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 more than 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 broke my leg quite badly in a scooter accident. It’s a lot better now and I am back at work but it’s not perfect. My employer might be making some lay-offs and I’m worried about finding another job if I lose this, as I’d have to mention about my ongoing leg problems.

A. Sorry to hear about your accident and hope you’re okay. When someone loses wages due to an absence following an accident, we can recover these for them in the claim. If there is a risk that a) they may lose their job at some point and b) if they do, they might find it harder to get another job because of their injuries, we can also recover an amount to reflect this. It involves a lot of crystal-ball gazing but if the medical evidence backs it up, this part of the claim can be substantial, particularly in younger people with a longer working life ahead of them. Give us a call to discuss this further.

So, what we normally do is start the claim process for just you and see if we can get a full admission of liability. If we can, all’s good and we can then act for your passenger as well.

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