Got hit by a car and feeling very sorry for myself.

[KuroSan]

Firstly, I'm glad you didn't end up as yet another ghost bike at the side of the road, I've seen too many of those already!
Any type of fall after the age of 50 is pretty gnarly, we just don't bounce as well as we did in our 20's and the recovery time is always pretty brutal, the only advice I can give in that regard is do what the docs tell you regarding recovery, don't jump back into things too quickly just because you feel like you can, it always comes back to bite you later!

I had a near miss with a knobend in a Porsche SUV the other day, who decided he was in too much of a hurry to wait 3 seconds to overtake like a normal person after leaving the lights, he undertook me from a lane that was supposed to be left turn only to go straight on and then swerved into my lane, just clipping my bar with his wing mirror. I think it was only 40+ years of riding in London that had me manage to flick the bike to the side enough that he didn't take me out completely, but it still rattled me for a while after.

With hindsight i wish I'd had a camera running because I'm pretty sure that would've been a nick for dangerous driving, but trying to prove that without video footage would've been impossible. I'm not aware of anything like it but there's def a market for front and rear mounted traffic cameras like cars can have, GoPro's etc are ok but they're not really setup for things like that, that being said it might be worth grabbing one for the future, I think that's what I'm going to do!

 

[Sharky]

May be some relevant advise on this link ....

Legal help (not yet a member) - Cycling UK Forum https://share.google/bvRThFWHDR503mTol

 

[Elybazza61]

As others have said hope you get this sorted and heal well.

 

[vickster]

Thank you Vickster for your advice. I have no private health care and forgive me, what’s EAP?

Employee Assistance Programme, often administered through someone like Unum. Every large corporate I have been with have offered something similar.
Mentioned here for Heineken UK (HR should have details)
https://www.heineken.co.uk/careers/why-join-us

 

[YMFB]

Sorry to hear this. Get well soon and dont forget your Rolex was wrecked in the off.

 

[Spiderweb]

Employee Assistance Programme, often administered through someone like Unum. Every large corporate I have been with have offered something similar.
Mentioned here for Heineken UK (HR should have details)
https://www.heineken.co.uk/careers/why-join-us

Thank you, I will look into that.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Sorry to read this @Spiderweb.
Lots of best wishes to GWS from me - sorry I don't have any advice for your predicament, just

 

[cyberknight]

Gws !!
My collision was on a bright sunny day on a white bike and a yellow jersey and they still managed to clip my back end knocking me off , I dealt with the insurance company directly as the driver admitted fault at the scene and got the payment I asked for.

 

[HLaB]

2013 was my anus horriblis and I was knocked off three times (thankfully and touch wood nothing since}.

1) I was rear ended by a driver who initially stopped but assumed a circulating car was indicating and I'd pull out. It wasn't the fact that it was an old fashioned sports car with large wheels outside its body kinda gave it away (the wheels weren't turning left to leave). I actually ended up feeling sorry for the old woman and offered her to pay directly. It was only my cheap fixie which was £195 new and the only damage was my rear wheel. A week later, I got that 'awfully dear' and she chose to go through her insurance company. I inflated it too £500 and has a payout within a month.

2) I was knocked off in London after arriving for party too early and going round the block. I anticipated someone cutting through traffic to get to supermarket entrance and slowed to a crawl. I'm glad I did as the only real damage was the front wheel ripped out of the forks, folded in two and ending up 30yards away. I got checked over in an ambulance and cycled 100miles home the next day with a borrowed wheel. I had the bike checked out and done another 40,000 miles on it. I went the BC/ Leigh Day route. They initially denied it happened until the police report corroborated what I said. It then went quiet for nearly a year, until the lawyer sent me to a physio. I was probably too honest with the pyhsio about being fine but whatever he put in his report had me a £1500 payment within a week.

3) I got knocked on the elbow which catapulted me into a high grass bank. I had an ambulance check me out (I was fine) and there was no damage to the cheap fixie (not even scuff marks); and I never pursued it.

 

[Webbo2]

I got hit by a car and just suffered a few grazes, torn clothing and it turned out my bike was wrecked. Carbon fibre frame and the impact caused the bottom bracket shell to be come loose in the frame. I used a solicitor who claimed for a new bike, clothing and also got me to have a medical review at which the doctor asked me did the scaring on my elbow stop me wearing short sleeved shirts😱
I got a new bike out of the claim plus monies for clothing and my discomfort.
My solicitor went back to drivers insurer several times to say they were not offering enough. I would use a solicitor every time.

This was back in about 2012/13 and I got over 5 grand. The bike that was wrecked was bought for £1800.

 

[Arjimlad]

Sorry to hear this. You will get no-win-no-fee from any decent personal injury solicitor.

https://www.apil.org.uk/i-have-been-injured

The firm I work for has a PI team who do cycling claims but they are in Bristol, you may prefer to find somewhere local.

I hope you heal well and it gets sorted out sensibly - and the dangerous driver gets an appropriate penalty. Nice to hear about the witnesses stopping and looking after you.

 

[berty bassett]

I went thru much the same as you , I was covered with bc who were less than useless and said I was only entitled to 1/3 of bike cost that was written off . I suffered head and shoulder injuries that they didn’t even consider , I went to a no win no fee solicitor and there was a world of difference , it took nearly 2 years but there was a sizable payout . This was with the driver standing over me saying sorry it was his fault - if there was any confusion thrown into the mix then god knows how long it would take . Personally I am as thick as pig muck and would have been lost in the legal world so it was money well spent as they do it every day
All I can say is keep record of everything , I lost short term memory and had to write everything down what helped a lot going forward - good luck as it’s a long road you’re heading down

 

[Spiderweb]

Thank you all for your advice.

To update;

The police requested and update of my injuries, I also have a crime number.

The kind policeman who talked to me in the ambulance is calling me on Saturday when he is next on shift. I guess he will want more information and to let me know what’s happening. I will ask for the drivers registration number and insurance details.

I have an appointment at York Trauma & Orthopaedic unit on 17/9.

After my arm was hit by the wing mirror, I fell into the car as it sped by. Initially, apart from my arm, I had no pain but now the right side of my torso is bruised and pretty painful. My neck and shoulder pain is easing so I’m pleased about that.

Heineken, my employer, have been really good, telling me to take as long as I need.

2 ibuprofen & 2 paracetamol taken together seem to work really well, they take the edge of the pain so I’ve been out walking and feel a lot less sorry for myself!


We are on a short family break in The Lake District later in the month, I doubt I’ll be able to drive but I’m really looking forward to the trip.

 

[Drago]

Heineken refreshes the cyclists other beers cannot reach!

 

[wafter]

Really sorry to hear this

On the subject of remuneration, I'd strongly advise you find well-rated specialist legal representation.

When I got hit some years ago I went with a no-win, no-fee specialist touted by the bike shop I approached for repair. I got the bike repaired (with probably better-than-original parts thanks to the sympathetic bike shop likely being generous with component spec) and a reasonable personal injury payout.

While the company I chose doubtless took a good chunk for themselves I think I'd have been at sea had I tried to proceed by myself; attempting to fight seasoned insurance companies whose singular agenda is to pay out as little as possible.

It's a regrettably blaggy situation but one that most of us (as car drivers) pay for in our premiums so milk it for all it's worth. It sounds like a clear-cut case so hopefully you'll get a relatively swift outcome.

While clearly a horrible experience it sounds like it could have been a lot worse and helped a lot by the actions of those at the scene and the emergency services.

Wishing you a swift and complete recovery!