Bike Accident With No Injuries But A F**ked Bike

stodson

I had a non fault collision with a car the other day but sustained no injuries other than a tweaked lower back.
The problem is the bike is a write off as the rear derailleur was torn off the carbon frame.
The no win/no fee solicitors aren't interested in dealing with the case without an injury they can claim for.
Any advice as l just want my bike sorted?

kingstongraham

Tweaked?

shirley_basso

how is a tweaked lower back not an injury?

kingstongraham

If it's non-fault, what are you expecting to get from who?

laurentian

If by "non fault" you mean that it wasn't your fault (or specifically, that it was the car driver's fault), then surely you make a claim on the driver's insurance?

If you mean that it was nobody's fault then I'm not sure where you go if you don't have your own insurance . . . always worth checking your house insurance to see if this covers it

DeVlaeminck

Can a collision be non fault ?

kingstongraham

Actually, I think non-fault means the other party is at fault. Have they accepted responsibility?

photonic69

I’d say a tweaked back is an injury and as such you should instruct your solicitor to follow this up with the cars insurance. It might just feel like a tweak now but unless you’ve had a medical examination to say so then in years down the line you might have some serious issues (speaking as a person with lower back issues)

Anyway to get your frame fixed then contact some carbon frame repairers and send them some pics for a quote.

matt71

Have you got the persons details who hit you? If so ring their insurance company direct and deal with them.

I had an accident last June and did just that, they paid for all my damaged parts very quickly once the driver accepted liability

MattFalle

simple job for carbon repair company.

google a few and go to the one you like the sound of the best.

lesfirth

Do as Matt71 suggests.
You do not want your bike repairing. You want a new bike. You may not want to claim for your injuries but you do have some. The insurance company will want to settle for your bike very quickly if it stops you going to a solicitor and claiming for the injury .

drhaggis

I was once hit by a taxi, which damaged my bike, my laptop, and happened to get an avulsion fracture (essentially a small chip), on my leading hand index finger.

The driver refused to acknowledge blame to his insurer, despite two witnesses. I didn't get far contacting the insurer directly, and things only got moving once I contacted a lawyer. I believe getting a specialised lawyer is a good idea, either through BC or home insurance or whatever.

Also, I would get the back checked. First and foremost, for health reasons. Second, because relevant injuries seem to be tabulated, and have a defined compensation. While your back may not be badly hurt, it may actually incur in a bigger compensation than you believe. If you have pain for 6 weeks, "suffering" is also tabulated.

FYI, my claim relied on the NHS diagnosis, plus a further evaluation from an independent orthopaedic surgeon.

Finally, if the derrailleur hanger tore off a carbon-fibre frame, as you say, it is a write-off. Can you actually get any decent carbon frame for under £2k?

MattFalle

leading hand index finger?

MattFalle

drhaggis said:

I was once hit by a taxi, which damaged my bike, my laptop, and happened to get an avulsion fracture (essentially a small chip), on my leading hand index finger.

The driver refused to acknowledge blame to his insurer, despite two witnesses. I didn't get far contacting the insurer directly, and things only got moving once I contacted a lawyer. I believe getting a specialised lawyer is a good idea, either through BC or home insurance or whatever.

Also, I would get the back checked. First and foremost, for health reasons. Second, because relevant injuries seem to be tabulated, and have a defined compensation. While your back may not be badly hurt, it may actually incur in a bigger compensation than you believe. If you have pain for 6 weeks, "suffering" is also tabulated.

FYI, my claim relied on the NHS diagnosis, plus a further evaluation from an independent orthopaedic surgeon.

Finally, if the derrailleur hanger tore off a carbon-fibre frame, as you say, it is a write-off. Can you actually get any decent carbon frame for under £2k?

under £2k?

yes, shitloads of them.

davebradswmb

MattFalle said:

drhaggis said:

Finally, if the derrailleur hanger tore off a carbon-fibre frame, as you say, it is a write-off. Can you actually get any decent carbon frame for under £2k?

under £2k?

yes, shitloads of them.

I'm currently trying to justifying spending £1.5K on my dream frame, what planet does Dr Haggis live on?

MattFalle

drhaggis said:

I was once hit by a taxi, which damaged my bike, my laptop, and happened to get an avulsion fracture (essentially a small chip), on my leading hand index finger.

The driver refused to acknowledge blame to his insurer, despite two witnesses. I didn't get far contacting the insurer directly, and things only got moving once I contacted a lawyer. I believe getting a specialised lawyer is a good idea, either through BC or home insurance or whatever.

Also, I would get the back checked. First and foremost, for health reasons. Second, because relevant injuries seem to be tabulated, and have a defined compensation. While your back may not be badly hurt, it may actually incur in a bigger compensation than you believe. If you have pain for 6 weeks, "suffering" is also tabulated.

FYI, my claim relied on the NHS diagnosis, plus a further evaluation from an independent orthopaedic surgeon.

Finally, if the derrailleur hanger tore off a carbon-fibre frame, as you say, it is a write-off. Can you actually get any decent carbon frame for under £2k?

and its not a write off.

pblakeney

Is the OP in a coma?

stodson

Sorry, I'm still here.
To be clear, the accident wasn't my fault as the driver pulled out on me from a side road whilst l was riding on the main road.
I got his insurance details and contacted them directly, they weren't overly interested as the third party hadn't reported the accident to them.
They did take my details but said they couldn't do anything until he'd been in touch with them.
I also reported it to the local police and got a crime number.
I'm going to see a doctor about the sore back just so its recorded.
I don't really want to get the bike repaired as l don't think id trust it as the o/s/r seat stay is properly mashed.
I don't know what to do next really, my LBS recommended contacting Cycling Accident Management Services so I'm waiting for a call back from them.
Any advice going forward would be helpful.

MattFalle

Give Citizen's Advice a bell and see what they say

pblakeney

Chase it up.
It is clear that the driver is hoping this will just go away as it will affect his/her premiums.

MattFalle

or Legal Aid and sue him/her

MattFalle

Check your household insurance as well - they sometimes have a legal advice freebie bolt on.

DeVlaeminck

stodson said:

Sorry, I'm still here.
To be clear, the accident wasn't my fault as the driver pulled out on me from a side road whilst l was riding on the main road.
I got his insurance details and contacted them directly, they weren't overly interested as the third party hadn't reported the accident to them.
They did take my details but said they couldn't do anything until he'd been in touch with them.
I also reported it to the local police and got a crime number.
I'm going to see a doctor about the sore back just so its recorded.
I don't really want to get the bike repaired as l don't think id trust it as the o/s/r seat stay is properly mashed.
I don't know what to do next really, my LBS recommended contacting Cycling Accident Management Services so I'm waiting for a call back from them.
Any advice going forward would be helpful.

Do you have witnesses. If he denies responsibility you may be screwed.