This could get nasty

[Archie]

Last week I went on a CTC ride. I usually head back after elevenses so by the time I'm nearing home I'm on my own, as was the case on this one. Well, on this occasion someone knocked me off my bike (and I don't mean accidentally). I can't give any more details because I've had an email from the Police saying they intend to arrest the driver for dangerous driving, however first I have to give a more detailed statement, which I'll do this weekend.

The CTC solicitors were also in touch today, and an ironic twist is the insurers are the company I started work for this week!

Now, the one thing I'm concerned about is my knee started throbbing this weekend. I wasn't examined at the time of the incident as it looked like just cuts and bruises, but this took a few days to show, and I was definitely lacklustre at badminton this week. I've got an appointment at the docs but not until next week (since the practice merged wait times seem stupidly long). Any suggestions on how to play the medics to get it chacked out ASAP are welcome as I'd rather have a working knee than ££££ of compensation.

Ho hum, not been a good time with bikes lately. I've had my old workhorse knicked out the back garden too, and the rear tube exploded on it's replacement en-route to that badminton game.

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

Firstly, sorry to hear what happened – sounds nasty, especially if the police have taken an interest.

Secondly, If your GP is too busy to see you go straight to A&E, now!

 

[sadjack]

I would go straight to A&E at your local hospital saying the pain has got worse.

 

[Paul_L]

I would go straight to A&E at your local hospital saying the pain has got worse.

+1

Good luck and get well soon.

 

[fossyant]

A&E......... or phone up first thing tomorrow and ask for an emergency appointment with the GP...you'll get one that morning.

Can take time for 'issues' to flare up - took two weeks for me, then to docs (got an emergency appointment) and in for x-ray later that day.......

Good luck, but book that 'emergency appointment' as you need to get it x-ray'ed to start, then get the consultant clinic appointment - that will take time.

As for physio, you'll probably have to chat with the GP and they will recommend going private to a sports specialist - you'll be out of pocket, but you'll be on the bike sooner - NHS will take months and don't really do sports 'injurys'....... i.e. you can walk so are OK.... Make sure the doc recommends it, and notes it down on your record- discuss with them best course of action. (PS this has happened with me - Legals are still on-going, but spent £2k on physio over 6 months, got £1k refunded, the rest is up for a battle - recent diagnosis will ensure I get this back as I did as much as possible to 'mitigate' my injury.......

Good luck !!

 

[PK99]

As for physio, you'll probably have to chat with the GP and they will recommend going private to a sports specialist - you'll be out of pocket, but you'll be on the bike sooner - NHS will take months and ........ Make sure the doc recommends it, and notes it down on your record-

Good luck !!

+1 to that, i've just been to a sports injury physio and wish i'd gone 3 months ago. I session of deep muscle massage has worked wonders!

Back to the op, My knee took a week and more to develop symptoms then MRI showed a grade 1 PCL strain - DO get it checked out

 

[semislickstick]

Do you have a NHS Physio direct number in your area? Around the Cambs area, they want you to bypass your GP and phone them, they seem more interested in helping you if the injury happened in the last week to a month in my experience, possible they think they can help prevent long term damage and nip it in the bud? I wish I had rather than just hoping it got better on its own.

 

[Crankarm]

Don't play any more badminton not in the short term that's for sure.

Any treatment is going to be more effective the earlier it is commenced.

My experience is you will have to go private to get any decent treatment quickly. The longer it is left the less successful any treatment will be which may well be the case with the NHS.

Can't you go for a walk in appointment at your GP's surgery? You need all your injuries assessed and documented asap.

As regards the other side's insurer being your new employer ................... This is definitely a conflict of interest as you may be required to work on your own case or have the the opportunity to influence it, not that you would. This would put your employer as the other side's insurer, and you as the claimant, in very difficult positions. Your employer employing you whilst at the same time insuring the other side who will be the defendant in the case. You as the claimant whilst being employed by the defendant's insurer. Is your employer aware of the conflict? Have you told them? Is there a possibility you could work on duties totally unrelated to claims handling or loss adjusting? Do they have another office? If you are either with in a probationary period which is more than likely having just joined them or have less than 12 months service they can get rid of you without any comeback. It may well be that your employer decides that the best and only course of action is unfortunately to let you go. In addition any claim for personal injury is going to be quite difficult if you are going into work every day, walking or runnning around, twisting turning and they can see this. You really need to weigh up what is important to you. If you do remain then any claim for PI and damages should be squeaky clean not that it wouldn't be anyway. Have you told the solicitors acting for you in this matter of the conflict? What have they advised? You have a right in law to bring an action against the other driver for losses you incurred and compensation for injuries he/she has caused you. It is unfortunate that their insurer is now your new employer. What a bummer.

 

[magnatom]

Uuugh! Sorry to hear about your incident. It sounds very nasty. We completely understand that you don't want to pass on any details at the moment, but keep us informed as best you can. It is always informative to know how situations like this are dealt with by the police.

Good luck with your knee also.

 

[slugonabike]

It's ironic that you are now working for the other party's insurers. However, it can't be the first time this kind of thing has happened and there should be policies to deal with it. I don't see that it should compromise your job or your claim.

Hope you mend quickly.

 

[RedBike]

After +1 for the sports physio.

I've been regularly visiting the NHS physio for an ankle/knee injury. A month after the accident I was still unable to walk without a crutch and I had been told that it would take 6-9 months before I could even think about riding again.

After just two visits to a sports physio i've managed to loose the crutch and i'm back walking around 'normally'.
I still can't ride but I'm now highly optamistic that it will no longer take me 6-9months to recover.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Don't be too alarmed by working for the other side's insurer. If you are actually in a post where you might work on the claim, or be able to access the record, you should mention it to your manager. Any decent sized reputable company will meet this all the time and have apolicy in place to deal with it.

 

[ChrisKH]

With regards to work I have no idea what they do in insurers but in the legal industry they raise an ethical wall for potential conflicts, and an e-mail goes out to everyone saying that a file cannot be handled, inspected, worked on,etc. by xxxx party and under no circumstances are you to discuss the details, etc. This seems to work without anyone losing their jobs or having to be put at risk.

 

[chillyuk]

With regards to work I have no idea what they do in insurers but in the legal industry they raise an ethical wall for potential conflicts, and an e-mail goes out to everyone saying that a file cannot be handled, inspected, worked on,etc. by xxxx party and under no circumstances are you to discuss the details, etc. This seems to work without anyone losing their jobs or having to be put at risk.

When I divorced I went to a solicitors, and unbeknown to me it was the same company, but a different branch in a different town, that my wife had consulted to deal with the divorce. They wouldn't touch it once they realised because of the danger of a conflict of interest.

 

[Crankarm]

Some years ago buying a house in a new area the local dick turpin estate agent who was representing the seller recommended a solicitor for the conveyancing. About 3 days later I became aware that the seller was also using the same solicitor. Oh oh!!! Conflict of interest. I confronted the barsteward solicitor who tried to talk me out of leaving and finding my own solicitor saying it would slow down transaction if there were two solicitors. I bet it would, for the seller. What £%&*!!!!!

Suffice to say 15 minutes later I was instructing another totally independant solicitor. I told the first one I did NOT expect to receive a bill for any work carried out up to that point. I never did.

Conflicts of interest are big no-nos.

In the OP's situation I would be more concerned for me than my employer, bugger them. If I claimed my injury was deteriorating but they said er ......... no we see you everyday and you look fine, then this is a problem for you. Don't be fooled insurance companies are b*****ds at the best of times. In a probationary period and with less than 12 months service employers can get rid of employees with no comeback on them even if your face does not fit let alone the circumstances the OP finds himself in. They will make up some bulls**t that you didn't do this or you didn't do that on such occasions or your performance wasn't satisfactory for a list of vague reasons. Because you won't have been there 12 months you can't claim unfair dismissal.