Ambulance chasers target bike accidents

Sirs, Usual story have ridden motorcycles for about 35 years. No accidents since I was a young tearaway. Had an accident last year where a woman failed to indicate right, was in the middle of the lane allowing her to stop traffic to let her friend out of the turning, lots of smiling and waving.

She failed to see me stopped on her offside rear wing and as we moved off turned right without moving to the centre of the road. Nearly missed her until she turned back on herself having missed the turning slightly.

I was knocked off, bike fell over no great damage just a few scratches. What happened next amazed me – a claim was made by a firm of solicitors against me almost a year later. I of course defended it and said I was willing to go to court. I was never called.

Next thing I know my insurance has paid out. Why? When asked the insurance said it was to protect me from a judgement against me and was settled without prejudice but the court paper work said there was a judgement against me. The reason given by the insurance is that there was no hope of defending it purely because I was on a motorbike.

The very best I could expect was 50-50 but if it went before the judge they invariably decide in favour of the motorist so best avoid that. So it seems that ambulance chasers and insurances target accidents where motorcycles are involved because they are guaranteed at minimum of 50% of the claim at worst. Double standard? What are other readers experiences?