Can anyone recommend a good injury lawyer

mymcreative

Hi there,

I was wondering if anyone had details or advice on using a good honest injury lawyer? I was hit by a car last night and extremely lucky to be still walking and talking today, but I do want to claim for my bike, gear that was damaged in the accident and the many cuts and bruises I have - but I don't want to fleece the guy that did out of thousands. Can anyone suggest a company to use?

Cheers

NB: and to top it all the accident happened on the way back from the bike shop riding my new bike

Daz555

If he wont, then his car insurance company will have to pay for your damages.

As for compo for cuts and bruises........ :?

mymcreative

So do you mean contacting his insurance company direct?

bails87

Yes, you should be dealing with his insurance company. He's probably thinking "a new bike, hmmm, that's like £150 right, which is cheaper than my renewal price if I lose my no claims bonus".

Russell Jones and Walker are meant to be good. I got hit by a car, had cuts and bruises (and bruises from cars & tarmac HURT, can linger and can hide more serious injuries) and was pretty generously compensated. Only fair really, I had trouble walking and sleeping afterwards.

If your bike needs replacing too, the claim will run to a lot more than the driver thinks.

owenlars

This happened to me in May last year and it took until November to get settlement.

First I assume you have all details and that the police were called and that you have written up what happened with details of names, police on call etc, I also assume it was the other guy's fault.

If you send the details to the other guys insurance company they will ignore you unless you can do it through your insurance company so the moral is you need someone big and corporate on your side, if you are insured use them, if not then get a lawyer instantly.

If you do not have an insurance company then I can recommend the guys who dealt with me. Eventually we took out a court case against the other guy and as soon as they received this his insurance company settled in full. The layer also received their payment as costs so you get the full settlement and they get theirs as extra costs to the settlement. Incidentally my attitude was, like yours, I just want fair recompense I don't want to screw anybody.

I don't know if I am meant to mention companies on here but if you look up Camps Solicitors on the web you will see full details.

Be warned unless they admit liability immediately it is a long process as the law gives the defendant fixed periods to respond to various documents before other stuff can happen.

Good luck

mymcreative

Thanks for the advice guys.

I have spoken to a local firm and they are helping me out. I did call the Police at the scene, got the drivers details (and he admitted it was his fault) plus some witnesses as well - so hopefully it is pretty clean cut.

owenlars

Do the contact with his inurance company via your local firm. If you do it as an individual they will simply ignore you in the hope that you eventually just give up, and I suspect many do. Use the local firm and that tells them you are in it for the long haul. The fact that he admitted liability will not affect the insurance company's attitude to you as an individual, they will still ignore you as long as they can.

Again Good Luck

bails87

The insurers I dealt with were excellent. I didn't use solicitors, but they were professional, very quick to pay out for material damages, and happy to wait until I knew that I was healed before paying for my injuries.

I tried to add the cost of a days holiday from work to attend the medical examination onto the final payout, and they quibbled that, but only because they knew it only took a couple of hours, not a full day, so they paid half a day, which was fair.

essjaydee

Exactly the reason I joined British Cycling, in case of an event such as this

Also member of a union, so access to free solicitors if needed

hydrodan

I was knocked off my bike in early January 2012. Driver took full responsibility for the accident and her insurance company has been really good so far. Paid for all bike repairs and sorted me out with phsyio etc.
They wont settle the claim until I am full recovered.

I would have considered a lawyer if they messed me around.

Good luck & and recover quickly

weadmire

I have quite extensive experience, and I have represented myself, representing yourself should be a good idea but it is a mistake if you are dealing with an insurance company, they cannot stop themselves being adversarial and obvious, always to their cost in my experience. Otherwise I have been involved with half a dozen solicitors, they are not all created equal. Certainly do not instruct anyone whose first question is were you wearing a helmet. The best so far has been Paul Keown of Healys LLP paul.keown@healys.com. He did a particularly impressive job for my partner and more recently for my mother.

wintonbina

I was knocked off my bike on 3-2-12.I am using CAM to pursue my claim after being recommended by my LBS & a couple of other cyclists. (My union were rubbish) They have fixed up Physio, arranged for my bike to be picked up & replaced & set up Lawyers for me (Gorman & Hamilton). The car driver admitted liability to the Police & her insurance have been in touch but they are a bit pushy if you get my drift!
So I wouldn't deal with their insurance company if I were you they are looking for the cheapest deal for them not for you!
Good luck, Tony