Ask the lawyer
Gavin Grewal, used to volunteer his time as a special constable which gave him a good insight into how evidence is gathered from accident scenes. Gavin is partner at specialist motorcycle solicitors White Dalton.
Leaf mould caused my accident
20 Mar 2025
I was riding along a quiet country road. The tarmac was quite beaten up but my Triumph Tiger 800 is more than capable of managing this kind of road.
Big Bike Lessons
09 Jan 2025
My son was doing his bike licence with a local training school and he fell off, causing him to have a seriously sprained thumb and psychological trauma.
I fell down a hotel’s basement stairs while on a tour – should I claim?
17 Oct 2024
I was on a semi-off-road tour and had booked overnight accommodation in a fairly basic hotel.
The driver says I’m to blame. Can he do that?
11 Jul 2024
I was riding along the main road when a car emerged from a side road and into my path.
They say I was speeding – I wasn’t
21 Mar 2024
A car pulled across me and I hit it side-on. They say I was speeding – I wasn’t
Poor signage by the council played a part in my collision. Do I have a claim?
22 Feb 2024
I was riding along a very minor C-class country road. The road itself was quite challenging: it had a series of sharp bends on a steep descent with a very pronounced camber.
Uninsurable or Uninformed?
21 Dec 2023
I was hoping to buy a BMW R1200GS and I had sourced one but the seller told me he had removed a failed ABS system: the bike is now non-ABS.
Fuelish Fiasco
23 Nov 2023
I ran into the back of a car that had run out of fuel and had conked out about 10-12 metres past a blind bend.
What should I look for in motorcycle travel insurance?
05 Oct 2023
I read Richy Howland’s letter about travel insurance in the March issue of RiDE with interest.
There’s a chance I might lose part of my leg. Should I settle this now?
07 Sep 2023
I have had a serious motorcycle accident. Liability is all agreed. I have taken a 20% hit because witnesses and various engineering experts have put me at about 80mph in a 60mph zone, which I accept as probably correct.
I hit an unlit parked car facing the wrong way
10 Aug 2023
I have had a nasty accident, which has resulted in a spiral fracture in my ankle. I hit a parked car on the approach to a village in darkness.
My insurance company seems to be shafting me. What is going on?
20 Jul 2023
I was taken off my bike in the most obvious no-fault accident imaginable. Because the case is live, I cannot go into details but I was stationary and a car hit me at speed from the rear, sending me over the top of my bike.
Is a flashing light on my rucksack at night illegal?
22 Jun 2023
I am having a bit of a debate with a member of my advanced group of riders. I commute into the city most days and in the autumn and winter, during the misty mornings, I have a high-intensity flashing beacon on my Kriega rucksack.
Should the dealer have told me about my new bike’s payload?
18 May 2023
I own a large adventure touring motorcycle that I bought from a franchised dealer and when they saw me, they must have been able to see I am a big lad.
Can I claim for loss of earnings after a motorcycle accident?
19 Jan 2023
I think I may have made a terrible mistake. I had a motorcycle accident four years ago. At first it seemed I had soft-tissue injuries.
Do I bring a claim in France or suck up the losses?
22 Dec 2022
I was fairly injured in France last year. The accident facts are quite straightforward; I was on a roundabout when a car cut me up from the inside, then decided to go right (i.e. across me) and scooped me up.
Am I on the hook for a hire bike I didn’t need?
01 Dec 2022
I have what seems to be a pretty major problem. My bike was knocked over in a London parking bay.
I’m being told to settle for less than lost earnings. Is that fair?
03 Nov 2022
I am a 43-year-old bloke that has not long left the Army, having done my 22 years. I was riding into work when a car turned right across me – I was unable to avoid hitting it and did myself a fair bit of harm.
