How No Win No Fee Works for a Cycling Claim
Reviewed by McAMS, regulated motorcycle accident specialists
Most UK cycling injury claims run on a no-win-no-fee basis, which means a Conditional Fee Agreement, or CFA. If the claim does not succeed you generally pay no legal fee, and if it succeeds a success fee is deducted from your compensation. It is designed so you can pursue a claim without paying upfront.
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Contents
What does no win no fee actually mean?
No win no fee is the everyday name for a Conditional Fee Agreement, or CFA. It is a contract between you and the law firm that runs your case. The firm's fee is conditional on the outcome, so the risk of the case is shared rather than sitting entirely with you.
In practice that means you are not asked to fund the legal work as it goes along. The firm carries the cost of running your claim, and how they are paid depends on whether the claim succeeds.
What happens if my cycling claim does not succeed?
If your claim does not win, you generally do not pay the firm's legal fee. That is the core promise behind no win no fee, and it is why so many people are able to pursue a claim they otherwise could not afford to risk.
There can still be other costs in a case that does not succeed, such as the other side's expenses or certain expert fees. This is where After the Event insurance comes in, which is explained below. Your chosen firm will set out clearly what is and is not covered before you commit.
What is After the Event insurance?
After the Event insurance, often shortened to ATE, is a policy taken out after an accident has happened to protect you against certain costs if the claim does not succeed. It typically covers things like the opponent's costs and some disbursements.
A specialist firm will usually arrange suitable ATE cover as part of setting up your case, so that a claim that does not win does not leave you out of pocket for those costs. They will explain how the cover works in plain terms before anything is signed.
Why are there no upfront costs?
Under a CFA, the firm does not ask you to pay for the legal work in advance or fund it month by month. The costs are dealt with at the end, and how they are handled depends on the result.
If the claim succeeds, a success fee is deducted from your compensation, within the limits that apply in law. If it does not succeed, you generally pay no legal fee. That structure is what lets people bring a claim without needing money up front.
Does the success fee come out of my compensation?
Yes. When a no-win-no-fee case wins, the success fee is taken from the compensation you receive rather than billed to you separately. The firm you are introduced to will explain how it is calculated and cap it in line with the rules that apply.
We do not set or take that fee ourselves, and we cannot promise any particular outcome or amount. What we can do is make sure you are talking to a regulated firm that will spell out the terms clearly before you decide whether to go ahead.
How does the free introduction fit in?
We are not solicitors and we do not run claims. We are a claims introduction service. When you contact us we listen to what happened and, if it looks like you may have a claim, we can connect you with a regulated specialist firm that offers no-win-no-fee cycling cases.
The introduction is free and there is no obligation. With your consent we pass your details to the firm, and we may receive a fee from them for the introduction, but you pay us nothing. Bear in mind that an injury claim in the UK generally has a three-year time limit, so it is best not to delay.
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Related Guides
Knocked Off Bicycle
If a driver or another party caused your cycling accident and you were injured, you can usually claim compensation. The key question is fault: if someone else was responsible for knocking you off, you may be able to recover money for your injuries, your bicycle, your kit and your financial losses. We are not solicitors, but we can connect you with a regulated specialist firm, free and with no obligation.
Car Hit My Bicycle
If a car hit your bicycle and the driver was at fault, you can usually claim compensation for your injuries, your bike and your losses. Most car-versus-cyclist collisions come down to a driver who failed to look, turned across you, pulled out, or opened a door in your path. We are not solicitors, but we can connect you with a regulated specialist firm, free and with no obligation.
Bicycle Damage
Yes. If someone else caused your accident, you can usually recover the cost of repairing or replacing your bicycle and damaged kit, such as your helmet, clothing, lights, computer or phone, as part of your claim alongside any injury. Damage-only claims are also possible even when you were not badly hurt.
This guide is general information about motorcycle accident claims in the UK. It is not legal or financial advice. Bike Crash Claims is an introducer: we connect riders with regulated specialist solicitors and motorcycle accident specialists, and we are not solicitors ourselves. Whether you can claim, and what any claim may be worth, always depends on your individual circumstances, and nothing here is a guarantee of any outcome or amount. For advice on your own situation, please speak to a regulated specialist.
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