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Last year, Paralympic cyclist Simon Richardson was hit by a drunk driver: http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/rider-down-1
To make matters worse the driver's insurers are refusing to pay for the operation: http://road.cc/content/news/67241-insurers-driver-who-badly-injured-paralympic-cycling-champion-simon-richardson
Anyway cutting a long story short, he's going in for surgery next week after which he may or may not walk again. His twitter feed has been pretty tough to read: https://twitter.com/CyclingSimonMBE
So if you have a moment perhaps it's worth sending him a bit of support.
Would be interesting to know why cover is being refused.
Not certain about this but I *think* it is because the NHS will pay for it in its own good time which is 1+ years away. Simon wants it now for both pain relief & to get to prepare for Rio.
Bump
Yep, Blackhound, I think that's the case. He's facing the prospect of being in pain for an extra year because those liable for the results of the criminal drunk driver who ploughed him off his bike, and did a runner, won't stump up the cash.
(I'm taking sides on this one. Does it show?)
How come British Cycling aren't stumping up the extra cash in order to help him prepare for Rio?
why should the NHS (taxpayer) have to pay for sorting out drunk drivers damage?
Surely if you are involved in an accident whilst drink driving, that would invalidate your insurance?
Could that be the reason why the insurers are refusing to play ball?
I am guessing that drink driving invalidates the insurance, and recovering the money from the driver would be extremely hard and drawn out process.
We all pay in the end anyway, if the insurers are forced to payout, then its added onto all our premiums.
It's a situation without winners.
edit: snap
no even if you do somerhing illegal it still pays out or there would be little point in having insurance.
Shameful by the insurers in this case
Who was it that did it
Was it he Farmers union or was that report incorrect?
It wouldn't (shouldn't) invalidate any insurance to a third party. That's the reason 3rd party cover is the minimum legal requirement. Crash you're car into a ditch, no payout, crash into a person they should be covered even if you're not. It's why those with a history of drink driving pay more for their premiums...and rightly so.
One (small) way in which the little people could fight back with stuff like this would be to publicise the name of the insurance company so the rest of us could boycott it in the future.
[quote=convert ]One (small) way in which the little people could fight back with stuff like this would be to publicise the name of the insurance company so the rest of us could boycott it in the future.
But if all insurers operate the same system that's just futile. I'd rather find out the facts and legalities before going for my pitchfork.
Edit: it looks like he should be claiming from the MIB (no - not the MiB, the Motor Insurance Bureau).
Surely if you are involved in an accident whilst drink driving, that would invalidate your insurance?Could that be the reason why the insurers are refusing to play ball?
No.
The insurance industry as a whole provide cover (for third party injury/death only I believe) any time the faulty party isn't insured (even for cases where the driver has no insurance at all).
[quote=TuckerUK ]
The insurance industry as a whole provide cover (for third party injury/death only I believe) any time the faulty party isn't insured (even for cases where the driver has no insurance at all).
That's what the MIB is for.
Surely the NHS has every right to recover the costs from the insurance company? Putting Rio etc aside it's ridiculous that anyone should have to wait so long for an operation they need as a result of an accident when it is possibly they could get sorted out privately much quicker. The whole system is messed up.
Surely the NHS has every right to recover the costs from the insurance company?
You have got a point - if road maintenance companies are charging folk for repairing damage to the highway as a result of accidents surly the NHS(or it's pfi style components) could do the same for messed up people?