advice on bicycle and car accident

bailey23

A friend had an accident whilst on his bicycle, he was hit during march this year by a driver swerving to avoid slush in the road. Whilst he was not injured the bike had to be scrapped. It was reported to the police and the driver also visited them to explain what happened and it was dropped.
Last month his mother, as he was 17 at the time, received a letter from his insurance company claiming for damage to a wing mirror £1400. Today the police have sent a letter saying that they weren't going to prosecute anybody and it was going to be filed away.
Does anybody know what to do about the claim for money. As it was a bicycle there is no insurance on it nor was he at fault in the first place.

Thanks.

Idiophreak

Who paid for the damage to the bike in the first place?

spacey2012

Contact a solicitor and file a claim, he does not need to be physically injured, he can claim for physiological effect and damage to his clothing and Bike.
The stupid letter is all the proof a solicitor will need.

neilmcl

Tell the insurance co. that the driver was liable, not your son.

bailey23

His insurance company have already paid him the cost of damages so are trying to recover the money now from his mom. There wasn't a claim for the bike filed it was just scrapped. The insurance company have said if they get a witness they will drop the claims, it looks as though they will try and do anything for the money. His family are on benefits so can't afford to pay for solicitor or the claim.

tasticz

they paid out because either it was a comprehensive insurance or the cyclist isn't disputing that the car driver is at fault.

was the cyclist injured? if so its its time to make a claim now via no win no fee

i don't understand why these cyclists don't get a insurance like us car drivers it only costs them like £20-£30 a year or like £2 a month and can save a lot of hassle if anything happens

iammumtoone

tasticz wrote: »

i don't understand why these cyclists don't get a insurance like us car drivers it only costs them like £20-£30 a year or like £2 a month and can save a lot of hassle if anything happens

I am not a regular cyclist (just a fair weather one ) and will sometimes cycle into town to save on parking costs. However if I was to pay insurance it would certainly be cheaper to drive. To be honest it would never occur to me to get insurance what damage would I be able to do on a bike? I would certainly come worse off.

Is the police report able to help did the driver admit liability at the time to the police?

spacey2012

A Conditional fee solicitor might not have put a claim in on behalf of the boy due to lack of evidence, but who ever sent this letter must only have half a brain.
It is as good as a full admission the driver collided with the bike.

I would get the phone book out, the lad has in the region of 3-5K waiting for him.

arcon5

So a car hit the cyclist, the cars insurers paid for the cyclists damaged bike, now the car insurer wants you to pay for the wing mirror (and other costs based on the amount request).

WOW what a cheek!

Strider590

Sounds like the insurance company are thinking because the driver wasn't prosecuted, he must be innocent.

All part of a much bigger problem, cyclists being the minority always get the blame and schemes to help cyclist safety are often put in place from a drivers perspective.

rs65

bailey23 wrote: »

As it was a bicycle there is no insurance on it nor was he at fault in the first place.

The cyclist (or his parents) may have liability cover under their home insurance.