LEGAL Q&A

This information is provided by Stephen Hattersley of WildWood Legal, a firm of solicitors specialising in claims for injured scooterists. Stephen, a qualified solicitor for 25 years, has been riding scooters for over 30 years, and has acted for injured riders across the UK. He knows the tricks and pitfalls that insurers use and pulls no punches in his dealings with them. He rides to work every day and understands the challenges you face out there.

Q. I was knocked off my bike and badly injured. I am self-employed so I am not going to earn anything for a while. I know claims take a long time. How am I going to pay my bills in the meantime?

A. Sorry to hear that and hope you recover soon. The good news is that your solicitors could and should be asking the defendant’s insurers for what is called an ‘interim payment’. This is a payment made early in the claim in cases where liability is clear-cut, the injuries are significant and there is a

need for money on the victim’s part. It should be enough to tide you through the early stages whilst you are unable to earn any money. If the claim takes longer than expected, further requests can be made for additional payments. It is not uncommon at all for there to be several during the lifetime of a complex case.

If you need advice on a scooter-related legal question, email stephen@ wildwoodlegal.co.uk. The best Q&A will be published in Scootering magazine in confidence.