If you sustained a cycling accident injury, the option of filing for compensation should already be on your table. While you may be eager to begin your claims process, the claims compensation puzzle could be the last obstacle. How much should you demand? How do you calculate your compensation? It depends on the type of accident and a few other factors.

Bicycle riders remain some of the most vulnerable road users. Statistics from the UK Department of Transport show an increase in fatalities from 2015 to 2020. There were 141 cycling deaths in the UK in 2020 compared to 100 deaths in 2015. While there was a reduction in serious injuries (4,551 in 2015 to 4,215 in 2020) within the same period, the numbers remain high.

Let’s understand the issues surrounding bicycle accidents in the UK and find out how to calculate your claim. Claims Bible bicycle accident compensation calculator will help you determine what to ask for.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents

Bicycle accidents are inevitable and can assume various dimensions. There are pretty numerous circumstances that could lead to one. Let’s see the most likely situations that could lead to an accident.

Open Vehicle Doors

Many cycling accidents occur due to the bicycle colliding with vehicle doors. For example, imagine yourself on a bike, approaching closely beside a parked vehicle. As you are just about to ride past, the car suddenly opens.
You have only a few seconds to hit your brakes and grind to a halt which, in most cases, depending on your speed, is too little. Many vehicle riders do not factor in the possibility of an oncoming bicycle rider. Hence, their neglect to check for a cyclist before opening car doors.

Bad Roads

Cyclists should take extra care when on bumpy roads and roadways with potholes. Bad roads cause a lot of accidents for cyclists. In addition, the nature of a bicycle makes it easy for a cyclist to lose their balance after encountering a bad portion of the road. If you have to ply a bad road, ensure that you do not do so at high speed.

Vehicles Pulling Out of a Junction

When vehicles turn into a major road through a junction, they will likely go through the bicycle lane. This is where caution is critical. In these scenarios, vehicle drivers can avoid colliding with cyclists by pulling slowly out of a junction and alerting possible oncoming cyclists.

Drivers Hitting Cyclists While Changing Lanes

Cyclists face the risk of being hit when vehicles change lanes. Unfortunately, many vehicle drivers do not recognise the equal rights cyclists should enjoy on the road. Before vehicle drivers change their lanes, they owe cyclists and other road users a duty of care. Hence, vehicle drivers should look out for oncoming cyclists before effecting the lane change.

Vehicles Turning into the Path of a Cyclist

When vehicle drivers try to turn into an adjoining road, they may not look out for cyclists in the bicycle lane.

If the vehicle had just overtaken the cyclist before trying to make the turn, the cyclist would have had little time to react to a manoeuvre. When this happens, the cyclist would most likely crash into the side of the vehicle.

Distracted Driving

There are several ways drivers can get distracted on the road. The use of cell phones is one of these ways. Also, having a child in the front passenger seat could divide the driver’s attention. Other driving distractions include searching for missing items and having a snack while on the wheel.

On the part of cyclists, earphones are a significant road use malpractice. A distracted driver may crash into a cyclist or vice-versa.

What Do I Do After a Bicycle Accident?

If you are hit by a vehicle while riding your bicycle, taking the proper steps will determine the success of your compensation claim. Here are the steps you should take in the event of an accident.

Take Driver/Vehicle Information

Before leaving the accident scene, ensure you have a chat with the driver of the vehicle involved—takedown as much information as you can about them, such as their names and contact. Also, write down the vehicle registration number.

Make Recordings of the Scene

The law allows you to capture the accident scene via photographs and videos. These records will boost your chances of compensation. However, if you are too weak to do so, let someone else help you out with it.

Call the Police

Ensure that you make a call to the police within twenty-four hours of the accident.

Take Eyewitness Contact Information

Eyewitness testimony can solidify your case. So, if you can find any eyewitnesses around the accident scene, take their contact information.

Common Cycling Accident Injuries

Cycling accident injuries can range from minor scratches to life-threatening injuries. Generally, the force of impact determines how severe an accident will be.
Injuries cyclists are likely to experience after an accident include:

Head Injuries

Head injuries are very common to cyclists, especially when they do not wear helmets. This could be anything from minor scrapes and cuts to dizziness or concussions. It might lead to skull fractures or affect brain functions in extreme cases. There is also the dreaded traumatic brain injury (TBI), resulting in coma, psychological impairment, seizures, or even death.

Hand Injuries

Most accident victims attempt to break their fall by extending their arms. However, this could lead to different types of hand injuries.

Broken/Fractured Bones

Naturally, cycling involves the use of the arms and legs. When accidents occur, these body parts are highly susceptible to breaks and fractures. Victims can also suffer from a broken collarbone, shoulder, back, and jaw.

Soft Tissue Injuries

Also referred to as musculoskeletal trauma. This encompasses all forms of physical discomfort and soreness that make moving around difficult. Soft tissue injuries don’t heal immediately; they persist even months after the accident.

Fatalities/Death

Cycling accidents can sometimes be fatal. This degree of injury is often caused by a high-impact accident.

Dental/Facial Injuries

So many cyclists sustain facial/dental injuries when involved in traffic accidents. It might just be a superficial cut, a cracked tooth, or an injury that leaves a permanent scar.

Other forms of injuries that are likely to result from a cycling accident include but are not limited to amputation, spinal injuries, loss of hearing, paralysis, and road rash.

There are several measures to reduce the risks of accidents and wounds. These measures include using protective equipment like a bicycle helmet, improving your driving, avoiding distractions like the use of headphones, and watching the road. You can also prevent accidents by riding at low speeds along rough or bad roads.

What Determines Compensation Amount?

Compensation amounts aren’t set in stone. As the nature of accidents differs, so do injury claim amounts. So what determines how much you can get for losses in a bicycle accident?

The leading factor is the severity of the accident/injury. For example, the severity of a bicycle accident injury corresponds to the losses that the victim incurs.

Generally, the more severe an injury is, the higher the cost of medical treatment and other expenses. More severe injuries also require more time for recovery and rehabilitation—compensation amount factors damage to the bicycle, which is usually a reflection of the seriousness of the accident.

What Is the Average Compensation for Cycling Accidents

The compensation for a cycling accident depends on the individual situation. A bicycle accident compensation calculator can also help you determine the financial equivalent of your accident losses.

However, you can find a general guide below. This guide contains the minimum and maximum claim amounts for several injuries.

What Are the Time Limits for Bicycle Accident Claims

If you have suffered injuries from a bicycle accident, you are eligible for compensation. You should begin the process of filing your claim immediately.

The law allows a three-year window for filing accident claims after a crash. This time starts counting on the day of the accident or the day the injury was discovered.

There are some exceptions to this rule that you should also note. If you were under the age of eighteen when the accident occured, your three-year claims window doesn’t begin immediately. The law allows you to file a claim anytime from your eighteenth birthday till your twenty-first birthday.

Preparing to File a Claim?

After sustaining a crash injury, a bicycle accident claim is the first step toward your compensation recovery journey. However, you shouldn’t file a claim without getting a clear picture of what compensation is fair.

Every claim is unique so it’s impossible to say how much your claim is worth. You can find out more about typical payouts on our Personal Injuries page or discover more by reading our personal injury blog articles.

For a personal estimation on how much your claim is worth please complete our enquiry form and one of our specialist legal partners will contact you.