like it or not, unfortunately there might come a time where you need to look at financial assistance, especially if you are out of work and that’s where a compensation claim might start to come into the picture.
There are so many personal injury firms out there that it can be hard to choose one, but generally looking at a firm that offers a No Win, No Fee option can be a great way to start. After all, this will make sure that you aren’t left out of pocket if your claim isn’t successful, rather than adding even more financial pressure, and as such you won’t have the stress of a full legal case on your hands.
Personal injury lawyers have so much experience when it comes to dealing with these types of claims that they really are there to help. So if you have been left out of pocket through a situation that has had a direct impact on your life, you shouldn’t be left to suffer alone. Consider asking for help, or at least going for a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer, they will be able to advise you on the next step of the process.
Paul is a freelance writer and student lawyer from the UK
