Motorcycle Accident Claim in Scotland Gets Rightful Compensation

Paul was a victim of a motorcycle accident when a mini coach carried out an emergency stop and began reversing straight into Paul’s motorcycle on the A93 in Scotland.

Paul had been riding his motorcycle, a Suzuki Hayabusa, at a safe distance behind the coach for a mile or so when the coach met another coach coming the other way at a blind corner. Paul also spotted the other coach and was able to stop safely. However, Paul was stuck on his motorcycle behind the coach as it began reversing into him, quite quickly.

“As the coach made contact with my motorbike’s front tyre, I began hammering on the back of the bus and shouting but it just kept reversing. When my bike began to give way to the left hand side, I jumped off before the bike went under the bus. As I pulled free, I hit my head off the wall and it was actually getting to the point where I was going to be crushed by the bus as it kept coming towards the wall on the nearside of the carriageway.”

When Paul managed to tell the driver that he had been behind him when he was reversing, crushing his bike, the driver said that he hadn’t seen him. Paul was in shock and didn’t get details of witnesses at the time.

Paul felt discomfort in his right arm and a tingling sensation straight after the motorcycle accident. Within the next couple of days the sensation in his right arm developed and the pain in his shoulder reached his neck.

Paul found himself waking up in the middle of the night with the pain, and found it increasingly difficult to do heavier tasks at work. Paul was a self-employed electrician at the time of the motorcycle accident but with his injuries, he lost days at work and had to take on someone to help. This essentially meant entering into a partnership which impacted on his income.

Paul went to his insurance broker as he needed his motorbike fixed. They referred him to a firm South of the border but they were unable to help as the motorcycle accident was in Scotland. Paul then came to Digby Brown Solicitors.

"Digby Brown’s motorcycle accident solicitors believed my version of events, were sympathetic to my plight and took control of the case.

They knew exactly what they were doing and what questions to ask – things I wouldn’t have even thought to mention like the pain in my shoulder or that I had to bring someone into the business to help. I quickly realised that I was dealing with a law firm that were experts in motorcycle accident claims"

Digby Brown’s specialist solicitors obtained expert medical reports which diagnosed Paul as suffering a soft tissue injury to the right shoulder and neck as a result of the motorcycle accident. The experts advised that the injury would heal in 18 months with the help of physiotherapy.

Digby Brown solicitors also called in experts to examine pictures of the motorcycle to determine fault and they supported Paul’s position that the motorcycle accident was the coach drivers fault, not his. Lianda Barnes, specialist motorcycle accident solicitor, states:

“What many non-motorcyclists don’t know is a motorbike doesn’t have a reverse gear, so there was no opportunity to dismount. With the steep hill, it was impossible to push the motorbike backwards. Paul is qualified as an advanced driver, driving for more than 10 years and on the day of the accident, he maintained a road position behind the bus driver so he should have been visible in his wing mirrors. Paul was also wearing high visibility strips from his shoulders to his feet, his headlights were on – he was there to be seen by the coach driver. Our expert was able to consider the damage to the motorcycle and confirm that it was consistent with Paul having been pushed backwards uphill.”

Forensic accountants also examined Paul’s accounts to determine loss of income as a result of his injuries from the motorcycle accident and Digby Brown solicitors identified and located witnesses from the coach to support Paul’s motorcycle claim for compensation.

“Piece by piece, lawyers at Digby Brown built up the case based on carefully sourced and structured evidence. The 3rd party insurers continually denied liability trying to bully me into submission but when presented with Digby Brown’s case they settled in full a week before going to court.”

Paul originally claimed against the coach drivers insurance as he needed the damage to his motorcycle fixed – which would involve a new motorcycle costing around £8,000. Instead, with the help of Digby Brown’s expert motorcycle lawyers, he was able to replace his motorcycle and get compensation for both his injuries and lost income.

“I’m exceptionally pleased with the compensation I received for the injuries and damages in the motorcycle accident, although I am embarrassed that I didn’t consider pursuing compensation for my injury or lost working days as a result – I was just asking for the basic cost of my motorcycle as I didn’t know all that was involved in a motorcycle accident claim.

My shoulder is better now, although I still find it painful at times, and the trading relationship I had to enter into is becoming more of an equal partnership in terms of income and I can afford to be more relaxed about it as I was compensated for the loss of income.

Digby Brown worked tirelessly to get justice for me following my motorcycle accident, and the service was second to none. Nothing but impressed with the service and all that was done for me. I cannot thank the solicitors of Digby Brown enough for their professionalism, their advice, their hard work on my behalf and their continual willingness to help me.

I would recommend them unreservedly!”

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident which was not your fault, speak to a member of our legal team today on 0333 200 5925. Alternatively, if you text help to 83310 or complete our short enquiry form, a member of our team will be in touch.