Biker News - Regularly updated

Welcome to our News section, where articles are listed below and if relevant within the categories on the right, just to make it easier for you to find what you wish to read...

Please note that the content within our News section (text and images), follows the same copyright laws/notice as all other content on the website - ie not to be reproduced (including slightly amending) without prior consent. 

 RSS Feed

Category: Safety & Compensation

  1. Biggest Risks of Motorcycle Riding and How to Avoid Them

    Posted on

    If you’re travelling by road, then you’re at a small risk of suffering an accident. This risk varies depending on where you’re travelling, and by what vehicle. Statistically speaking, motorcyclists are in the greatest danger. When you’re on two wheels, you’re not only more likely to be involved in a collision – you’re also more likely to suffer injury and death. While you can claim compensation after suffering a serious brain injury, you can’t easily reverse the damage.  Biggest Risks of Motorcycle Riding and How to Avoid Them

    For motorcyclists, therefore, taking the time to identify the biggest dangers is more than worthwhile. Let’s take a look at a few of the most notorious.

    Biggest Danagers to Motorcyclists on the Road

    Oncoming traffic is undoubtedly the biggest danager that motorcyclists face. If you’re involved in a head-on collision, then you’ll have be exposed to twice the force as if you’d hit the same object at double the speed (assuming that you’re travelling at the same speed as the other vehicle). While passengers and drivers in cars have a lot of protective structures around them, motorcyclists aren’t so fortunate. Even a minor impact can knock you off the bike.

    Junctions are another source of danger. Drivers might not have noticed you – they have multiple demands on their attention when they’re waiting to turn. That’s assuming they haven’t taken the opportunity to take out their phones.

    Overbraking is something that’s likely to throw you over the handlebars. While it might be nececssary to avoid a collission, sudden stopping is something that can pose a danger in itself.

    Car doors are another thing that can take you out when they’re opened unexpecetedly. This is something that’s particularly troubling in cities.

    Finally, we should worry about the condition of the road surface. Grit, gravel and rainwater can all reduce your traction. Gravel in particular can cause the bike to highside – which is a sudden and often deadly rotation of the bike.

    How to Avoid an Accident

    The easiest way to avoid an accident on your bike is to reduce your speed. The slower you’re going, the more easily you’ll be able to react to some of the threats we’ve mentioned.

    You should also be sure that you’re wearing the appopriate safety gear. This includes a helmet, as well as boots, gloves, leathers and body armor.

    You should also be sure that your bike is in good condition. This means regularly assessing your tyre pressures, changing the oils, and testing the brakes. If you’re practiced doing emergency stops. It’ll be less likely that you get thrown off. We should also mention that, in a disproportionate number of motorcycle casualties, drink-driving has been a factor. If you know you’re going to be getting in the saddle, then you should limit your alcohol consumption to zero. Don’t take any chances!

     

     

    article supplied

  2. Over £7 million in compensation to allow young man to maximise recovery

    Posted on

    Daniel, aged 16, was a passenger on his dad’s motorbike when he was involved in a collision with a car. He was taken by ambulance to hospital where Glasgow Coma Score increased from 3/15 to 5/15 on arrival. Daniel sustained a severe brain injury, as well as suffering a fracture to the left ankle, an injury to his left hip and contusional lung injuries.

    He remained in various hospitals for a number of months before being admitted to a residential unit, where his rehabilitation was funded by an interim payment of his compensation.

    As a result of his severe brain injury, Daniel’s cognitive function has been severely affected in respect of attention, concentration and memory. He also has physical impairments including restricted mobility.

    Due to his brain injury, Daniel now lacks capacity to handle his financial affairs and there is an increased risk of him developing post-traumatic epilepsy.

    The driver of the vehicle admitted liability and was convicted of driving without due care and attention.

    We were successful in obtaining a compensation award of over £3 million as a lump sum together with an annual payment, payable for life, to enable Daniel to continue to meet the cost of his rehabilitation, therapy and support. The capital value of the settlement was over £7 million.

    Jeanne Evans, Partner within the Personal Injury team here at Potter Rees Dolan, acted for Daniel and said:

    "I had the privilege to act for Daniel. The interim payments of over £500,000 enabled us to secure the specialist therapeutic support needed to maximse his recovery. We achieved a settlement which gives him financial security and the ability to make choices about his future"

    The names and identifying details of the client have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals involved.

     

    Article supplied by Potter Rees Dolan

    Potter Rees Dolan, Motorcycle Serious Injury Solicitors, Manchester, North

  3. Hundreds of thousands in compensation to injured motorcyclist

    Posted on

    Multiple serious orthopaedic injuries left 26-year-old unable to continue his employment.

    Ben was riding his motorcycle when he was involved in a collision with a car as the driver had failed to notice him.

    He suffered serious multiple orthopaedic injuries including a burst fracture of a cervical vertebra, a fracture of a metacarpal of his left hand and an abdominal muscle tear.

    Ben was transferred to a hospital where he underwent surgery to stabilise his spinal injury.

    Ben had a plaster cast applied to his left upper limb. He developed contractures of two fingers and nodules on his hand for which he underwent further surgery.

    Ben initially had restricted movement and some stiffness as a result of his orthopaedic injuries. As a result, he found it necessary to obtain more suitable alternative employment.

    The driver’s insurers subsequently admitted liability. Following a round-table meeting and subsequent negotiations, we were able to secure a final award in the sum of £150,000 on Ben’s behalf.

    Helen Shaw, Senior Litigation Manager at Potter Rees Dolan, acted for Ben and said:

    “In cases involving motorcyclists, it is especially important to ensure that all the relevant x-rays or scans are carefully reviewed by a suitable expert, to ensure that no additional injuries have been overlooked.”

    The names and identifying details of the client have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals involved.

     

    Article supplied by Potter Rees Dolan

    Potter Rees Dolan, Motorcycle Serious Injury Solicitors, Manchester, North

     

  4. Motorcyclist suffered multiple orthopaedic and spinal injuries after car crash

    Posted on

    Joe was in his mid-30s when he was involved in an accident when a car turned into the path of his motorcycle which was written off.

    He was admitted to hospital where scans and x-rays were obtained before he was transferred to a different hospital for surgery.

    Joe sustained multiple orthopaedic injuries including spinal injuries and he also suffered scaphoid fractures in both of his wrists, which required extensive surgery.

    Joe experienced psychological problems since the accident including low mood and anxiety.

    Potter Rees Dolan was successful in recovering damages in the region of £160,000.00 gross of interim payments and benefits.

    Helen Shaw acted for Joe and commented:

    “Joe was fortunately able to benefit from early and extensive rehabilitation funded by the relevant insurers pursuant to the Rehabilitation Code and to include privately funded surgery and physiotherapy, which helped to expedite his progress and ultimately the settlement.”

    The names and identifying details of the client have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals involved.

    Article supplied by Potter Rees Dolan

    Potter Rees Dolan, Motorcycle Serious Injury Solicitors, Manchester, North

  5. Motorcycle Accidents – who is usually to blame?

    Posted on

    The Highway Code contains a section dedicated to a class of road users described as 'vulnerable.' Vulnerable road users are 'Road users requiring extra care.'

    Rule 204 defines the most vulnerable road users as 'pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders.'

    The aim of the rules relating to this group of road users is to warn motorists of the need to take extra special care in situations in which they encounter or may encounter any of the specified group members. Motorists should exercise caution to be alive to the possibility of motorcycles:

    · Coming out of junctions

    · At roundabouts

    · Overtaking (the motorist)

    · Filtering through traffic

    · Before the motorist emerges from a junction

    · When the motorist is turning off the road

    · When changing direction or lanes

    The rules also advise motorists to:

    · Check mirrors and blind spots

    · Give plenty of room to motorcyclists when passing them and on uneven, oily or wet roads or those full of potholes or where there are other obstacles such as drain covers.

    We can't fault the aims of the Highway Code. However, something isn't working. Otherwise, motorcyclists would not continue to have the highest casualty rates per mile travelled of all road users in the UK.

    Why are more motorcyclists killed or injured (per mile travelled) in road traffic accidents than any other road user type?

    1. Bikers don't benefit from the protection afforded to those who travel in motor vehicles.

    2. Whilst bikers themselves are vulnerable road users, their mode of transport is more powerful than any other. Most bikes are more powerful than the majority of cars. Nevertheless, the bike rider's personal vulnerability is the same as that of cyclists and pedestrians. Accordingly, road traffic accidents involving motorcyclists carry a high likelihood of serious injury to the rider.

    3. In 2017, RoSPA, the road safety charity, produced a research paper that drew on other, in-depth studies into motorcycle accidents. The research paper concluded motorcycle accidents have different 'characteristics' to those involving other road users. Motorcycle accidents are likely to include, amongst their causes:

    a) failure to give way at road junctions (by motorists)

    b) loss of control (by motorcyclists) on bends

    c) overtaking manoeuvres (by a motorcyclist)

    What are the most common types of motorcycle accident?

    1. The biker is usually at fault

    · Losing control on bends (particularly on country roads). Excess speed is often a significant factor in this type of accident
    · Riding too fast, losing control and colliding with traffic bollards and other road fixures
    · Switching lanes when unsafe to do so.
    · Rider error
    · Overtaking other vehicles
    · Drink or drug influence

    2. The motorist is most commonly at fault

    · Failing to give way at a road junction
    · Moving out from a line of stationary traffic into the path of an overtaking motorcycle
    · Changing lanes
    · Filtering
    · Misjudging riders speed
    · Motorist running into the back of a stationary motorcycle
    · Dooring – driver or passenger of a motor vehicle opening their door into the path of a passing motorcycle
    · Motorist failing to leave sufficient space to overtake motorcyclist safely.

    Other causes of motorcycle accidents are:

    · Weather conditions – which party is to blame for an accident between a motorist and a biker in lousy weather-will depend on the accident's particular circumstances. Going too fast for the conditions is often a factor.
    · Potholes or oil leaks – again, much will depend on the individual circumstances of the incident.

    Who's to blame for the majority of motorcycle accidents?   Motorcycle Accident Claims, No Win, No Fee, personal injury solicitor

    In-depth studies of motorcycle accidents suggest that motorists are to blame for over 70% of road traffic accidents involving motor vehicles and motorcyclists. Most motorcycle accidents occur at road junctions.

    Should you get injured in a motorcycle accident, whatever the circumstances, it's a sensible idea to contact an experienced No Win, No Fee, personal injury solicitor who has expertise in motorcycle accident claims. They will be able to advise you on whether you have reasonable prospects of winning a claim if you decide to bring one against the other motorist involved (or the local council or highway authority in the case of a pothole claim).

     

    Article supplied