How Much Compensation Could I Get For Being Knocked Off My Bicycle?

By Danielle Fletcher. Last updated 17th November 2023. This guide aims to answer the question, ‘how much compensation for being knocked off my bicycle?’ If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident due to the negligence of another road user, you could potentially claim compensation. 

All road users have a duty of care towards one another to behave in a way that reduces the risk of accidents. The Highway Code helps with this, as it outlines appropriate behaviour for all road users. Motorists must adhere to the standard skill and care of the average motorist. Other road users such as cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists can access The Highway Code for more detailed guidance. 

If someone breaches this duty of care, it could lead to accidents and injury. To make a valid personal injury claim after a road traffic accident, you would need to evidence that a breach of duty of care caused your injuries. You should also know that you may not be able to claim against other cyclists or pedestrians as they may not have the relevant insurance. 

Read on to learn about how much compensation for being knocked off your bicycle you could claim. To talk to someone directly about your claim, get in touch with our advisors. They can give free legal advice about your case and could connect you to a solicitor from our panel. 

how much compensation for being knocked off my bicycle

A guide on how much compensation you could seek for being knocked off your bicycle

Select A Section

  1. When Could You Claim For Being Knocked Off Your Bike?
  2. How Could You Be Injured?
  3. How Long Do You Have To Claim Compensation After Being Knocked Off Your Bicycle?
  4. How Much Compensation Could I Get For Being Knocked Off My Bicycle?
  5. Make A No Win No Fee Claim After Being Knocked Off Your Bike

When Could You Claim For Being Knocked Off Your Bike?

While on the roads, all road users owe each other a duty of care to prevent injury and damage to themselves and others. To uphold this duty, they are expected to comply with the Highway Code as well as the Road Traffic Act 1988. If you are wondering whether you can make a personal injury claim after being knocked off your bike by a car, compensation could be sought if you meet the eligibility requirements. 

This means that you will need to prove that: 

  • You were owed a duty of care. 
  • There was a breach in this duty. 
  • You suffered injuries as a result of this breach. 

If you have any questions about your eligibility to claim bicycle accident compensation, speak with one of the advisors from our team. If you have good grounds to claim personal injury compensation, you could be connected to one of the No Win No Fee solicitors from our panel. 

How Could You Be Injured?

If someone knocks you off your bicycle, many injuries could result. You could potentially suffer:

For example, if you were knocked off your bike when merging into traffic, you could have lacerations and a broken knee

Or, if a vehicle did not leave you enough space on the road, you could even potentially suffer a compression or crush injury

However, if you’ve been harmed in some other way by someone knocking you off your bicycle, you could potentially still claim. To find out more, call our team of advisors. 

How Long Do You Have To Claim Compensation After Being Knocked Off Your Bicycle?

If you’d like to know about the personal injury claims time limit, this section could be useful to you. If were injured when you were knocked off your bike by a car, your compensation claim must be started within the limitation period. This is set by the Limitation Act 1980 as typically three years from the date of the accident.

However, in circumstances where the injured party cannot start legal proceedings for themselves, the time limit is suspended. A litigation friend can be appointed to start a claim at any point during the suspension on behalf of the injured party.

The following injured parties cannot begin legal proceedings for themselves:

  • Those who lack the mental capacity to start a claim. The limitation period is indefinitely suspended. If they regain their capacity, they will have three years from that date to start proceedings if a litigation friend hasn’t already claimed.
  • Children under the age of 18. The time limit is paused until they turn 18, giving them three years from that date to start proceedings unless a litigation friend already acted on their behalf.

Call our advisors to learn more about how to claim if you were knocked off your bike. The advice they give is free.

How Much Compensation Could I Get For Being Knocked Off My Bicycle?

This section aims to answer the question, ‘how much compensation for being knocked off my bicycle can I claim?’ Please see below for a compensation table including bracketed payout amounts you could receive in a cycling accident claim

These figures can be found in the Judicial College Guidelines, a document used by legal professionals to help value general damages in personal injury claims. This element of your payout compensates you for any suffering you have experienced as a direct result of your accident or injury. However, it is important to note that these figures are not a guarantee, as they are estimates calculated from past cases. 

For a more accurate calculation of what you could receive, you will attend an independent medical appointment. A medical professional will evaluate the severity of your injuries and consider how they may continue to affect your quality of life. The results of this assessment will be key evidence and can be used to help calculate the amount of your general damages. 

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Injury Severity Amount Notes
Multiple serious injuries plus additional damages Serious Up to £1,000,000 The settlement may include compensation for multiple injuries and expenses, such as carer costs and loss of earnings.
Brain Very Severe £282,010 to £403,990 There is very little, if any, meaningful response to the environment. Additionally, the injured party has little to no language function, double incontinence and requires full-time nursing.
Head Minor £2,210 to £12,770 Brain damage, if present, will be minimal. This bracket will also be judged on the period taken to recover, the severity of the original injury and the extent of continuing symptoms.
Knee Severe (i) £69,730 to £96,210 Serious knee injuries caused by a disruption in the joint, development of osteoarthritis, ligament damage. The result could be a need for lengthy treatment, considerable pain and loss of function.
Hand Loss £35,520 to £54,830 Loss of the thumb.
Jaw Serious £30,490 to £45,540 Very serious multiple fractures that necessitate prolonged treatment. There will be permanent consequences, such as restriction with eating, severe pain, and/or a risk of arthritis.
Arm Less Severe £19,200 to £39,170 There will have been significant disabilities, but a substantial degree of recovery will have occurred or be expected.
Ankle Modest Up to £13,740 Minor or undisplaced fractures, ligament injuries and sprains.

Special Damages 

Your payout amount could also include special damages. This intends to cover the costs of any specific financial losses you have experienced because of your accident. It’s also possible to claim for future potential losses, such as a continued loss of earnings if you cannot work due to a related disability. Some other examples of potential special damages include:

  • Medical treatments the NHS isn’t able to cover
  • Property damage
  • Travel expenses
  • Adaptions to the home or independent supports, such as crutches

If you would like to claim special damages as part of your compensation, it is important to give proof. You would also need evidence that your losses directly resulted from your injury. For example, you could provide an invoice for a wheelchair ramp added to your home if your injuries necessitated this. 

Make A No Win No Fee Claim After Being Knocked Off Your Bike

If you are eligible to claim bicycle accident compensation, you may wish to do so with the support of a solicitor. If so, one of the personal injury solicitors from our panel could work on your claim. Our panel offers their services under the terms of a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which is a type of No Win No Fee arrangement. 

If your solicitor works under the terms of a CFA, they won’t take a payment upfront for their services or charge you fees as your claim is ongoing. Furthermore, you won’t be asked to pay for their work on your case following an unsuccessful claim. 

However, if your claim succeeds, your solicitor will take a success fee from your compensation. The amount taken is a percentage that is subject to a legal cap. 

If you need any help or would like to know more about the average compensation for being knocked off a bike, our advisors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can answer your questions. If they find your claim to be valid, they may connect you with a solicitor from our panel. 

To speak with an advisor:

Find Out More About Cycling Safety And Accident Claims

We hope you’ve now got a clearer answer to the question, ‘how much compensation could I seek for being knocked off my bicycle?’ To find out more, please see below. 

Thank you for reading our article answering the question, ‘how much compensation for being knocked off my bicycle could I claim?’

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