Hit by a car as a pedestrian

[Skifledanabit]

Hi all,

I was working on the side of the road in my high vis and was hit by an Addison Lee driver who reversed into me and has buggered my knee up. He had is phone in his hand, an earphone in one ear, a bluetooth in the other and when confronted, he said "I thought nobody was there, it's ok, I've got to go."

I managed to get a picture of his numberplate and his taxi licence, he ignored my request for his name and address and he tried giving me a false driver's number.

The police are aware and have started proceedings, I called Addison Lee customer service and they told me he was supposed to report anything like that and they have blocked him from working until he reports to them. They also said they would call me when he had, that was on the 30th, I have heard nothing since.

The thing is, where do I go from here? The only information on a google search is ambulance chasers saying "contact us!", but do I need to call my car insurance company? My Business insurance company (who say its nothing to do with them)?

There's no information about what to do as a pedestrian getting hit by a car.

If people in the know can let me know what I need to do hereon, thanks.

[DaveH23]

Where do you want it to go from here? What are you trying to achieve?

His employer and the police know about it. Surely your employer must know too.

Other than going to have your leg checked over what advice are you looking for?

[valiant]

I hope you've reported it to your employers. After all it is an accident at work and they should be pursuing it for you.

Have to say, typical standard for Addy Lee though!

[Mk3Spitfire]

It is still an RTC, and will be treated as such. Driver has committed offences under the road traffic act. Can't see why you'd need to inform your car insurance as it was nothing to do with your car. Surely, SURELY your employers insurance would cover you in these circumstances even if the other driver was never traced etc. I would get onto your fed rep.

[jas xjr]

compo!

[Skifledanabit]

I am my employer, that's the problem. It's only a small company with 4 employees and I'm MD. I called the business insurance company and they said it was nothing to do with them as it wasn't a work injury, it was a motor injury or something along those lines.

[iva cosworth]

valiant said:

Have to say, typical standard for Addy Lee though!

This.

Sorry,nothing positive to add to the thread but my constant whinging about ALs driving standards IS justified.

[PurpleMoonlight]

Just use a NWNF scumbag and be done with it.

Hope you have a witness.

[Skifledanabit]

iva cosworth said:

valiant said:

Have to say, typical standard for Addy Lee though!

This.

Sorry,nothing positive to add to the thread but my constant whinging about ALs driving standards IS justified.

I agree, they did seem to be getting better when they were trying for bus lane allowance, but since they have gone downhill again.

[Skifledanabit]

Purity14 said:

DaveH23 said:

Where do you want it to go from here? What are you trying to achieve?

His employer and the police know about it. Surely your employer must know too.

Other than going to have your leg checked over what advice are you looking for?

OP needs to answer this.

Like I said in a previous post, I am my employer, so yes I definitely know.

I had my leg checked over, damaged ligaments in the knee according to the duty practitioner.

Saying I want compensation sounds really bad and wrong and makes me feel like I'm just a money grabbing SOAB like the ambulance chasers and NWNF companies. However, my knee F-ing hurts and it's making life and work really uncomfortable.

So, yes, I suppose at the end of the day, it does come down to compensation for the injury, along with getting the driver off the road (hopefully). But, instead of using one of these chasers and NWNF people, I was wondering if there was a legitimate way to do it.

For instance, a good number of years ago, I was attacked trying to break up a fight, got a sovereign ring to the face which left me scarred and the CICA was the legitimate path through that. In an RTA between two vehicles, it goes through both insurance companies and sorted, but between a pedestrian and a vehicle? it seems the only way forward is through ambulance chasers or just suck it up and live with the damage caused by an incompetent driver.

[TheHound]

Skifledanabit said:

Like I said in a previous post, I am my employer, so yes I definitely know.

I had my leg checked over, damaged ligaments in the knee according to the duty practitioner.

Saying I want compensation sounds really bad and wrong and makes me feel like I'm just a money grabbing SOAB like the ambulance chasers and NWNF companies. However, my knee F-ing hurts and it's making life and work really uncomfortable.

So, yes, I suppose at the end of the day, it does come down to compensation for the injury, along with getting the driver off the road (hopefully). But, instead of using one of these chasers and NWNF people, I was wondering if there was a legitimate way to do it.

For instance, a good number of years ago, I was attacked trying to break up a fight, got a sovereign ring to the face which left me scarred and the CICA was the legitimate path through that. In an RTA between two vehicles, it goes through both insurance companies and sorted, but between a pedestrian and a vehicle? it seems the only way forward is through ambulance chasers or just suck it up and live with the damage caused by an incompetent driver.

Yes speak with a proper and ethical legal firm who don't just take on any case for a quick buck i.e someone like http://www.leathesprior.co.uk/services/individuals...

[SydneyBridge]

You need to get a solicitor involved, try some local firms.
Such a claim is fairly simple but is done through a internet portal, and made direct to the driver's insurers (which can be traced from the reg)

[Norse_mann]

Skifledanabit said:

But, instead of using one of these chasers and NWNF people, I was wondering if there was a legitimate way to do it.

Get yourself a solicitor, you could try to deal with the RTA insurers direct but against an unrepresented person they could try to take the mick with low ball offers etc.

All a solicitor will be able to do is to try and get compensation from the drivers insurance, getting the driver off the road is not something they will be able to do.

I would not be confident that the police are going follow your complaint up with any priority.

NWNF is the way that solicitors have to offer to act these days to get personal injury work - there is a huge spectrum of firms that do it (some deserve the criticism that NWNF has), get in contact with a larger firm with a good rep, maybe Leigh Day, Irwin Mitchell or Slater & Gordon.

If you are desperate to avoid NWNF I am sure someone would be happy to bill you hourly

[thelawnet]

This guy might be able to recommend someone.

http://thecyclingsilk.blogspot.co.uk

As you say, you are looking for two outcomes here:

(a) an appropriate criminal punishment for the hit and run
(b) appropriate compensation for having your knee fked

Neither objective is necessarily more important than the other, but (b) is pretty much in your hands, whereas (a) depends on the police and their response, and perhaps also Addison Lee also.

You might like to consider this from the point of view of Addison Lee being a major brand and the possibility of adverse publicity for them if they don't help you out.

[Hungry Pigeon]

Skifledanabit said:

I am my employer, that's the problem. It's only a small company with 4 employees and I'm MD. I called the business insurance company and they said it was nothing to do with them as it wasn't a work injury, it was a motor injury or something along those lines.

OP, are you sure you weren't unlucky and got a muppet when you phoned your insurance company?

As I see it, you have work insurance, you were at work, and you received an injury whilst working. The fact that it was a car that injured you seems irrelevant to me. If a bit of scaffolding had fallen on your bonce I'd expect you to be covered, so why is it any difference when you've collided with a car. Could it be that you've just got someone in a call centre who's heard the word "car" and assumed that it's a matter for your motor insurance company?

It might be worthwhile checking through the T's and C's of your policy, and if appropriate calling back and asking to speak with someone more senior.

Hope you get everything sorted to your satisfaction, and you're not hobbling around for too long.

[Magic919]

I think you'd begin to make progress once you have contact with Addison Lee's Insurer. They will want to get an injury claim dealt with. I

f you can't speak to AL's claim handler or get details then someone needs to write to them. If you can't do that, you'll need to get someone to do it for you. Whether you go straight for the option of a solicitor is your choice.

[dacouch]

Hungry Pigeon said:

OP, are you sure you weren't unlucky and got a muppet when you phoned your insurance company?

As I see it, you have work insurance, you were at work, and you received an injury whilst working. The fact that it was a car that injured you seems irrelevant to me. If a bit of scaffolding had fallen on your bonce I'd expect you to be covered, so why is it any difference when you've collided with a car. Could it be that you've just got someone in a call centre who's heard the word "car" and assumed that it's a matter for your motor insurance company?

It might be worthwhile checking through the T's and C's of your policy, and if appropriate calling back and asking to speak with someone more senior.

Hope you get everything sorted to your satisfaction, and you're not hobbling around for too long.

He's the employer

[dacouch]

Do not be ashamed about making a legitimate claim for injury / loss of earnings

[ging84]

The courts can get you compensation, and lots of it.
As for getting him off the road, you have no chance, the police may pursue him for failing to stop after an accident, that's 5-10 points and a discretionary disqualification, living a pedestrian with minor injuries is towards the low end of the scale really especially if it's in a built up area in the middle of the day. So unless he's got a lot of points he we be back to mini cabbing as soon as he phone his boss to tell them it's all rubbish the guy's a fraudster after compensation.

[Hungry Pigeon]

dacouch said:

He's the employer

Are you sure? He said it was a company with 4 employees, and he's the MD. I'm the MD and sole director/owner of my company, but I'm also an employee.