By Lewis Winehouse. Last Updated 17th July 2023. Any cyclist who’s ever fallen from a bike will tell you how painful it can be. The injuries sustained in a bike accident can be terrible due to the lack of protection provided by the bicycle. Those injuries can be made worse if you’re a cyclist hit by a car and thrown from your bike. In these circumstances, we believe it’s only right that, if the driver can be shown to be responsible for the accident, you should consider claiming compensation for your injuries.
In this guide, we’re going to look at what injuries can be caused if you’re knocked off your bike. We’ll also look at a case study where a cyclist hit by a car was awarded the biggest ever compensation payout for his injuries. Finally, we’ll provide a personal injury claims calculator so you can see how much compensation might be awarded for your injuries.
Legal Helpline can help you if you’ve suffered injuries in a cycling accident. Our advisors can provide free advice and a no obligation assessment of your claim. If the case has a chance of being won, you could be introduced to one of our panel of No Win No Fee solicitors. To discuss your claim right away, please call 0333 000 0729 today.
Alternatively, to find out more about when you could make a claim, please continue reading.
Jump To A Section
- Cyclist Hit By A Car Causing Life-Changing Injuries
- Injuries Sustained By This Cyclist
- Kinds Of Cycling Road Traffic Accidents
- Case Study: £14 Million Compensation Payout For A Cyclist Hit By A Car
- What Is The Average Compensation For Being Knocked Off A Bike?
- Cyclist Hit By A Car – No Win No Fee Claims
- Supporting Information
Cyclist Hit By A Car Causing Life-Changing Injuries
If you’re a cyclist who’s hit by a car, the potential for life-changing injuries is much higher than if you were driving the car. That’s because, when you’re thrown from a bike, there is nothing to protect you like a seatbelt would in a car. The case study later in this guide provides a real example of the types of injuries that can change lives forever.
Cyclist hit by car
While some injuries may cause pain and discomfort for the rest of your life, others can have a dramatic affect on your ability to work. These are the types of factors that need to be taken into consideration when compensation is awarded. This is where a personal injury solicitor can really help. They should have the experience to ensure evidence is provided to cover all the ways in which you’ve been affected by an accident and subsequent injuries.
Injuries Sustained By This Cyclist
In the case study we’re going to look at, the cyclist sustained some very serious injuries that will affect him for the rest of his life. It’s not just the injuries that are compensated for though. As you’ll see later, factors such as the cost of care, modifications to the home and loss of earnings can all be considered when claiming.
The cyclist hit by a car in the case study suffered the following injuries:
- Partial blindness.
- Serious brain injuries.
- Loss of use of his right arm.
- Constant double vision.
These, as well as the other factors mentioned earlier, led to a record compensation payout in the UK.
Kinds Of Cycling Road Traffic Accidents
Now we’re going to look at some common causes of cycling accidents. Remember, you could be entitled to make a compensation claim if you can prove that another person caused the accident through a negligent act.
- Driver turning left.
A fairly common accident is when a driver turns left without realising there’s a cyclist present. This can lead to the cyclist colliding with the vehicle and being thrown from their bicycle. If the cyclist was travelling at high speeds, the resulting injuries can be far worse. If it can be shown that the driver should’ve spotted the cyclist, then a claim might be possible. - Car door accidents.
Another scenario where a cyclist is hit by a car is when their riding alongside parked vehicles and a driver or passenger opens their car door. This can knock the cyclist from their bike and result in serious injuries even though the car was stationary. - Dangerous driving.
As with the case study, dangerous driving can lead to very serious injuries to a cyclist. This can be caused by speeding, drink-driving, drug-driving or simply not paying attention (careless driving). These types of incidents can often lead to fatalities and are more prevalent at night-time. - Potholes and road defects.
Another common reason for bike accidents that doesn’t include another vehicle is potholes. It’s particularly common when it’s dark or where the pothole is contained within a puddle.
Case Study: £14 Million Compensation Payout For A Cyclist Hit By A Car
Now we’re going to look at a case study involving a cyclist hit by a car who received a record compensation payout for his injuries.
Manny Helmot was awarded £14 million compensation after suffering brain injuries, losing the use of his right arm and also suffering partial blindness after being knocked off his bike in 1998. The injuries mean that he’ll never be able to ride a bike, drive or ride a bike again. He now needs 24-hour care as he’s unable to manage on his own.
Mr Helmot had competed as a cyclist in the Commonwealth games a few months prior to the accident. He had planned to ride professionally but that dream was terminated after the extent of the injuries was revealed. Following the accident his mother had to give up work to provide full time care for her son. Modifications to the home were also required.
Dylan Simon, the driver of the car, was convicted of dangerous driving. The claim made by Mr Helmot’s mother was against Mr Simon’s insurers.
In total, £13.75 million was awarded to cover the pain and suffering caused by the injuries, the future loss of earnings and the cost of caring for Mr Helmot for the rest of his life. The funds will be placed into a trust fund by the courts.
The case was heard at Guernsey’s appeal court who agreed to increase the award from £9 million that was previously awarded.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1312553/Ex-champion-cyclist-Manny-Helmot-awarded-14m-compensation-payout.html
What Is The Average Compensation For Being Knocked Off A Bike?
If you are a cyclist and have been hit by a car, then compensation may be owed to you if you can prove that the accident was caused by another road user’s negligence. But how much could your claim be worth?
Unfortunately, there is no specific answer we can give that would be applicable to everyone’s circumstances. Every compensation claim is different. That means that there are various factors that come into play when your compensation is being calculated.
First, we have the figure called general damages. This is the sum that is calculated to address the claimant’s pain and suffering caused by your injuries. These injuries can be physical or mental. The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) is often used to help value claims alongside medical evidence. The JCG is a publication containing bracket compensation figures for various types of injuries at differing severities.
We’ve included some example entries from the JCG in the table below.
Type of Injury Severity Typical Compensation Range Details
Brain Damage Moderately Severe £205,580 to £264,650 Accidents causing a serious disability, high reliance on others and the requirement for constant care are included in this bracket. The amount of compensation is based on factors like life expentancy, future deterioration and the ability to communicate.
Brain Damage Moderate £140,870 to £205,580 This category includes cases where injuries cause moderate to severe intellecutal defecit, a change in personality and sight, speech or sensory problems.
Brain Damage Minor £2,070 to £11,980 In cases where brain damage has been present but minimal. Factors that are considered include the severity of the injury, any ongoing symptoms and the time taken to recover.
Arm Injury Severe £90,250 to £122,860 These injuries don't require the arm to be amputated but the outcome is effectively the same for the victim.
Arm Injury Permanent Disability £36,770 to £56,180 Injuries such as serious fractures to one or both forearms and result in a permanent functional or cosmetic disability.
Arm Injury Less Severe £18,020 to £36,770 Injuries that cause an initial significant disability but where it has largely healed.
Elbow Severe £36,770 to £51,460 An injury to the elbow that can be classed as severely disabling.
In addition to general damages, it’s also possible that you may be owed special damages. This is when you can reclaim certain losses and/or expenditures that would not have taken place if not for your injuries. For example:
- Medical expenses – things like prescriptions for painkillers, or private medical care that was not available free of charge on the NHS.
- Damage to property – such as if your bicycle requires repairing or replacing due to the collision.
- Loss of earnings – if you miss time at work due to your injuries.
- Adaptations to your home – serious injuries may require a ramp fitted to your front door for wheelchair access, amongst other things.
If you have any questions about what else could be included, get in touch today.
Cyclist Hit By A Car – No Win No Fee Claims
If you have been knocked off a bicycle, compensation could be sought with the help of a solicitor. The solicitors from our panel have experiencing handling cycle accident claims and could offer their services under a type of No Win No Fee arrangement called a Conditional Fee Agreement. As per the terms of this contract, they won’t usually ask for any upfront fees or payments whilst the claims process is underway, for their services.
Additionally, if your claim is not successful, you won’t need to pay your solicitor for their work. Instead, if the claim succeeds, a success fee is deducted from your award. The percentage is legally capped to prevent you from being overcharged.
Are you a cyclist that’s been hit by a car? If so, you can get in touch with an advisor to find out whether one of the road traffic accident solicitors from our panel could help seek compensation. To find out more, all you need to do is:
- Call our friendly advisors on 0333 000 0729 to discuss your options.
- Chat live with an advisor from any page of our site.
- Request a call back at a convenient time, or contact us online.
Supporting Information
Now that you’ve read all of the information about compensation amounts paid for a cyclist hit by a car, here are some more of our guides that we hope you’ll find helpful:
Road Traffic Accident Claims – This guide covers all sorts of road traffic accidents that can lead to a personal injury claim.
Cycle Accident Claims – More general information on this subject.
Arm Injury Claims – In this guide, you can find out compensation amounts if you’ve lost use of an arm or suffered fracture in the upper or lower arm.
Other Claims We Could Assist You With
- Permanent Scar Compensation Claims.
- Child Accident Claims.
- Paralysis Injury Claims.
- Wrist Injury Compensation Claims.
Trusted External Resources
Finally, here are some external resources that you might find useful:
BRAKE – The Road Safety Charity – Information and advice on road safety for all road users.
The Highway Code – Information on bicycle law and all the other rules of the road.
Sharing The Road – A guide from ROSPA (a safety charity) on how bicycles and cars can share the road together safely.
