Taken out by a skateboard

In June I was riding to work in Lincoln. It was a single-lane road in each direction with kerbs on both sides and the speed limit was 30mph. I was probably doing about 25 to 30 mph. A lad on a skateboard was on the kerb coming towards me on my side of the road. He lost control of the skateboard and it went into the road in front of me. I tried to swerve to avoid it but I hit the kerb and came off. I had some injuries and was off work for 2 weeks. I would like to claim compensation and wonder if there is someone who can pay up like the Motor Insurers Bureau that I have read about in your column?

Jason G, by e-mail

Answer

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) only compensates victims of negligent untraced or uninsured drivers of motor vehicles so unfortunately you won’t succeed with a claim against them. The other Government compensating body, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), is highly unlikely to compensate you as a crime of violence is required to have been committed in order to qualify for compensation.

I suggest that you see if you can claim against the lad’s parents’ household contents insurance. These policies can cover negligent acts of members of the household, even away from the home. Therefore I would write to the parents and enquire as to the existence of such insurance, assuming you have the contact details of the boy.