Hit by a car, looking for some advise.

PWEI

Hi, I was looking for some advise please.

On Monday I was driving home from work on my scooter & a car turning right hit me from the side & sent me flying.
There was two lanes of traffic & the middle lane wasn't moving & I was in the inside lane (not a bus lane).
The driver admitted full responsibility at the time & said it in front of me & the gardai. But when I rang his insurance company today to get an assessor out to look at the damage they said he isn't accepting responsibility as he had a green light. He had a green light but not the green light to turn right so it's his fault & the guards at the time said it as well.

I went to hospital & got an X-Ray and there is nothing broken but I can't bend my knee & the doctor said my knee has ligament damage. For somebody who runs 5 times a week this is very frustrating as I won't be able to run for a few months now.
I'm pretty badly bruised as well & walking with a limp. I wasn't going to pursue for any medical costs, just the cost of the scooter but now I'm considering it as I'm so annoyed that he's not accepting responsibility

Although my own insurance company said they will only pursue the cost of the bike & I would have to chase up Zurich for any medical expenses.
Zurich were very dismissive when I rang them & wouldn't engage with me, they kept telling me to contact my own insurance company.

Should I get in touch with a solicitor?
Also the scooter was my transport to work so would I be entitled to claim for a rental car?

Thanks in advance.

KTR1C

PWEI wrote: »

Hi, I was looking for some advise please.

On Monday I was driving home from work on my scooter & a car turning right hit me from the side & sent me flying.
There was two lanes of traffic & the middle lane wasn't moving & I was in the inside lane (not a bus lane).
The driver admitted full responsibility at the time & said it in front of me & the gardai. But when I rang his insurance company today to get an assessor out to look at the damage they said he isn't accepting responsibility as he had a green light. He had a green light but not the green light to turn right so it's his fault & the guards at the time said it as well.

I went to hospital & got an X-Ray and there is nothing broken but I can't bend my knee & the doctor said my knee has ligament damage. For somebody who runs 5 times a week this is very frustrating as I won't be able to run for a few months now.
I'm pretty badly bruised as well & walking with a limp. I wasn't going to pursue for any medical costs, just the cost of the scooter but now I'm considering it as I'm so annoyed that he's not accepting responsibility

Although my own insurance company said they will only pursue the cost of the bike & I would have to chase up Zurich for any medical expenses.
Zurich were very dismissive when I rang them & wouldn't engage with me, they kept telling me to contact my own insurance company.

Should I get in touch with a solicitor?
Also the scooter was my transport to work so would I be entitled to claim for a rental car?

Thanks in advance.

Get a solicitor. Hussy Fraser are quite good and I've dealt them on many occasions. I really have to take the bulls eye off my back :pac:

Mr Sheen!

Get a solicitor ! Best of luck and a speedy recovery

GBX

KTR1C wrote: »

Get a solicitor. Hussy Fraser are quite good and I've dealt them on many occasions. I really have to take the bulls eye off my back :pac:

I've used these, they will see you right.

YurOK2

PWEI wrote: »

I wasn't going to pursue for any medical costs, just the cost of the scooter but now I'm considering it as I'm so annoyed that he's not accepting responsibility

I would be very careful about what you are putting online. You would be very surprised about the fact finding missions insurance companies go on these days and you would be easy to identify from your post.
Also be careful about speaking to the other driver's insurance company.

PWEI wrote: »

Although my own insurance company said they will only pursue the cost of the bike & I would have to chase up Zurich for any medical expenses.
Zurich were very dismissive when I rang them & wouldn't engage with me, they kept telling me to contact my own insurance company.

Should I get in touch with a solicitor?

You definitely need to get in touch with a solicitor. Solicitors have a lot more power in the type of situation you find yourself in, particularly when it comes to dealing with the gardai and ensuring they are chasing down the other driver to get a statement etc.

I have also heard good things about Hussey Fraser and would recommend them too.

PWEI wrote: »

Also the scooter was my transport to work so would I be entitled to claim for a rental car?

I would speak to a solicitor before organising a rental car. You have a greater choice of transport options in Dublin and it may be that if you could easily travel by bus, then it may be expected of you to travel by bus. I am not saying this as a definite, I am just saying to be cautious about spending money until you have a chat with a solicitor.
Most experienced solicitors will know that X insurance company always refuse Y or X insurance company always expect someone in your situation to do Y and therefore a solicitor will tell you how best to approach your travel arrangements and other potential expenses etc.

Keep all your receipts, be patient, sometimes these things can take longer than we want and concentrate on getting yourself back to full health.

PWEI

Thanks for the advise.

I'll get in touch with a solicitor and stick to the bus for now.

Do Gardai normally take the phone Numbers of the witnesses?
I was in too much shock to get any phone numbers.
One of the witnesses was a motorcyclist who was right behind me & stopped to give me help. There was a another pedestrian who rang the emergency services.

The Bean Garda even commented how sound the other guy was for accepting responsibility and that it was unsual. The other Garda said to me it's all on camera anyway.

YurOK2

PWEI wrote: »

Do Gardai normally take the phone Numbers of the witnesses?

Yep.

PWEI wrote: »

The Bean Garda even commented how sound the other guy was for accepting responsibility and that it was unsual. The other Garda said to me it's all on camera anyway.

It's not unusual for someone to appear to accept liability at the scene and change their mind later on. I'm not going to speculate on the reasons why. There's no need to panic, keep your version of events truthful and to the point and the gardai will sort it all out.
Keep an eye on your own insurance also. If the other driver is trying to say they weren't in the wrong they are therefore blaming you and their own insurance company may have automatically put in a claim against your insurance. Once the liability matter is sorted out, you'll get a letter from your own insurance company saying that the other driver's claim has been closed.

Connavar

PWEI wrote: »

Thanks for the advise.

I'll get in touch with a solicitor and stick to the bus for now.

Do Gardai normally take the phone Numbers of the witnesses?
I was in too much shock to get any phone numbers.
One of the witnesses was a motorcyclist who was right behind me & stopped to give me help. There was a another pedestrian who rang the emergency services.

The Bean Garda even commented how sound the other guy was for accepting responsibility and that it was unsual. The other Garda said to me it's all on camera anyway.

Just one thing to be aware of. The gardai will not tell an insurance company who was right/wrong. Its down to the insurance companies to work out(speaking from experience where one told me I was in the right and insurance looked at it as 50/50)

PWEI

Connavar wrote: »

Just one thing to be aware of. The gardai will not tell an insurance company who was right/wrong. Its down to the insurance companies to work out(speaking from experience where one told me I was in the right and insurance looked at it as 50/50)

Yea one of the Guards said this to me but then said its all on camera so it shouldn't be a problem for me when it comes to making a claim.
There are two camers at that particaulor junction also so I'm sure my insurance company will send an investigator to view the footage.

Thanks for all the advise.

Mr Sheen!

PWEI wrote: »

Yea one of the Guards said this to me but then said its all on camera so it shouldn't be a problem for me when it comes to making a claim.
There are two camers at that particaulor junction also so I'm sure my insurance company will send an investigator to view the footage.

Thanks for all the advise.

I would get into the Gardai and try get them to get hold of this footage. Or better yet get it yourself.

Don't think you have footage until you have it in your own hands.

If you get the footage it should be a walk in the park then

colosus1908

I believe it will be an easy job for any solicitor, so get one but nothing "big".
Speedy recovery.

BlackWizard

I'm still recovering from a small accident I had two years ago. I got the bike repaired and all doctors/physio bills at the time covered.

But I'm still going to the physio. I reckon I'm out of pocked by about 400 euro. So keep that in mind. Your injury may stay with you for a LONG time after the accident.

endacl

BlackWizard wrote: »

I'm still recovering from a small accident I had two years ago. I got the bike repaired and all doctors/physio bills at the time covered.

But I'm still going to the physio. I reckon I'm out of pocked by about 400 euro. So keep that in mind. Your injury may stay with you for a LONG time after the accident.

Same here. Over five years later. Insurance company's first offer was €500 'for my trouble'.

thehomeofDob

Another vote for Hussey Frasier, that's all.