Taken out on commute home.

[User33236]

If you think rejecting an offer and then accepting one sometime after one for a greater amount is hassle then you must be richer than me but vive la difference

It all depends on what hoops I have to jump through, visits to doctors etc, and what timescale it takes against what, if any, increase they offer. I am not a mercenary individual and just want to put this behind me and get my bike etc replaced.

 

[vickster]

If you are happy with the offer, go for it especially if the injuries are healing and you want to move on. FWIW I was offered a grand...didn't even cover the lost salary from having to take a week off after the surgery. They were politely told no.

That was a year ago, no further offers since as the medical reporting is ongoing!

I'm not mercenary either but I expect to be recompensed for my financial losses and the rubbish year I've had. I'll have to accept that my leg will never look the same

 

[Ganymede]

It all depends on what hoops I have to jump through, visits to doctors etc, and what timescale it takes against what, if any, increase they offer. I am not a mercenary individual and just want to put this behind me and get my bike etc replaced.

@0-markymark-0 is right - just say no and suggest twice the amount. They won't want to go through hassles either and will offer you a split-the-difference sum. No skin off their nose, they expect a bit of negotiation and it doesn't make you a bad (ie mercenary) person. You will almost certainly have more inconvenience and expense than the first offer is worth.

Also - do you actually know now that your injuries will be healed in 4 - 6 weeks? Don't be too hasty. It also won't hurt to hold off on their offer for this reason.

 

[vickster]

As posted before, this will give you an idea of the level of compensation for the injury suffered

http://www.bottonline.co.uk/guides/how-much-compensation-claim-for-bicycle-accident

Then you need to add out of pocket expenses and repairs to the bike (or a new bike if beyond repair)

 

[Markymark]

You are not being a mercenary. You are preventing the insurance company fobbing you off with an amount they know is low and hope you'll accept blindly.

 

[vickster]

What have LD said about the amount offered, bearing in mind they are experts and do this day in day out. They were very clear to me that the amount was low and that I could accept if I wanted to. It wasn't a difficult decision, in fact I think I laughed! I don't believe the insurance company had even looked at the paperwork (as only subsequently they asked me for proof of loss of earnings)

 

[ianrauk]

It's all a game between the insurance companies and the solicitors. The Insurance company will always try and get away with the minimum. The solicitors are obliged to tell you about their (usually derisory) offer and whether to accept or not. Never go for the first amount offered.

 

[vickster]

I suppose it depends if the OP wants to get involved in that game. He's said he's happy with the result so it's his decision as to whether he wants further months of waiting etc. for an offer to be increased. It is likely he'll need to have the medical appointment as presumably the addition of extra is related to the injury and not out of pocket expenses, wait for the report to be produced, to be corrected, then the other side may ask for another medical report (I've not even got to that stage yet) and so on. The solicitor should advise whether the amount offered is in line with their experience of similar claims. They will not indicate how much will be offered in the end.

Or he may want to get the cheque, get a new bike and move on with no further involvement

 

[glenn forger]

@0-markymark-0 is right - just say no and suggest twice the amount. They won't want to go through hassles either and will offer you a split-the-difference sum. No skin off their nose, they expect a bit of negotiation and it doesn't make you a bad (ie mercenary) person. You will almost certainly have more inconvenience and expense than the first offer is worth.

Also - do you actually know now that your injuries will be healed in 4 - 6 weeks? Don't be too hasty. It also won't hurt to hold off on their offer for this reason.

Mmmm. I have a bit of a problem with that. Be fair and reasonable, but don't pluck figures out of thin air.

 

[vickster]

Indeed there are guidelines for personal injury, and I don't think they allow profiteering on the out of pocket. But do agree that if injuries aren't healed, it's best to hold off, although with soft tissue you should know if things are likely to turn nasty (get those puncture wounds checked by the GP nurse though). My original expert report said all should be well after 6 months, they aren't and I saw him again and there's an amended report. Still waiting for a typo (an important date) to be corrected, it's only been 3 months!

 

[Ganymede]

Mmmm. I have a bit of a problem with that. Be fair and reasonable, but don't pluck figures out of thin air.

Yes that was slightly pluck-y - partly cos I don't know the amounts involved. If it was 10K I wouldn't say double it, but if it was 1K I would, for example. But I do have a bit of experience of negotiation and I have found it doesn't hurt to mention a big sum. They can always laugh back and then you have a mutual position!

 

[glenn forger]

I wouldn't accept a penny till I knew for sure there were no reaper cushions.

 

[benb]

I wouldn't accept a penny till I knew for sure there were no reaper cushions.

Unmanned soft furnishings?

 

[Markymark]

Unmanned soft furnishings?

You reap what you sew.

 

[Poacher]

I wouldn't accept a penny till I knew for sure there were no reaper cushions.

As in "grim reaper cushions"?