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 severe. Since motorcyclists have limited protection, 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 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 to claim compensation, and steps to prevent it from happening again.
What Should I Do if I’m Knocked off My Motorbike?
If you have been knocked off your motorbike, the first thing you should do is get yourself to safety. Do not move your back or grab any personal belongings unless it is absolutely safe. Call the emergency services as soon as possible when you are in a safe place. It’s essential 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 safe, enable your hazard lights to warn other road users.
Inform your insurance company of the accident as soon as possible. If you are safe and comfortable enough 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 to the next step: pursuing compensation.
Knocked Off Motorbike Compensation
Compensation for a motorbike accident is possible if the accident has caused significant consequences, such as physical injury or financial damage, due to someone else’s malicious or negligent actions. If so, 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 doubt about your honesty and the impact the accident has had on your life.
When you recruit a national solicitor firm, they should explain all the options available and seek information from you 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 its impact. The more reliable evidence that shows the other person was responsible and not you, the greater your chance 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 settlement damages 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 its impact 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 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 who is right for you
- The motorbike accident solicitors will talk to you in detail to determine exactly what has happened and who is to blame (professionals may provide further assessments 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 other party has received the Claim Notification Form, 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 undoubtedly a sign that you are doing something right. However, as a lot of cases will show, sadly, it is not only you that can prevent an accident from happening. The actions of motorists can present a 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, often cause 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 essential 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 return to 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.
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 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 the traffic around you
- Anticipating hazards ahead of time
- Taking extra precautions 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
Start Your Claim if You’ve Been Knocked off Your Motorbike
If a motorist has caused an accident resulting in falling off your motorbike, you could be entitled to a personal injury claim. At R. James Hutcheon Solicitors, we specialise in motorcycle accident claims and have a strong track record of securing compensation. Many motorcyclists aren’t fully aware of their legal rights following an accident, so we’re proud to offer legal guidance across the UK. We will help you understand your options while supporting you in getting back on the road.
Contact our specialist solicitors today to see how we can help you get the maximum compensation if you’ve been knocked off your motorbike.
