Personal Injury Claim

[PaulSB]

I had an accident five weeks ago in which my right hand, thumb in particular, took the brunt of the impact. Though neither I nor the bike was seriously damaged I have the feeling my right hand will never be the same again.

My theory is during very heavy braking I must have wrapped my thumb around the bars whilst pulling on the brake lever. The impact seems to have all gone through the thumb and "valley" between thumb and fingers. This has left me with a thumb which is clearly out of position, I can't touch my little finger with my thumb, constant ache and pain up to the elbow and unable to safely lift anything that needs grasping - e.g the kettle! I am getting medical attention and have my next appointment on Friday.

To get to the point. I'm now considering making a personal injury claim against the driver who was 100% at fault. I'm not someone who considers this lightly but I think I'm stuck with this condition for life.

Can anyone recommend a proper personal injury solicitor or firm, preferably in the north-west. I'm hoping to avoid ambulance chasers but that is all I can find on the web!

I'd hoped to contact the CTC but their website doesn't suggest they help in these matters. I'm not a member but would join.

 

[ASC1951]

You are right not to rush into litigation. It can be stressful and time-consuming even if you win, so you should save it for cases like this where there is a significant injury and you were definitely not at fault.

There are several solicitors firms listed in the cycling magazines or you could wait until you join the CTC. Just don't leave it more than a few weeks. In these days of scanners, faxes and emails it isn't particularly important to deal with someone local.

I shall PM you with details of my own firm. We definitely aren't ambulance chasers and we don't buy in cases from claims farmers, as many do. I have an excellent and very persistent PI lawyer.

 

[Tynan]

people normally recomend the CTC lawyers, Robertson smith and Johnson or something just like that, you have to join CTC for £38 for that's no bad thing, oodles of third party insurance and a mag every month

I'm in the very final stages of a PI claim ad it hasn't been stressful at all other than the injury, the legal types have dealt with all of it other than me seeing the specalists and filling in the odd form

I suspect my neck/shoulder will never be the same again although the oesteopath thinks it'll get better eventually, we'll see

good luck with that thumb and don;t despair until the thumb doctor has seen it

you have to claim, have to, if only to pay for any medical treatments

I got a new bike plus expenses plus a large payout (yet to be confirmed) for the injury

 

[Globalti]

The injury you have is common, especially amongst skiers who fall on artificial snow slopes. You need good treatment because the ability to oppose thumb and fingers is important.

 

[PaulSB]

You need good treatment because the ability to oppose thumb and fingers is important.

Yep it certainly is. I said to my wife the other day I hadn't realised how important that small leap forward was for mankind. I was joking but when you can't do it properly you soon realise how important it is, and was from an evolutionary view.

 

[simoncc]

I had no hassle at all following the advice of the CTC's appointed solicitors on my injury claim. I just followed all their advice to the letter and got a £1000 cheque 2 years after my extremely painful but minor accident.

It is well worth contacting one of these no win no fee lawyers. I reckon they are pretty sure which cases they can win so if they take you on in the first place you are virtually guaranteed some compensation, and if they don't take you on you can be pretty sure you didn't have much of a case anyway.