A motorcycle accident can cause injuries ranging from minor cuts and bruises up to major life-changing disabilities requiring on-going care and treatment. If a motorcycle accident happens because someone else was negligent then you may be able to make a claim for compensation.

The team of road traffic accident claim experts at Beacon Law has a track record of successfully making motorcycle accident claims for clients who’ve been injured through no fault of their own. Compensation could help with the psychological trauma of a motorcycle accident as well as the physical impact, and will make sure that you aren’t financially affected.

If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident that wasn’t your fault then contact Beacon Law to talk about making a motorcycle accident claim. We’ll explain how the claims process works, and start the process of winning the compensation we think you’re entitled to.

What is a motorcycle accident claim?

A motorcycle accident claim is a claim for compensation if you are injured in a motorcycle accident which happens because another party acts negligently in some way. People riding a motorcycle are particularly vulnerable to injuries if they are involved in an accident, and you can still claim for compensation if you are partly to blame for the accident happening.

A successful motorcycle accident claim will involve compensation for the physical pain and distress caused by your injuries and also for the psychological impact of an accident of this kind. It will also cover the financial cost of being injured in a motorcycle accident, which can include lost earnings and the cost of medical treatment.

Can I make a motorcycle accident claim?

Yes, you can make a motorcycle accident claim if you are involved in a motorcycle accident that happens because someone else is negligent. The criteria for a successful motorcycle accident claim are as follows:

• You were involved in a motorcycle accident that happened because another party was negligent. The other party in question could be another road user, a pedestrian or the party responsible for the condition of the road surface.
• As a result of this motorcycle accident you suffered injuries which would not have happened otherwise

The claim will be made on the basis of the injuries suffered and the impact they have had on your life.

If you claim with Beacon Law we will know exactly what you’re entitled to claim for in terms of the financial impact of your injuries.

How much compensation could I get for a motorcycle accident claim?

The amount of compensation you receive for a successful motorcycle accident claim will vary from a few thousand pounds for relatively minor injuries up to hundreds of thousands for injuries which are serious and life-changing. Any compensation paid will be made up of general damages and special damages.

General Damages

General damages are paid on the basis of your injuries, to reflect how serious they are and the impact they have had on your life. The amount will reflect the psychological and physical impact of your injuries, and will be decided with the help of the Judicial College Guidelines.

The JCG is a publication which sets out suggested payment ranges for specific injuries to particular parts of the body. Examples from the latest edition of the JCG which may be relevant following a motorcycle accident include:

• Severe damage to the spinal cord – £85,470 to £151,070
• Paraplegia (loss of leg function) – £267,340 to £346,890
• Moderate head injury – £13,430.00 to £112,130.00

Special Damages

Special damages are intended to make sure that your financial situation isn’t made worse by your injuries. This will involve compensation for any earnings or pension provision lost because your injuries impact on your ability to earn a living.

It will also compensate for any money which you have to spend as a direct result of your injuries. These expenses will include:

• The cost of medical treatment you need because of your injuries, now and in the future
• The cost of any care provision which you have to purchase because of your injuries, now and in the future
• The cost of any adaptations you have to make to your home or vehicle as a result of your injuries
• The cost of any specialised equipment, such as mobility aids, which you have to purchase as a result of your injuries
• An amount to cover any time spent by friends or family caring for you voluntarily
• Travel costs to and from any medical appointments you have to attend as a result of your injuries
• The cost of any therapy or counselling required as a result of your motorcycle accident

Is there a time limit to making a motorcycle accident claim?

Yes, there is a time limit to making a motorcycle accident claim of 3 years from the date on which the accident takes place. If you wait longer than 3 years after an accident you will no longer be able to start a claim.

The exceptions to the 3 year rule include the following:

• You were under 18 at the time of the motorcycle accident. If this happens then the 3 years will date from your 18th birthday to your 21st
• You lack the ‘mental capacity’ to start a claim during the 3 year period, perhaps as a result of your injuries. If this happens the 3 years will start on the date on which you regain the capacity to make a claim.

What is included in a motorcycle accident claim?

If your motorcycle accident claim is successful the compensation paid will include the following:

An amount based on the nature and severity of your injuries. This will include the physical and psychological pain and distress, and also the degree to which your injuries stop you living your life as you used to, i.e. enjoying hobbies and interests.

An amount based on the financial impact your injuries have had. This will include compensation for any earnings lost because you haven’t been able to work as you used to, as well as compensation for money which you have to spend as a direct result of your injuries.

If you make a motorcycle accident claim with Beacon Law we’ll estimate the amount of compensation we think you should be paid once we have a full understanding of the exact nature of your injuries.

What is the motorcycle accident claims process?

We understand how upsetting it can be to be involved in a motorcycle accident, especially if it happens because someone else is negligent.

Claiming compensation might seem like a daunting prospect at first, but we break the process down into manageable steps to keep things as simple and stress-free as possible.

Our aim is to give you the space and time to concentrate on recovering from your injuries while we build the strongest possible claim. This process will work as follows:

When you first contact us we’ll provide a free, no obligation consultation during which we’ll listen to what happened to you and explain whether you have the basis for a compensation claim.

If you are eligible to claim then we’ll take a detailed statement from you explaining how the motorcycle accident happened, how you have been injured and how those injuries have impacted you.

We’ll arrange a medical examination with an independent expert, often chosen on the basis of the nature of your injuries. This expert will produce a medical report explaining the exact nature of your injuries, as well as offering a prognosis for recovery and predictions of any further treatment that might be needed.

We’ll gather the rest of the evidence to support your motorcycle accident claim, which will include the following:

• Your medical records, particularly those which deal with the immediate aftermath of your motorcycle accident
• The official police report of the accident
• Statements from anyone who was a witness to the motorcycle accident
• The details of any other drivers involved in your motorcycle accident
• Photographs of the aftermath of the accident if anyone was able to take them, and of the location of the accident
• Photographs of your injuries and of the damage caused to your motorcycle
• Any available CCTV footage of the motorcycle accident happening
• Any recordings of the motorcycle accident made by dash cams or helmet cams
• Documentation setting out the financial impact of your motorcycle accident, such as bank statements, wage slips, and receipts for expenses.

We’ll contact the other party involved in your motorcycle accident to tell them that you are making a claim for compensation. This will usually involve dealing with the insurance company representing another road user.

The evidence we present to the other party is almost always enough to convince them to admit liability. We specialise in settling claims as quickly as possible and avoiding having to go to court in the majority of cases.We’ll negotiate a fair compensation amount.

Our experience of personal injury claims means that we know exactly how much you should be entitled to, and we never settle for anything less than 100% of the compensation you deserve.If your injuries are particularly complex the process of agreeing compensation sufficient to cover things like future care and medical requirements may take some time. If this happens we will apply for interim payments to cover on-going costs and help with your recovery until the final settlement is agreed.

Any interim payments made will then be deducted from the final compensation amount.

In rare cases we are unable to agree on liability or fair compensation, and the claim has to be settled in court. If this happens we will be by your side throughout, offering support and arguing for the compensation we think you are entitled to.

Can I make a no win no fee motorcycle accident claim?

Yes, if you make a motorcycle accident claim with Beacon Law we will work on a no win no fee basis. This means the following:

• You won’t have to pay anything up front when we make your claim, or as we gather evidence and negotiate on your behalf.
• If your claim is successful we will take a fee. This will only be taken after the compensation has been awarded, and will never be more than 25% of the overall amount.
• If your claim is unsuccessful the costs of the other party will be covered by insurance which we take out on your behalf at the start of the process.

Why should I choose Beacon Law for my motorcycle accident claim?

If you want to make a motorcycle accident claim you should choose Beacon Law because we have an impressive track record of winning claims of this type.

We’ve got 200 years of combined legal expertise and experience to draw on, and we understand exactly what it takes to prove negligence in a motorcycle accident and what you are entitled to claim compensation for.

If you work with us you’ll be offered empathetic and supportive legal advice and we’ll treat you as a person dealing with a stressful and upsetting situation and not merely another case number. We communicate in a clear, accessible and jargon-free manner, and if you need further support we’ll help you to access it.

We’ll take on the stress of building a comprehensive and effective compensation claim, leaving you free to concentrate on your recovery and rehabilitation. We do all of this on a no win no fee basis, because we think you should be able to access compensation on the basis of fairness and not whether you can afford to.

If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident that happened because someone else was negligent then call Beacon Law today. We’ll explain how the claims process works and start building the strongest possible claim.

What are the most common types of injuries suffered from a motorcycle accident?

The unprotected nature of motorcyclists means that motorcycle accidents can cause a wide range of injuries, some of them very serious, and some less so. Among the more common motorcycle accident injuries we deal with at Beacon Law are the following:

Spinal Injuries – depending on how severe they are, spinal injuries from a motorcycle accident could require multiple surgeries and, at their worst, could lead to partial loss of movement or even total paralysis.

Broken Bones – the high impact nature of many motorcycle injuries means that broken bones are amongst the most common injuries. Depending on the specific bones broken and the complexity of the fractures, broken bones could require surgeries and a lengthy period of rehabilitation.

Amputations – the exposed nature of motorcyclists means that injuries such as being thrown from a motorcycle onto the road or into another vehicle can cause injuries so severe that the affected limb has to be amputated. If this happens it is clearly going to have a long term and dramatic impact on your life.

Head Injuries – even with a helmet being worn it is still possible to suffer a serious head injury as a result of a motorcycle accident. A head injury which affects the brain may not be apparent in the immediate aftermath of an accident, but symptoms include fatigue, behavioural shifts, headaches, memory problems and issues with concentration.

Psychological Impact – A motorcycle accident can have a severe psychological impact as well as causing physical injuries. This can include trauma, stress, depression and anxiety brought on by the impact of the accident and the on-going challenge of living with serious injuries