Have you recently been knocked off your motorbike? If the answer is unfortunately yes, then you’ve come to the right place. Motorbike accidents can be extremely serious. Given that motorcyclists have limited protection, the result of being knocked off your motorbike can be tragic. Unlike motorists, there are no airbags or an interior environment that can cushion the impact of a collision. It is the impact that poses the most extreme danger to motorcyclists. Because of this, accidents can lead to grave injury or even death.
You don’t have to feel helpless following a motorbike accident. Support is out there to help you get past what is surely a challenging period in your life. To help you get started, we’ve provided some information on what to do if you’ve been knocked off your motorbike, how you can claim compensation and steps you can take to prevent it from happening again.
What to Do If Knocked off Your Motorbike
If you have been knocked off your motorbike, the very first thing that you should do is get yourself to safety. Do not move your back or grab any personal belongings unless it is absolutely safe to do so. When you are in a safe place, call the emergency services as soon as possible. It’s important to do this even if your injuries seem minor. You may have picked up a serious injury that is not immediately evident or you might need to be treated for shock. When claiming compensation, failure to seek urgent help may count against you. If it is safe to do so, switch on your hazard lights to warn other road users.
Inform your insurance company of the accident as soon as possible. If you are in a safe and comfortable mind to do so, begin collecting evidence at the scene. Evidence can include photographs or videos, details of the offending vehicle, witness statements and/or their contact information. The following days, weeks and months will typically involve medical treatment to aid your recovery and a thorough investigation, which brings us on to the next step: pursuing compensation.
Seeking Compensation for an Accident
Compensation for a motorbike accident is possible if the accident has caused significant consequences, such as physical injury or financial damage, and it was due to someone else’s malicious or negligent actions. If this is the case, you should find a solicitor at your earliest convenience. Do not sign anything or accept an initial offer from the responsible party until you have spoken to a solicitor and received suitable advice. You should also avoid exaggerating the accident, including your injuries, from the very first moment. Claims can fall apart if there is any doubt about your honesty and the impact that the accident has had on your life.
When you recruit a national solicitor firm, they should explain all the options available to you and seek information from yourself and other sources to build up a solid case. Their work will include collecting valuable evidence such as witness statements, medical reports and photos to establish who was responsible for the accident and the impact that it left. The more reliable evidence that shows the other person was responsible and not you, the greater the chance you have of winning. If you win your compensation claim, the payout will depend on various factors including your injuries and how they have affected your ability to cope on a day-to-day basis.
How Much Can I Claim?
The amount of settlement damages that you can claim following a motorbike accident can vary depending on the accident and your injuries. Being knocked off your motorbike can cause a range of injuries including hip dislocations, severe knee injuries and foot fractures. The more serious the injury and the greater the impact it has on your life, the more motorbike compensation you are likely to receive. As an example, paralysis can earn you as much as £340,000 while ligament tears to the ankle can award £13,5000.
Please visit our motorcycle accident compensation calculator to find out more.
What Is the Motorbike Compensation Process?
The process of making a compensation claim if you have been knocked off your motorbike is often as follows:
- Straight after the motorbike accident, seek medical attention
- Collect evidence such as images and video footage of your injuries and damage to your motorbike and personal property
- Take the names and contact information of witnesses
- Contact the police to let them know about the accident – if the motorbike accident is an emergency situation and there is a risk to others, this should be a priority step earlier on
- Let your insurance company know that you have been involved in a motorbike accident
- Research your legal options and appoint a solicitor that is right for you
- The motorbike accident solicitors will talk you to in detail to determine exactly what has happened and who is to blame – further assessments may be required by professionals to examine the full extent of your motorbike injuries
- Your solicitors will provide you with an accurate valuation of your motorbike claim and submit a Claim Notification Form
- Once the Claim Notification Form has been received by the other party, they will decide whether to accept or deny liability
- Negotiations will take place to reach a settlement or if liability is denied, the case will move towards a legal court where a judge will have the final decision
- The other party’s insurance company will pay your motorbike accident compensation – exact timeframes should be known after your claim has been settled
How to Prevent Being Knocked Off
If you’ve not been knocked off your motorbike, then great! That is surely a sign that you are doing something right. However, as a lot of cases will show, sadly it is not only yourself that can prevent an accident from happening. The actions of motorists can present a serious danger to motorcyclists. Motorists who drive recklessly, such as not giving enough room to a motorcyclist or failing to take necessary steps to identify a motorbike, are often the cause of accidents. The threat is even bigger for drivers of large vehicles such as trucks and buses as it is more challenging to spot smaller vehicles. That’s why it’s important to do everything you can, often going the extra mile, to prevent being knocked off your motorbike.
If you have been involved in an accident, we know that one of the consequences is a reluctance to get back on the roads. Time after time, motorbike accidents often leave the victim with mental health issues. Someone who previously loved driving their motorbike may find themselves in a position where they are frightened to re-visit their hobby, either due to trauma from the event or because their confidence has been severely dented.
In either of these cases, whether you’ve been in an accident or not, you should have confidence in safely driving your motorbike without the fear of being knocked off. There are steps that you can take to maximise your own safety, including:
- Wearing a helmet and padded clothing every time you ride
- Wearing reflective clothing and/or equipping your bike with reflective accessories
- Avoiding squeezing past large vehicles in heavy traffic
- Regularly being aware of traffic around you
- Anticipating hazards ahead of time
- Taking extra precaution on dark and narrow roads
- Equipping a bell or horn to make other road users aware of your presence
- Using clear signals when turning or switching lanes
- Maintaining a sensible and legal speed, making sure to slow down in hazardous conditions and where the road is uneven
- Being aware of a driver’s blind spot and adapting your behaviour accordingly
- Keeping a safe distance when stopping at traffic lights and avoiding harsh braking
- Taking extra care when passing parked cars in case the door suddenly opens
Motorbike Accident Solicitors
If you have been knocked off your motorbike and another party was at fault, then you may be able to make a motorbike accident compensation claim. Comprising of specialist UK solicitors from Hutcheon Law, we are specialists when it comes to earning the compensation that our clients deserve. For information on how much you may be able to receive, read our motorcycle accident compensation calculator. If you are ready to make a claim or would like to know more, don’t hesitate to contact us. Your first discussion with us is completely free and no obligation. We will help guide you towards the compensation and recovery that you need.
