Fraudulent Motor Insurance Claim

Keith

Good job it wasn't a child. You should have seen the hazard and stopped.

Why should the cyclist wait for you to decide if he can fix his bike, he did so and has now presented you with the bill. You can either pay it or contact your insurer to deal with it.

Paradigm

Keith wrote: »

Good job it wasn't a child. You should have seen the hazard and stopped.

Why should the cyclist wait for you to decide if he can fix his bike, he did so and has now presented you with the bill. You can either pay it or contact your insurer to deal with it.

I reckon reading the thread properly might be a good idea

raskazz

Keith wrote: »

Good job it wasn't a child. You should have seen the hazard and stopped.

Why should the cyclist wait for you to decide if he can fix his bike, he did so and has now presented you with the bill. You can either pay it or contact your insurer to deal with it.

I don't think that it is particularly realistic to expect every driver to come to a halt every time they go near a cyclist on the pavement...

Queries

Dear Keith

There were parked cars everywhere. If he had been on the road I would have seen him, but since he came off the lowered kerb in front of me (when I was doing approx. 10mph) with the intention (this I can only guess at) of reaching the traffic island (on a fairly narrow road) before I got there, which means he saw me (especially as a LGV, I am higher than a car) and thought he could beat me speed wise, means that I am not at fault - HE IS!!! Also, if all vehicle drivers had to anticipate the chances of bicycles coming off the pavement onto the road and back onto the pavement again, then there would be more insurance claims due to rear-end shunts caused by drivers slowing down at every pavement/lowered kerb. Also, when I have been driving around, which I do a lot, since I am self-employed I am amazed to see parents talking away on their mobiles when their young children, toddlers are wandering around wherever they like.

Anyway, you seem to have missed the point - I AM NOT AT FAULT, HE IS!

Thank you again for all the help, support and advice that I have had. Most of which is very kindly confirming what I thought, thank you again, and please keep any other suggestions coming!!

Quentin

Queries wrote: »

Any ideas where I go from here? Any suggestions and ideas would be most helpful. Who says honesty pays? If I lose to him I shall have to pay an excess and my insurance would probably increase astronomically in the future, for something which is not my fault! Thank you.

Whatever the outcome you won't have to pay any excess. (And your protected NCD should prevent an "astronomic" premium increase in the future)

You do need to answer the letter from your insurer, stating your version of how it happened (and your reason for taking the third party home).

(Just because it took 2 weeks to report the damage and 4 weeks to report the injury is immaterial - the third party had 6 years to claim the damage and 3 years to make an injury claim against you)

Leave it to your insurer to deal with, and if you get any further telephone contact from the third party ask them to contact your insurer, and forward all correspondence unanswered to your insurer.

taffy056

Quentin wrote: »

(Just because it took 2 weeks to report the damage and 4 weeks to report the injury is immaterial - the third party had 6 years to claim the damage and 3 years to make an injury claim against you)

The thing is he may have all that time to claim, if he doesn't go and see a doctor or AE he won't have a leg to stand on, I know because somebody tried the same thing with a friend of mine.

skiddlydiddly

Yes we are all supposed to be aware of potential hazards but some people are a hazard to themselves.If we all drove at a speed that accomodated this it would be about 5mph.Totally impractical.More people would die from air pollution and old age than were saved in collisions.

I think cyclists don't usually receive the courtesy they are entitled to but it sounds like this one couldn't make his mind up if he was a cyclist or a pedestrian.Also, isn't it now illegal to ride on the pavement over a certain age, 14 or so?

Ionkontrol

Keith wrote: »

Good job it wasn't a child.

For God's sake, won't somebody think of the chidren!

skiddlydiddly

When I was a kid I saw a lad across the street come shooting off his drive on his raleigh racer,not look and straight in front of a car.It hit him, just cuts bruises and a mangled bike.

He got the hiding of his life from his dad for being such a numpty and there wasn't even so much as a mention of claiming off the car drivers insurance.How times have changed.

pimento

Queries wrote: »

Dear Pimento

The cyclist came off the pavement onto the road, he did not see me!! The fault was his. The bike was not damaged and neither was he. He did not even come off his bike. When I spoke to the Police today about it they told me I was correct in not calling them out as nobody was injured. One of the issues I am trying to find out is how to report a fradulent claim. Note the time lapses re: the bike rider. Also, he did not give me his name, address or 'phone number. He contacts me 15 days later with a receipt. Then because I won't help him because the fault is not mine! He decides to coantact a No Win, No Fee lawyer with a dubious sprained ankle claim. Bear in mind it is 4 weeks today since the incident.

I would apprciate any advice which helps me sort this problem out, thank you.

I will also reiterate that I have never had an accident that was my fault in the 20 years I have been driving, I have no criminal convictions, I have no points on my licence and no speeding fines! So, of course I am obviously naive when it comes to incident like the one mentioned!

Thank you to everybody for their help and advice. Any further ideas much appreciated.

I'm not suggesting you aren't totally blameless, but proving it might be difficult. If you'd insisted on calling an ambulance and the police at the time, it now wouldn't be your word against his.

Sign of the times.