Long story short, we were riding two-up when a car coming from the opposite direction hooked a right and we smashed into it, breaking my good foot and femur. I’m only four months post-accident and I’m heavily dependent on my family for help.

With only one foot, the effects are obviously worse for me, but my solicitors don’t see that and have told me to settle this claim for £12,000. Does having one foot make any difference or does everyone get treated the same? My solicitor seemed to suggest so.

Answer

The accident was only a few months ago and you only get one chance to settle. If your solicitor suggested everyone is ‘treated the same’ they’re wrong.

The old phrase is you ‘take your victim as you find them’. So you’ll need compensation for your particular losses. For example, if you cannot hop on your foot (because you don’t have one) it’s clear you’ll need more care and assistance post-accident. As for the future, it’s too soon to know how this injury will affect it.

My advice is don’t settle yet; do some research and get a motorcycle accident claims solicitor who’s used to dealing with complex orthopaedic injuries. Don’t risk prejudicing your position.

Andrew ‘Chef’ Prendergast

On 2 Wheels September 2019