Recommend me a solicitor (1 Viewer)

[Sweetie]

I was in a collison with a taxi. I was on my bicycle, the taxi (and traffic) stopped sharply in front of me. Another car was parked in the clearway/bike lane, and the road was narrow. I had nowhere to go and went into the back of the taxi. The bumper is cracked. Gardai came, we exchanged details, it was clearly accidental damage.

The problem is the taxi driver is hounding me for a substantial amount of money asap and is being abusive and intimidating. He's not allowed to phone me any more (Gardai warned him).

I got free legal advice (via me ma and her insurance) and advice from the insurance services information line and both said that he should proceed through his insurance company (and I might need to pay or offer to pay any excess). At this stage I need a solicitor to state this to the driver or sort the whole thing out for me, because as far as the gards are concerned it is not a legal matter for them.

I don't have the tons of money this guy wants, and I feel that it's a matter for his insurance...... I was willing to be reasonable but he wouldn't even send me a written quote. I have one now but that is after I went to the gardai for the 4th time after the harrassement all week.

any advice or did this ever happen to someone here?

pm me if you know a reasonably priced/good solicitor...

thanks

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

Tell him you want to get a second quote.

 

[aoboa]

Hitman > Solicitor

 

[Sweetie]

Tell him you want to get a second quote.

All communication has to go through the gards now and the garda dealing with it advised me to get a solicitor because he'd never heard of a bicycle damaging a car and had no idea what I was obliged to do.....

I have a two more quotes, both different costs. But the guy wouldn't let me tell him. And both garages need to see the car to know for sure...

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

If he's not willing to co operate,fuck him.

Sounds like he's treating it like you drove a car into him,if you did you would be entitled to get your own quote. Is that right?

 

[Sweetie]

If he's not willing to co operate,fuck him.

Sounds like he's treating it like you drove a car into him,if you did you would be entitled to get your own quote. Is that right?

If I had been in a car my car insurance company would talk to his and sort it all out. I wouldn't have to get involved at all.

 

[LUKAS]

Sounds fucked up.

PM sent.

 

[GO]

As far as I know,and I'm no solicitor,but if a car is in a collision with a bicycle it is always the cars fault.


Plus if you were a bloke and had given him a few digs and then cycled off for slamming on in front of you,this would'nt be an issue.Just saying.

 

[jcdonaggio]

I am currently using Marcus Lynch Solicitors to sort out a probate. They seem like nice people, a little slow mind, but they are looking after me pricewise.

Check out ratemysolictor.ie

 

[Archie]

try make an appointment with FLAC, they will probably be able to give you some sort of advice or point you in the right direction.

http://www.flac.ie/gethelp/legaladvicecentres/centresmap.html

Solicitors are expensive, stay away from them if at all necessary

 

[tommytrousers]

I don't think he can pursue you from a vehicle insurance POV. Sounds like you need proper lega advice as you sem to have inadvertantly admitted liability in his eyes. Don't go immediately to a solicitor, do some research first, my hunch is that you are not liable form a road traffic viewpoint.

 

[Thebeard]

I don't think he can pursue you from a vehicle insurance POV. Sounds like you need proper lega advice as you sem to have inadvertantly admitted liability in his eyes. Don't go immediately to a solicitor, do some research first, my hunch is that you are not liable form a road traffic viewpoint.

I'd agree with Mr. Trousers here. I wouldn't assume liability here. Sounds like it's not your fault but do get some legal advice before you do anything.

 

[Love Saves The Day]

i'd be with 6pack on this.. i don't think you're liable at all here and this guy sounds like he's trying to act the hardman and bully you into giving him money

get a bit of advice, but i wouldn't go handing him any money
what a dick though

 

[Sweetie]

thanks guys.

He is a nasty piece of work.

 

[Ciarán R]

As far as I know,and I'm no solicitor,but if a car is in a collision with a bicycle it is always the cars fault.


Plus if you were a bloke and had given him a few digs and then cycled off for slamming on in front of you,this would'nt be an issue.Just saying.

I don't think that's correct to be honest. The car wasn't really in a collision with the bike; the bike hit the car.
In motoring terms, no matter how hard someone in front of you slams the brakes, you are liable if you run into the back of them - it's down to keeping a safe driving distance away from the nearest vehicle; i don't know if the same applies to bicycles.

Nonetheless, there is a smell of a chancer of this taxi driver. A bicycle isn't going to do a huge amount of damage to a back bumper...Sweetie, you didn't per chance take a photo (cameraphone?) after the incident to actually show the damage? In most cases, people are too shook up to think about that, but it can really help against any exaggerated claims.

 

[Raudi Raus Schinkel]

Did you hurt yourself at all? If so I know a really good solicitor.

To say sorry at the scene can be used as an admission of liability against you although I've seen cases where this was inadmissible because the person was in shock.

 

[Raudi Raus Schinkel]

Did you hurt yourself at all? If so I know a really good solicitor.

To say sorry at the scene can be used as an admission of liability against you although I've seen cases where this was inadmissible because the person was in shock.

 

[chutneyfarmer]

He is a nasty piece of work.

I think that was already implied when you told us he was a taxi driver

 

[Reets]

If the cracked bumper really is your fault (and I honestly cant see how a bike would do that much damage) then it shouldnt cost an enormous amount to fix.
I went into the back of a car last year, I've a big car and weighs over a tonne and the and it didn't do much damage (I know every crash is different but still).
There was just one crack in her bumper when cost me about 350 for it be repaired and sprayed so it might even be cheaper then that by now.
If the quote he's giving you is much more then that, then he's lying.

 

[MDR]

Best see a solicitor soon. If you were in a car and he was in front then the responsibility would have been on you to allow yourself to stop safely in time regardless of the circumstances. A solicitor would advise you of the situation with a bike, but I would imagine the same principles apply. If he is a taxi driver he may also seek to claim lost earnings if the damage is preventing him from using the car in his work.

Bumpers these days are very flimsy peices of body kit and in reality provide little protection for a car, so they could easily be damaged by a bike or a good kick. Two small coin-sized scratches to my offside front door cost me €250 to repair earlier this year.