Motorcycle Road Traffic Accident Injury Claims – How To Claim Compensation

By Daniel Kirk. Last Updated 30th November 2022. As a motorcyclist, you are a particularly vulnerable road user and as such, there is a chance you could be involved in a road traffic accident at some point. If you are involved in a motorcycle accident that you were not to blame for or were only partly to blame then there is a good chance that you could make a successful road traffic accident claim to compensate you for any pain and suffering you have experienced as a result of your injuries. Whatever your circumstances, Advice.co.uk can offer you helpful information and will assist you in launching a successful compensation claim. Call us today on 0161 696 9685.

Read on to find out more about the circumstances in which you may have a motorcycle injury claim, and how to go about launching this claim.

Select A Section

A Guide To Making A Motorcycle Injury Claim

Motorcycle injury claims guide

Motorcycle injury claims guide

Motorcyclists have high rate of accidents and injuries. There are a number of reasons why this is the case and we will explore these as part of this helpful guide. All road users owe each other a duty of care. It is not always easy to identify liability, which is why Advice.co.uk are on hand to offer help and advice. Whatever your circumstances, if you have been injured in a motorbike accident then contact our claim advisors who will be able to look at the details of your case and advise on your individual circumstances. Don’t miss out on the compensation that you may be entitled to receive. We are here to help whenever you are ready to make the call.

Click Here To Learn More About Claiming Personal Injury Compensation

What Is A Motorcycle Accident?

A motorcycle accident is a road traffic accident involving a motorbike. You may have the opportunity to claim for compensation if the accident was due to negligent actions of other users of the road, at least partly. Drivers of all types of vehicle have a duty of care to other users of the road. If they breach this duty by behaving negligently then they may be held liable for any motorcycle injuries you suffer as a result of an accident.

Motorcycle Accident Claim – How Much You Could Receive

The table below includes figures taken from the most recent update of the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). Legal professionals use the JCG figures to help value general damages.

The amounts shown relate to how much you could be awarded for the pain and suffering caused by a motorbike injury. This is also known as general damages. Motorcycle accidents compensation will always be calculated on a bespoke basis, so do not take these figures as guaranteed.

InjuryDetailsCompensation amount
Neck Injury - Severe (ii) Disc damage and fractures in the cervical spine which cause a severe disability.£65,740 to £130,930
Neck Injury - Moderate (i)Dislocations or fractures which cause immediate severe symptoms and may require spinal fusion.£24,990 to £38,490
Leg Injury - (b) Severe (iii) SeriousSerious compound or comminuted fractures, or injuries to joints or ligaments resulting in instability with prolonged treatment. £39,200 to £54,830
Leg Injury - (c) Less Serious (i)Fractures from which an incomplete recovery is made. The person may be left with a limp.£17,960 to £27,760
Back Injury - Moderate (i)Could include compression/crush fractures of the lumbar vertebrae causing a risk of osteoarthritis and chronic pain£27,760 to £38,780
Back Injury - Minor (i)Soft tissue injuries with recovery expected within about two to five years.£7,890 to £12,510
Wrist injuries - (c)Wrist injury that causes persisting stiffness and pain.£12,590 to £24,500
Whiplash Injury with Psychological InjurySymptoms lasting 18-24 months£4,345
Whiplash InjurySymptoms lasting 18-24 months£4,215

For a personalised assessment of your claim, get in touch with our advisors at any time.

Damages You Can Include In A Personal Injury Claim

The compensation you can seek as part of a motorcycle injury claim includes both financial and non-financial losses.

General damages

General damages cover the non-financial losses you have suffered following your motorbike accident. Essentially, general damages compensate you for any pain and suffering you have experienced as a result of your injuries. This can include both physical injuries and psychological injury, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression that are brought on or exacerbated by the accident. The amount of money you receive is dependent on the seriousness of your injuries. In general, the more serious your injuries the higher the pay out. The court will also take into account how quickly you are likely to recover.

Special damages

Special damages cover the specific financial losses that you have experienced directly as a result of your injury. Special damages involved in a motorcycle accident claim can be comprised of the following:

Loss of earnings

If you have been unable to work as a result of your injuries then you can seek compensation to cover your loss of earnings. In the case of serious injuries, you may even be able to claim for loss of future earnings if there is a chance that you will be unable to return to your job or return to full duties.

Medical expenses

If you have incurred out-of-pocket medical expenses as a result of your injuries then these can often be claimed back. This includes costs such as medication, private therapists and rehabilitation.

Travel expenses

You can often claim back any travel expenses that are directly connected to the incident. Examples of travel expenses that you are eligible to claim include travel to and from hospital appointments. Be sure to keep receipts to prove your expenditure.

Care costs

If following the accident you were unable to care for yourself at home and required help around the house, then the person may claim care costs to help pay for this additional assistance.

Common Motorcycle Accidents People Are Injured In

Sadly a number of motorcyclists are involved in motorcycle accidents in the UK every day. Here is a guide to common causes of motorbike accidents.

Claim For An Overtaking Accident

In order to overtake safely, a driver must be able to accurately judge distance, speed and the power of their own vehicle. A motorbike can accelerate more quickly than a car and so is able to overtake faster. However, this means that if a motorcyclist misjudges speed, distance or power, or overtakes when approaching a corner, a hill, a dip or a junction then there is a greater chance of a serious accident on account of their speed. A motorcyclist is also vulnerable when overtaking a long line of traffic as the cars in the queue are likely to be focusing on the traffic ahead of them and not on any vehicles approaching from behind. If you have had an accident whilst overtaking then you may be able to make a motorcycle injury claim, as long as you can prove that another driver was at least partly at fault

Claim For An Accident At A Junction

Accidents at junctions could be caused if the driver of a car fails to identify a motorcyclist and pulls out in front of them. Many motorists struggle to judge how fast a motorbike is travelling and may assume that they have more time to pull out of a junction than they actually do. Unfortunately, in these circumstances, a motorcyclist will usually experience a more serious injury than a motorist.

Accidents On Bends On Rural Roads

The reality of driving on small rural roads is very different from urban or motorway driving. This is especially true if you are unfamiliar with the road and are unable to anticipate sharp corners. Left-hand bends are particularly hazardous because motorcyclists often drive to the centre of the road to improve their view. Sadly this often exposes them to hazards as they may collide with a vehicle coming the other way. If you have been involved in a collision on a bend and the accident was not your fault then you may be eligible to make a personal injury claim if you have been injured.

Accidents Caused By A Loss Of Control

On two wheels you are more vulnerable to changes in road surface and bumps or holes in the road. This can lead to loss of control. Loss of control can also be caused following a collision from behind which shunts you into the vehicle in front. You also risk losing control if the vehicle in front of you brakes suddenly. If you have not left enough space in front of you then you don’t always have time to react. We recommend that you speak to an expert in the field regarding this type of accident. Advice.co.uk can put you in touch with an experienced personal injury solicitor who will be able to advise you where liability falls.

Motorbike Accidents In Filtering Traffic

Although filtering is an accepted manoeuvre to work your way through a traffic jam, you should always be sure to make yourself visible to other drivers and drive slowly. If you are moving too quickly whilst filtering, and an accident occurs then you may be held negligent. Filter slowly and carefully.

Statistics For Motorcycle Rider Accidents And Injuries

As a motorcyclist, you are a vulnerable road user. You are more exposed to injury than someone travelling inside a car. You are also less visible on the road due to your size. As a comparison, per billion vehicle miles, 21 occupants of a car seriously injured or killed compared to 1789 motorcyclists seriously injured or killed. Motorcyclists have a risk of fatality which is 57 times higher than the occupants of a car.

Rate of casualties per 1 billion vehicle miles in 2013
FatalitiesSeriously injured or killed
Motorcyclists1141786
Pedestrians34463
Cyclists341036
Occupants of a car221

The good news is that the statistics for motorcycle injuries have improved over the last few decades. The number of motorcyclists who were seriously injured or killed dropped by 76% since 1979. This is significant and encouraging. However, the number of motorcyclists injured or killed on UK roads is still high. On average, 6 motorcyclists will die and 94 will be seriously injured every single week. 68% of these fatalities occur on rural roads.

Statistically, figures from 2013 show that even though motorcyclists make up less than 1% of UK traffic, they accounted for 19% of fatalities. This is of little surprise when you consider how exposed a motorcyclist is whilst travelling at high speed. Even with protective clothing, there are few extra safety features available to motorcyclists to protect them in the event of an accident. A motor car is so much bigger and stronger than a motorcycle, in a collision, the motorcyclist almost always comes off worse.

In terms of age, people under 25 are involved in the majority of serious injuries and fatalities, whilst riders under the age of 20 have more casualties than older age groups. 20% of serious injuries and fatalities involve riders aged 41 – 50 in 2013. Men make up 94% of motorcycle casualties, whilst women are involved in just 6%. This is partially explained by the fact that males are likely to travel much further in terms of distance than females.

Time Limits For Motorbike Accident Claims

In general the personal injury claims time limit is usually 3 years. The court may grant exceptions to this so it is worth speaking to Advice.co.uk to discuss your individual circumstances.

Circumstances of ClaimTime Limit
For people who are not yet 18 years old.3 years from the date of their 18 th birthday.
For people who are 18 years old or over.3 years from the time the incident that caused you harm took place or 3 years from the date of knowledge you suffered an injury.

How Do Road Traffic Accident Claims Work?

Motorcycle accident claims process

Motorcycle accident claims process

If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident and believe that you may have a motorcycle injury claim due to the fact that you were not to blame and another party acted negligently then please call Advice.co.uk to talk about your motorcycle accident today. Our team of experts will be able to answer your questions, explain the claims process and as soon as you are ready, will help you to launch your claim.

There are a few things that you can do in advance of calling us to improve your chances of making a successful motorbike accident claim:

  • Seek medical advice. It is crucial that you see a healthcare professional as soon as possible following the accident. A doctor will examine you, recommend appropriate treatment and document your injuries and the treatment plan in your medical records. These medical records can be used as valuable evidence as part of your personal injury claim.
  • Take photographs. Your personal injury lawyer was not present at the scene of the accident and therefore relies on the evidence presented to them in order to build your case. Photographic evidence can help them to understand who was to blame for the accident, and the photographs can often also be used as evidence during a court case.
  • Make a written statement. As time passes, your memories may fade and crucial details may be lost. If you feel well enough, try to write down everything you can remember about the accident. Some of the small details may be important to your compensation claim.
  • Get witness details. If anybody saw the accident happen then be sure to take down their details. Your lawyer may wish to contact them at a later date to verify details or ask them questions.
  • Get driver details. If your accident involved another vehicle then be sure to get the driver and vehicle details. It can be helpful to take a picture of the documentation to ensure you have an accurate record.

Once you have gathered together this evidence, you are ready to make your claim and Advice.co.uk can help you from there.

No Win No Fee Motorcycle Injury Claims

Many people are deterred from making a motorcycle injury claim because they are worried about the cost of legal fees. Many injury lawyers operate on a no win no fee basis. This means that you will not be asked for any money upfront. In the event that you successfully win compensation, their fee will be taken from your final payout. If for any reason you do not win your claim then you won’t be required to pay anything to your solicitor. We believe that everybody should have an equal opportunity to make a personal injury claim following an accident that was not their fault. A no win, no fee agreement enables that to happen.

How Our Road Traffic Accident Advisors Can Help You

Advice.co.uk have a client centred philosophy. Our clients are really important to us and so we do everything we can to make the claims process a positive experience for them. Our panel of solicitors seeks to make the process as stress-free as possible, taking on the burden of the work whilst regularly updating you on the progress of the case. Our panel of solicitors has many years’ experience working in the field of personal injury. When you choose our panel of solicitors you can feel confident that you are in safe hands and stand an excellent chance of winning the compensation you deserve.

Contact our team by email, phone, or post. Our team will assess your claim.Once you are ready, we can then start your claim.

Contact Our Advisors

If you have a motorcycle injury claim then contact Advice.co.uk. Our panel of personal injury specialists who work on a no win, no fee basis are waiting to take your call. Call us today on 0161 696 9685 or contact us via our website.

Advice For Victims Of Motorcycle Accidents

Gov- Think – A government website on road safety.

ONS – Motorbikes – The statistics on motorbike accidents.

GOV statistics – More statistics from the government.

Read more of our road traffic accident guides below:

Page by OS

Published by AL.