Free Advice On Cycle Accident Caused By Cars Changing Lanes? Who is At Fault?
By Marlon Cooke. Last Updated 1st March 2023. Cycling has always been popular over the years as a mode of transport getting to and from school or work, or just for leisure. Cycling clubs are also becoming increasingly popular as a hobby and / or sport. In fact the number of people choosing to cycle has increased by over a quarter over the last twenty years and amazingly, 3.2 billion miles are cycled on roads in the UK each year.
Cycling accidents are one of the most common personal injury claims purely due to the number of people who cycle and the increased number of vehicles on our roads. Often one of the main causes for cycling accidents is at roundabouts or junctions with many cycle accidents caused by cars changing lanes.
If you have been involved in a bike accident UK and have suffered an injury as a result, you will be able to make a bike accident compensation claim.
Select a Section:
- A guide to accident claims for cycle accidents caused by cars changing lanes.
- What is a cycle accidents caused by cars changing lanes?
- What to do if you are involved in a cycle accident caused by cars changing lanes.
- How to begin a cycle accidents caused by cars changing lanes claim.
- Top tips for proving a cycle accident claim
- What can be claimed for after a cycle accident caused by cars changing lanes?
- Driver Hit A Cyclist With Their Car – What Are The Claim Time Limits?
- How much compensation will I get after a cycle accident caused by cars changing lanes?
- No Win No Fee cycle accident claims.
- Why choose us as your claims service for a cycle accident claim?
- Call for free advice and to start a claim.
A guide to accident claims for cycle accidents caused by cars changing lanes
Cycling is a fantastic way to keep in good health as it keeps you fit, can help weight control and has been shown to reduce the risk of such illnesses as coronary heart disease. However, during a cycling survey, over half of the people questioned did not participate in cycling with the main reason being concerned over road safety and drivers being inconsiderate to cyclists.
Cycling accident statistics UK wide suggest that although accidents involving cyclists and other road users are common, the amount of cyclists being killed has actually decreased, but injuries, minor and often serious, are still prevalent among cyclists on our roads. With the roads being busier than they’ve ever been with many multilane junctions and roundabouts, it’s not really surprising that cars changing lanes accident with cyclists are extremely common.
Cycle car accident
Our cycling accident solicitors are experts in their field and will work hard to get the cycling accidents compensation amounts you deserve if you have been injured in a cycle accident caused by cars changing lanes. Maybe you have been knocked off cycle by car whilst changing lanes? There are many cycle claim examples that our specialist solicitors have years of experience with and so will be able to help you with your bike accident compensation claim.
This guide has been produced to help answer some of the initial questions you may have regarding bicycle accidents statistics, cars changing lanes accident claims, cycling accident compensation amounts, eligibility and much more. Please read on and for any further questions you may have, feel free to contact us.
What is a cycle accidents caused by cars changing lanes?
This refers to accidents that occur as cars are changing course, approaching, going through and exiting junctions / roundabouts, between a vehicle and a cyclist that is due to the negligence of the driver.
There are many causes of cycling accidents, with cars changing lanes as being one of the most common causes. Multilane junctions and roundabouts can be extremely hazardous particularly for cyclists. If drivers are travelling at speed or do not thoroughly check in their mirrors when changing lanes, accidents can occur quite easily. Cyclists are easy to miss when drivers are only looking quickly before changing lanes’ especially when the roads are busy, also there are blind spots where drivers cannot see anything that’s beside them that are in a particular spot.
Long vehicles need to be extra vigilant due to their blind spots. For example, if a cyclist is on the inside and a long vehicle wants to turn left, the driver may not be able to see the cyclist in their mirrors and so turn, thinking it is clear to do so resulting in an accident. However cyclists themselves need to be alert and take care too, sometimes the accident can be due to the cyclist at fault in a car accident.
If you have been injured whilst cycling and need some advice as to whether you are eligible to make a bike accident compensation claim, give our cycling accident solicitors a call, they have decades of experience in personal injury claims and will be able to help you.
What to do if you are involved in a cycle accident caused by cars changing lanes
Knocked off my bike by a car! What should I do now?
If you are a cyclist and have been injured in an accident on the road due to a driver’s negligence, please read a few of our bicycle accident claim tips on what action to take to gather information that could help strengthen your bike accident compensation claim.
- Medical report – Be sure you see a Doctor to get your injuries assessed and officially reported. Not only will your injuries be documented but the recommend treatment and expected recovery time will be written down too. This can really help when determining the amount of compensation you should receive.
- Third party details – Get the details, such as name and phone number if you can, of the other person/s involved. Certainly try to get the details of the make and colour of their car or other vehicle and the registration number. This is particularly important as they can be traced with just their car details.
- Witnesses – Try to get as many details as you can of any witnesses. Having a witness statement can really help your case.
- Photos – If you are able, take photos of the accident such as car positioning, cycle position and damage, tyre marks on the road if any, etc. These could help in proving who was at fault. Also, take any photos you can of your injuries you have sustained. These provide visual proof of your pain and suffering.
- Proof of expenses – Keep any proof of costs that you may have incurred as a direct result of the accident and the injuries you have sustained. These would include prescription fees, travelling costs and also, expenses that you have had for the repair or replacement of your bike.
How to begin a cycle accidents caused by cars changing lanes claim
If you want to make a compensation claim due to being injured in a cycle accident caused by cars changing lanes, you may feel a bit baffled as to where to start. This is where we can help.
We have cycling accident solicitors that specialise in personal injury claims and have years of experience and have seen many, many injury claims through to successful completion. All you need to do is call us and we will take it from there.
When we receive your call, firstly you will be offered a free consultancy session. During this session you can ask as many questions as you need to regarding your cycle accident compensation claim so that you feel happy and comfortable with how we go through the process of the claim. We can also get some information from you during this session so that we have as much knowledge as possible surrounding your case so that we can confidently begin to launch your claim. We may also offer to arrange a free local medical for you if we felt it may be required but would discuss this with you beforehand.
All of our personal injury claims solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis so there are absolutely no charges for you to pay until your case is a success , and in which case, we take just a small percentage of your compensation as payment. Please read on further for more information about No Win No Fee.
Top Tips For Proving A Cycle Accident Claim
There are important things to consider when making a personal injury claim.
Firstly, the accident you’re claiming for needs to have occurred due to third-party negligence. If you’re a cyclist at fault for a car accident, you wouldn’t be able to claim compensation. To make a successful claim, a third party would need to be at least partially responsible for the accident.
Furthermore, it’s important that your injuries get assessed by a medical professional after the accident. If a car and a bike are involved in an accident, it can cause severe injuries, particularly to the cyclist, who would have less protection from such an impact. Any medical evidence could highlight the severity and other details of your injury which can be used when valuing your claim.
Other top tips for proving a cycle accident claim include:
- Requesting CCTV footage of the accident if any is available. Dashcam footage could also be used to show how the collision occurred.
- Getting the contact details of people that witnessed the accident. If a car hit a cyclist while other people were watching, your solicitor can get statements from witnesses to help clarify what happened.
- Photographs of the injury and the accident scene.
If a car and a bike are involved in an accident, and you’re unsure whether the driver was liable for the injuries you sustained, please contact us at a time that works for you. We can tell if you’re eligible to claim and can even provide you with a No Win No Fee solicitor should you wish to use our claims service.
What can be claimed for after a cycle accident caused by cars changing lanes?
When you have been injured in an accident and want to claim compensation, there are a number of items that you want to make sure are included in your claim. These are:
- General Damages: This is the amount of compensation you will receive for your injuries in general and the extent of your pain and suffering you have experienced as a result.
- Care Claim: If you have had to have assistance around your home whilst you recover, the person who is assisting you can make a care claim.
- Loss of Earnings: Any loss of income or future loss of expected income that has resulted from you being injured can be claimed for.
- Travel Expenses: If you have incurred extra travelling costs as a direct result of being injured, you can include these in your claim. This also includes payments for alternative travel arrangements you have had to make, or any vehicle adaptions that have been necessary due to your accident.
- Medical Expenses: This covers the cost of any medical diagnosis, treatments, counselling and prescription fees providing they are as a direct result of being involved in an accident that has caused you to be injured.
Driver Hit A Cyclist With Their Car – What Are The Claim Time Limits?
All personal injury claims are subject to a time limit. If they are not started within this period, then they could be barred by a court. This time limit will usually be set at 3 years from the date of when your injuries were caused.
This time limit does not apply to claims for minors or claims for people who are deemed mentally incapable of representing themselves.
A cyclist who was hit by a car in the UK while they were under the age of 18 could wait until they are 18 to start their claim or have a litigation friend act as their representative
The same exception will apply to claims for people with reduced mental capacity. A litigation friend could start a claim on their behalf, or they must start their claim within three years of when they are deemed mentally capable of doing so.
This information is taken from the Limitation Act 1980. You can reach out to one of our advisers for more information about your claim’s limitation period or for free advice on what a cyclist who was hit by a car could do to ensure they claim their compensation.
How much compensation will I get after a cycle accident caused by cars changing lanes?
When clients ring us to discuss making a compensation claim, they nearly always ask us “how much can I get?” Well, unfortunately, we can’t give you an exact number there and then as every case is unique, the injuries sustained vary, and people’s lives are affected differently. You could try an online cycle accident compensation calculator which may give you a figure, but this will only be an estimate.
What we can do though and so have done, is put a table together which gives an average payout amount for certain injuries which you may find useful. However, do not worry if your injury or complaint isn’t listed, when you ring us, we can shed more light on the matter.
| Reason for compensation | Typical average compensation amount | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Head Injury | £215,000 – £310,000 | For those who have suffered severe head injuries rendering them unresponsive or in a vegetative state |
| Moderate Head Injury | £12,500 – £200,000 | Changes in personality, loss of feeling s in limbs, mental disability |
| Minor Head Injury | £1,500 – £9,500 | Head injury that although has not caused brain damage, but may have some longer lasting effects |
| Severe Back Injury | £29,750 – £123,300 | Possible paralysis or damage to organs within the lower half of the body |
| Moderate Back Injury | £8,750 – 30,750 | This refers to any ligament or tissue damage in the back and also to constant pain and suffering |
| Severe Neck Injury | £35,500 – £112,450 | Possible body movement restrictions. Lengthy pain and suffering |
| Moderate Neck Injury | £29,600 – £42,300 | Fractures to the neck, reduced movement, stiffness |
| Severe Arm Injury | £74,200 – £227,250 | Amputation of one or both arms and the extent it could have on the victims life |
| Moderate Arm Injury | £30,100 – £99,750 | This is for if there’s reduced movement in one or both arms and pro-longed pain and suffering |
| Minor Arm Injury | £4,500 – £30,250 | This refers to those who may have suffered reduced movement in one or both arms but are expected to make a full recovery |
| Severe Leg Injury | £75,100 – £215,000 | Amputation of one or both legs and the extent it could have on the victims life |
| Moderate Leg Injury | £21,750 – £104,100 | Reduced movement and physical disability because of injuries sustained in the accident |
| Minor Leg Injury | £1,800 – £17,900 | Fracture, tissue damage or a break that causes pain and suffering |
| Serious Knee Injury | £39,700 – £72,970 | Permanent disability due to muscle and tissue damage. |
| Moderate Knee Injury | £20.250 – £33,200 | Muscle and tissue damage, disability |
| Minor Knee Injury | £4,750 – £19,600 | Painful injury, but one that will get better within time, going back to normal function |
| Pain and Suffering | £1,000 – £200,000 | This refers to the amount of pain and suffering endured due to the injury |
| Loss of earnings | £10,000 – £400,000 | This refers to the amount of income lost and future income lost based on the current pay grade |
| Loss of benefits | £5,000 – £500,000 | This refers to the amount of income lost and future income lost based on the current pay grade |
No Win No Fee Cycle Accident Solicitors
One of our cycle accident solicitors could represent you in your claim and do so on a No Win No Fee basis. This means that them receiving payment will depend on the success of your claim.
You will not have to pay an initial fee to hire them, and you will not make any ongoing payments to them, while they manage your claim. You will not pay them unless a settlement is reached.
- If your claim is successful, you would pay a success fee; a percentage of the compensation you are awarded, that you will both agree to before beginning the claim.
- If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not have to pay this fee.
They will listen to the circumstances of your accident and only proceed with your case if they feel your claim has merit and can succeed. They have experience in winning bicycle accident claim payouts and can help you with actions such as gathering evidence for your claim and beginning legal actions against the driver responsible for your injuries.
To see you could speak with one of our No Win No Fee cycle accident solicitors then please reach out to one of our advisers.
Why choose us as your claims service for a cycle accident claim?
There are lots of personal injury law firms out there but we truly believe that you would be hard pushed to find a better firm than ours to secure your compensation claim. Due to years of experience, we have a fantastic track record of successful claims and hundreds of happy clients.
We are honest, reliable, caring and won’t let you down. We are a truly professional team and treat every one of our claims cases with great importance, and no claim is too small or too big.
We work hard and do our best to get the most satisfying outcomes that we possibly can for our clients. We try our best to complete your compensation claim as smooth and effectively as we can so that you’re not caused any unnecessary stress and can concentrate on your recovery.
Call for free advice and to start a claim
If you have any queries regarding your bike accident UK compensation claim, and believe you may be entitled to compensation, please call us on 0800 073 8804. Your call will be answered by a member of our friendly and professional team who will be able to answer your questions and get your claim off to the best possible start they can.
Useful Links
This link takes you to the ‘Think’ road safety campaign that has a cycling section where it gives tips and advice for cyclists and for drivers.
This link takes you to a page that lists some of the cycling accident statistics UK.
Our guide to cycle accident claims
This is a link to another of our useful guides that is for general cycling accident claims.
Find out how to claim for theme park accidents in the UK. Learn more about the claims process with our helpful guide.
