Experience of Leigh Day solicitors vs alternatives

[Buddfox]

Leigh Day will not 'cover the legal expenses'. You will have a Conditional Fee Agreement with Leigh Day the same as you will with Kevin O'Sullivan.

BC, CyclingUK, etc. try to suggest that if you use their linked solicitors then somehow the legal fees are covered - they're not. You will end up with a Conditional Fee Agreement the same as with any other legal firm/solicitor and they will recover their fees from the other side (if you win).

What BC et al might cover is any insurance premium (although that too will be recovered from the other side if you win).

Personally, from others' experiences I wouldn't go with Leigh Day. I'd look at Slater & Gordon.

Thanks for the clarification - i have subsequently realised that this is the case, I misunderstood the nature of the cover from BC.

 

[Buddfox]

@Buddfox this is the thread you are looking for I think, started by @classic33

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/accident-advice.151618/

Thanks, that's the one - an incredibly helpful post!

 

[vickster]

how is that possible?! Sorry to hear about your grief.

Because I've not recovered from the injuries. A year on a shoulder injury came to light that could be due to the accident, I had surgery 9 weeks ago. It also took several trips to see the expert to finally get in writing that my leg injury will never fully recover, 6 months between each review as that was the expected timescale for recovery.

You can't even start to settle until all injuries have cleared up. Have yours?

I've not pushed for my out of pocket costs nor loss of earnings to be honest, I'll just get everything at some point. I got a risible offer a month after liability was expected, it didn't cover loss of earnings, let alone anything else. It was a joke!

 

[classic33]

Thanks, that's the one - an incredibly helpful post!

And as it says, it's drawn from peoples responses on here and other places, into one thread. Make it easier find in one place.

Some is from personal experience, but that's all.

 

[EasyPeez]

Since 2013 a lot of car insurers do not ask about non motoring convictions

I get asked every year. Maybe they've seen my photo or something, as I almost always get pulled aside in airports too!

I would have thought easypeez case would have been civil and not result in a conviction

Correct. None of the discussion of convictions affecting premiums related to my own case.

Because I've not recovered from the injuries. A year on a shoulder injury came to light that could be due to the accident, I had surgery 9 weeks ago. It also took several trips to see the expert to finally get in writing that my leg injury will never fully recover, 6 months between each review as that was the expected timescale for recovery.

You can't even start to settle until all injuries have cleared up

I see. How very complicated and frustrating that must be when the injuries are various and not all immediately apparent. I hope your leg injury is not something that will spoil your enjoyment of cycling/life too much, and that the others heal fully in time.

Have yours?

As far as I can tell, apart from the weird grinding noise when I rotate my shoulder I am free of all pain and restricted mobility. TBH I was never going to make a claim for injuries, the solicitor pressed me to do that. I would have been happy for the motorist to buy me a new helmet and saddle bag bracket. The world would be much simpler if everyone was honest and true to their word!

 

[vickster]

I see. How very complicated and frustrating that must be when the injuries are various and not all immediately apparent. I hope your leg injury is not something that will spoil your enjoyment of cycling/life too much, and that the others heal fully in time.


As far as I can tell, apart from the weird grinding noise when I rotate my shoulder I am free of all pain and restricted mobility. TBH I was never going to make a claim for injuries, the solicitor pressed me to do that. I would have been happy for the motorist to buy me a new helmet and saddle bag bracket. The world would be much simpler if everyone was honest and true to their word!

The irony is that if we'd settled more quickly, the shoulder injury wouldn't have even been considered. I'd forgotten the soft tissue damage to it as it was secondary to the leg injury (just looks ugly and lumpy, 5cm surgical scar, numbness and discoloured skin), and assumed that the tendonitis was just due to overdoing it on the bike and computer use at work...then diagnosed with an injury most usually seen in younger males, rugby players and baseball pitchers...oh and people who've had a traumatic fall where the shoulder hasn't quite dislocated

Good that your shoulder is better

 

[Arjimlad]

Modern "no win no fee" rules allow solicitors to take a "success fee" of up to 25% of your damages from what you are awarded. Check whether LD or Mr O'Sullivan will apply this.

Having the insurance in the first place should stop this from happening (Leigh Day). You have the right to choose your own Solicitor at the point that Court proceedings have to be issued.

 

[midlife]

I get asked every year. Maybe they've seen my photo or something, as I almost always get pulled aside in airports too! !

He's a list of car insurers that do not ask about criminal convictions apart from traffic / driving

http://hub.unlock.org.uk/wp-content...-with-non-motoring-convictions-April-2016.pdf

Shaun

 

[bozmandb9]

Hi all,

Putting this in General Cycling as it felt like the best place, but mods please move if there is a dedicated forum / sub-forum for incidents and legal claims.

I have been knocked off my bike and suffered a badly broken leg. I have full BC membership, so have access to their legal support provided by Leigh Day. I also have been recommended a solicitor based in London (Kevin O'Sullivan) who only does cycling work and appears to have a reasonable track record based on not only the personal recommendation I have received, but also case studies he has supplied and a quick google of cases he has worked on.

The advantage of going with Leigh Day and BC is that they cover the legal expenses. If I go with Mr O'Sullivan it will have to be on the basis of a CFA ('no win, no fee') as I can't afford to cover his expenses up front or in the event of an unsuccessful claim.

For those who have been through this process, and in particular to anyone who has used Leigh Day - would you recommend them?

Thanks in advance for any views. I was also trying to find glasgowcyclist's very detailed guide as to what to do when you've been in an incident, but can't seem to locate it (am sure it was penned by that member). If anyone knows what I'm referring to and can share a link, that would be much appreciated.

I've used LD, got a successful outcome, around 10 months from claim to settlement. Not the most pro-active I found, but I was satisfied all the same. It seems to me that cyclists just get a raw deal, and there just isn't the same urgency as there is sometimes for motor claims, especially motor when there's a hire vehicle involved. To be fair, I guess any PI claim will take longer.

 

[Buddfox]

I've used LD, got a successful outcome, around 10 months from claim to settlement. Not the most pro-active I found, but I was satisfied all the same. It seems to me that cyclists just get a raw deal, and there just isn't the same urgency as there is sometimes for motor claims, especially motor when there's a hire vehicle involved. To be fair, I guess any PI claim will take longer.

Thanks - appreciate the response.