Death Caused By A Bike Or Cycling Accident – How To Claim

By Jo Greenwood. Last updated on 27th July 2023. In this guide, we will discuss when a fatal injury claim could be made if you have lost a loved one in a fatal bike accident.

Within this guide, we will discuss who could be eligible to make a fatal accident claim, and the criteria that must be met in order for the claim to be valid. We will also discuss the different forms of compensation that could be awarded for a successful claim and how one of our No Win No Fee solicitors could assist you with claiming compensation.

If you have any questions regarding fatal injury claims for death caused by a cycling accident, you can contact our friendly team of advisors. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to help answer your questions and offer you free advice. To speak with one of our advisors today, you can:

A death caused by a cyclist colliding with a car

Select A Section

  1. What Are Fatal Cycling And Bike Accidents?
  2. Who Is Eligible To Claim Compensation For Fatal Cycling Accidents?
  3. What Should You Do If A Family Member Has Been Killed In A Fatal Cycling Accident
  4. What Can You Claim Compensation For After A Fatal Cycling Or Bike Accident
  5. Typical Payouts For Personal Injury UK – Bike Accident Death
  6. Fatal Accident Solicitors – No Win No Fee Fatal Accident Claims
  7. Helpful Guides After Fatal Accidents And Death Caused By Cycling

What Are Fatal Cycling And Bike Accidents?

Fatal cycling or bike accidents are accidents involving a cyclist that sadly ends in death. This can be an instantaneous death caused by a bike or life-threatening injuries that the victim cannot recover from. The type of accident we will explore further relates to incidents involving bicycles rather than motorcycles as more people choose to use their bikes to get around in the interest of getting more exercise and being kinder to the environment, the rate of fatal cycling accidents increases.

This is particularly a problem in London where the traffic is heavy, and many cyclists are on the road. Compared to other road users such as car and lorry drivers, a cyclist is much more vulnerable as they have very little protection. This, therefore, means that any bicycle accident is more likely to be fatal or at least very serious. And this may lead to fatal cycling accident claims.

Call our advisors for free legal advice about death caused by cycling.

Who Is Eligible To Claim Compensation For Cycling Accidents?

There are three main groups of people eligible to make fatal accident compensation claims after a death caused by a bike.

  • If a deceased person had dependents who relied upon them for financial support, then these dependents may be eligible to make a claim. This can include children, a husband or wife or other family members. If it is the child of the deceased who wishes to make a claim, then they will require a litigation friend. A litigation friend is a responsible adult who can help the minor make decisions about a court case. Litigation friends are sometimes appointed by the court, or an individual may apply for this status. A litigation friend is only needed until a child turns 18 unless assessed as lacking the mental capacity to comprehend a court case fully.
  • Even though a family member is not financially dependent on the deceased, they may still claim as they have experienced pain and suffering due to the loss. As you can imagine, losing a family member to a fatal cycling accident would be painful and traumatic.
  • The final party who may be eligible to make fatal cycling accident claims includes the deceased’s estate. This includes companies or businesses belonging to the deceased who experienced financial hardship following the owner’s death.

What Should You Do If A Family Member Has Been Killed In A Fatal Cycling Accident

If you have been unfortunate enough to lose a family member in a fatal cycling or bike accident, then you may be unsure what to do next. There are some things that you can do, however, to strengthen your case:

  • The accident should be reported to the authorities as soon as possible. Once the police are involved, a report will be filed, and you will be given a reference number.
  • Any evidence you can collect may be very helpful at a later date. If the cycling incident involved a car, be sure to get the registration number and details of the driver. If there were any witnesses to the accident, then taking their details can help your personal injury lawyer build your case.
  • Medical records are crucial in preparing evidence. Medical records will help your solicitor to understand exactly what happened to the victim.
  • Keep a record of any details relating to the case. Besides medical records and police reports, you must keep receipts and invoices for out of pocket expenses such as funeral costs, travel expenses and medical costs.

What Can You Claim Compensation For After A Fatal Cycling Or Bike Accident

Following a fatal cycling or bike accident, there are various factors that could be claimed for on behalf of the deceased. Firstly, fatal cycling accident claims include general damages. We explain this in further detail below.

Additionally, there are other forms of compensation that can be claimed if your loved one’s death was caused by cycling. The award could include:

  • Costs towards the funeral.
  • Loss of services.
  • Financial dependency.

Typical Payouts For Personal Injury UK – Bike Accident Death

General damages covers the pain and suffering of the deceased in fatal cycling accident claims. The amounts in the table below are from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), last updated in April 2022. This document provides guideline brackets for injuries in personal injury claims; the amounts in the table below should not be considered guaranteed.

Edit
Injury Details Expected Payout
Fatality plus add-ons Compensation covering the deceased’s pain and suffering plus any losses that impact dependents. £550,000+
Tetraplegia/Quadriplegia Life expectancy as well as disability awareness and pain levels impact the award. £324,600 to
£403,990
Paraplegia Pain and psychological impact plus life expectancy will impact the award. £219,070 to
£284,260
Very severe brain damage (a) The injured party displays a lack of meaningful responses to their environment. £282,010 to £403,990
Severe psychiatric harm (a) The injured party cannot cope with their life and relationships. £54,830 to £115,730
Death with full awareness Full awareness followed by fluctuating levels of consciousness and death following within 3 months. £12,540 to £23,810

If your loved one’s death was caused by cycling, contact our advisors for a free estimate of the compensation you might be eligible for.

Fatal Accident Solicitors – No Win No Fee Fatal Accident Claims

Those who are eligible to make fatal accident claims may wish to use the services of fatal accident solicitors. They could guide you through the claims process in various ways, including:

  • Gathering evidence
  • Organising an independent medical assessment
  • Negotiating compensation with the party at fault

What Is A No Win No Fee Agreement?

No Win No Fee fatal accident solicitors could offer a Conditional Fee Agreement. This means you would generally not be required to pay any upfront or ongoing fees.

This also means a success fee would be deducted from compensation once it has been paid out. The success fee, in accordance with the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013, is legally capped. However, this is only payable in cases where a compensation payout is achieved. Should a fatal accident claim not result in compensation, a claimant using No Win No Fee fatal accident solicitors would not be asked to cover the solicitor’s costs in pursuing the claim. 

How Do I Find No Win No Fee Fatal Accident Solicitors?

All of our solicitors can work with claimants on a No Win No Fee basis. If you’d like us to check your eligibility to claim, please don’t hesitate to call us.
 To get in contact:

Helpful Guides After Fatal Accidents And Death Caused By Cycling

In this final section, we’ve included some extra guides on fatal cycling accident claims, as well as answers to some frequently asked questions about claiming for a death caused by a cyclist.

Additional links you might find helpful:

We hope you found this guide helpful. If you have any other queries about claiming for death caused by cycling please get in touch.