Motorbike Accident Injury Claims – How To Make A Claim

This is a helpful guide on making motorbike accident injury claims. Road traffic accidents can lead to injuries varying in severity, including those that are minor as well as those that have a life-changing effect. If you have suffered from physical or psychological harm in a motorbike accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you could be entitled to compensation.  

motorbike accident injury claims

Motorbike accident injury claims guide

However, you must prove that another road user’s negligence caused your injuries to make a claim. Negligence is the breach of a duty of care.

Road users owe each other a duty of care to navigate the roads in a way that minimises the risk of harm. We will explore the responsibilities they have in more detail throughout our guide.

Read on to learn more about making a motorbike accident claim. However, if you need any other information, contact our team of advisors by:

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  1. An Introduction To Motorbike Accident Injury Claims
  2. What Is A Motorbike Accident?
  3. Examples Of Motorbike Accidents
  4. How Much Could I Get For Motorbike Accident Injury Claims?
  5. Do I Need To Use A Local No Win No Fee Lawyer?
  6. More Information On Motorbike Accident Injury Claims

An Introduction To Motorbike Accident Injury Claims

When discussing motorbike accident injury claims, it’s important to consider two the The Highway Code and the Road Traffic Act 1988 to understand a road users’ duty of care. Firstly, The Highway Code outlines the responsibilities of road user’s navigating the roads. Alongside this, the Road Traffic Act 1988 is one of the central pieces of legislation governing driving and motorcycling offences.

If another road user fails to uphold their duty of care, causing you harm, you could claim. However, you should be aware of the time limits that apply. The Limitation Act 1980 states how long you generally have to make a personal injury claim, which is:

  • 3 years from the date of the accident.
  • 3 years from when you connected your injuries to negligence.

If the injured person is under 18, they will have 3 years from your eighteenth birthday, or someone could apply to the courts to act as a litigation friend and start the claim on the injured person’s behalf.

If the injured person has a reduced mental capacity, they will have 3 years from the recovery date. Similarly, someone could apply to the courts to act as a litigation friend and put forward the claim on the injured person’s behalf if they don’t recover their capacity.

Please get in touch with our advisors to enquire further about making motorbike accident injury claims. 

Recent Road Accident Statistics

Road accident statistics show the rise or decline of road casualties and highlight ways road safety can be improved. The Department for Transport compiled useful provisional figures from police reports. As per these figures, in the year ending June 2021, there were:

  • 119,850 road user casualties of all severities. 
  • 1,390 road deaths.

They also provide helpful statistics for how many motorcycle accidents per year in Great Britain result in casualties. In 2020, there were:

  • 14,023 motorcycle casualties of all severities.
  • 291 motorcyclist deaths.  

What Is A Motorbike Accident?

A motorbike accident can involve two motorcyclists, a driver or a pedestrian. It could also involve a motorcyclist crashing into a stationary vehicle or object. They can result in a variety of injuries, such as: 

  • Broken bones
  • Soft tissue damage
  • Head injuries and brain damage
  • Injury to the spinal cord
  • Crush injuries
  • Amputations
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

These injuries can range from minor to severe and have varying impacts on the injured person’s quality of life. However, if your injuries resulted from negligence, you could make a claim to seek compensation for the ways your injuries have impacted you.

It is important to note that you don’t have to be the driver to make a claim. You could make a passenger injury claim or pedestrian claim if you were injured because of a motorcyclists or drivers negligence.

Contact our professional team of advisors at any time to find out more about motorbike accident injury claims. 

Examples Of Motorbike Accidents

There are various ways a motorbike accident could occur. For example, the driver of a car has consumed over the legal limit of alcohol and is swerving dangerously across the road. Then, he crashes into a motorbike in a different lane, causing the rider to be flung from his bike. This leaves the motorbike rider with a serious neck injury. 

In this example, the car driver breached their duty of care by driving under the influence of alcohol. Therefore, the motorbike rider could claim compensation for their injuries and the impact they have on their quality of life. 

Following an accident like the one above, it is important to seek immediate medical attention. Not only could this ensure you receive the treatment you need, but it will also provide a record of your injuries and any diagnosis given. It is important to gather pieces of evidence to prove a personal injury claim, such as:

  • Photographs of the accident and your subsequent injuries
  • Dashcam or CCTV footage
  • Medical reports
  • Witness contact details  

Finally, we recommend seeking legal advice to help you through the claims process. Contact our team of expert motorbike accident injury claims advisors to find out more about the process.  

How Much Could I Get For Motorbike Accident Injury Claims?

The two potential heads in personal injury settlements are general damages and special damages. Below is an explanation of what each one covers:

  • General damages cover the physical and psychological pain and suffering caused by your injuries. 
  • Special damages reimburse you for the past and future financial losses caused by your injuries. This can include travel expenses, care costs, housing alterations and loss of earnings. It is imperative to keep evidence of any special damages caused by the injury. Some examples of proof could be bank records, payslips and travel tickets. 

When valuing the general damages head of claim, solicitors may refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The most recent edition was produced in April 2022 and contains compensation brackets relating to different injuries.

We have provided figures from the JCG in the table below. Although, it is important to note that the figures above are a guide, and each case has a unique set of details determining the amount of compensation awarded.

InjuryDetails Compensation Bracket
Amputation of Arms (a)The injury results in the loss of both arms. £240,790 to £300,000
Severe Arm Injury (a)An injury that falls short of amputation but leaves the arm with little to no use. £96,160 to £130,930
Severe Back Injury (a) (i)A severe injury to the spinal cord and nerve roots. This leads to severe pain, disability and further problems. £91,090 to £160,980
Minor Back injury (c) (i)An injury that recovers either fully or to a nuisance level without surgery in 2-5 years. £7,890 to £12,510
Severe Neck Injury (a) (i)A severe injury that could result in permanent spastic quadriparesis or incomplete paraplegia. In the region of £148,330
Foot Injury (b)One foot is amputated.£83,960 to £109,650
Moderate Foot Injury (f)The injury will cause permanent deformity and ongoing symptoms.£13,740 to £24,990
Chest Injury (c)An injury to the lungs and chest that leads to some continuing disability. £31,310 to £54,830
Moderate Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (c)The person will largely recover, and any continuing symptoms will not be majorly disabling. £8,180 to £23,150
Serious Shoulder Injury (b)An injury where the shoulder is dislocated with further damage causing pain and restricted movement as well as other issues. £12,770 to £19,200

Contact our advisors to discuss the specific details of motorbike accident injury claims to determine how much compensation you may be entitled to.   

Do I Need To Use A Local No Win No Fee Lawyer?

You are not legally required to use a lawyer in a personal injury claim. However, a legal professional can benefit your claim, as they can help you navigate each stage of the claims process.

Choosing a No Win No Fee lawyer offering to represent your claim under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), means you do not pay for your solicitor’s services upfront or if the claim is unsuccessful. 

On the other hand, a successful claim will see you pay a small percentage of the awarded compensation. This is also called a ‘success fee’. The amount is legally capped.  

Our team of advisors can assess your claim and could connect you with motorbike accident injury claims lawyers from our panel should your claim meet the relevant criteria.    

Ask Us About Motorbike Accident Injury Claims

If you have any more enquiries about making motorbike accident injury claims contact us today. Our team of advisors are available 24/7 so that you can call at a time convenient for you. You can reach out by:

More Information On Motorbike Accident Injury Claims

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Thank you for reading this informative guide on making motorbike accident injury claims. Call us if you have any other questions.

Writer Jess Oakland

Editor Meg McConnell