By Lewis Cobain. Last Updated 30th October 2025. Mopeds are popular for their convenience and affordability, but their small size and lack of protection make them vulnerable on the road. So, when these vehicles are involved in accidents, riders can suffer life-changing injuries, including brain damage. If you have been injured in an accident on a moped and it wasn’t your fault, we could help you pursue compensation and be there to support you every step of the way.
Here at Legal Expert, our No Win No Fee solicitors have decades of experience in motorcycle accident claims and are acutely aware that those who suffer moped injuries often face a long and difficult recovery. With this in mind, they recognise how vital it is to have legal representation that has your back and understands your needs. That guides their approach to every case, so you can rest assured you’ll get the pastoral support you deserve.
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What You Need To Know
- How much compensation for moped accidents? Payouts are based on case-specific factors, such as whether an injury has caused permanent disability or resulted in financial loss.
- How can a moped accident be prevented? You can prevent a moped accident by paying attention to your surroundings, wearing reflective clothing, and abiding by traffic rules and regulations.
- Are there different road laws for moped users? Specific rules apply to mopeds, but riders must still adhere to all applicable traffic laws and regulations.
- Is there a time limit for moped claims? Yes, moped claims typically need to be started within 3 years of the accident date.
- Do I need professional legal representation? You aren’t required to, but getting support from a specialist moped accident solicitor can significantly increase the likelihood of success.
Calculating Compensation For An Accident On A Moped
There are two potential heads of claim for personal injury claims:
- General damages relate to the physical and psychological trauma caused by the injury, as well as the general decline in your quality of life.
- Special damages relate to the financial losses suffered as a direct result of the injury.
General damages
During the claims process, an independent medical assessment will be performed to clarify the full extent of the injury. Please remember that if you receive compensation for general damages, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll receive compensation for special damages. This is because both are calculated based on the evidence provided. However, you will not be awarded special damages without also having been awarded general damages.
Concerning general damages payouts, the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) is a document which uses previous payouts based on the severity of the injury to create suggested compensation brackets. This information has also been used to create our compensation calculator, which you can use to value your claim.
Below is a list of injuries and their respective compensation brackets, together with JCG brackets. However, the first figure in our table is our own design and was not selected from the JCG. We also ask that you use the contents in this table as a guideline only when it comes to thinking about your own compensation.
| Area of Injury | Severity | Amount of Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Injuries - Severe + Special Damages | Multiple severe injuries | Up to £1,000,000+ |
| Brain Damage | Very Severe - Full-Time Nursing Required | £344,150 to £493,000 |
| Neck | Severe (i) - Incomplete Paraplegia | In the region of £181,020 |
| Severe (ii) - Involving Serious Fractures | £80,240 to £159,770 | |
| Pelvis And Hip | Severe (i) - Extensive Fractures | £95,680 to £159,770 |
| Chest | (b) - Traumatic Injury to Chest | £80,240 to £122,850 |
| Back | Severe (ii) - Nerve Root Damage | £90,510 to £107,910 |
| Severe (iii) - Disc Lesions or Fractures | £47,320 to £85,100 | |
| Wrist | b) - Permanent Disability | £29,900 to £47,810 |
| Shoulder | Serious - Shoulder Dislocation | £15,580 to £23,430 |
Special Damages
Special damages, on the other hand, will cover things like loss of earnings, the cost of medical care and travel costs to and from medical appointments. You will need to provide evidence of any financial losses you have experienced, or you will find it very difficult to claim them back.
To see if you can claim or get an estimate for what you could receive, please contact our advisors for free legal advice. They can answer any queries about the claims process. Just contact us using the phone number at the top of this screen.
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A Guide To Claiming For An Accident On A Moped
When you use a moped, you are classed as a road user. This means that you owe and are owed a duty of care by other road users, and you need to do all you can to use the roads in a way that avoids causing harm to others. Part of this duty means complying with the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code.
To make a valid claim for an accident on a moped, you need to prove that another road user breached their duty of care and caused you harm. Together, these factors form negligence.
For example, if a drunk driver were to speed through a red light and hit you, knocking you off your moped and causing a serious head injury, then you could potentially make a moped accident claim.
To find out more about when you could be eligible to claim for an accident on a moped, get in touch with our team of friendly advisors today. Or, keep reading for more helpful information.
Why Do Moped Accidents Happen?
Motorcycle or moped accidents can happen for many reasons. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) states that some of the primary reasons for a moped crash include:
- Failing to negotiate bends
- Collisions at junctions
- Collisions while overtaking other vehicles
- Losing control of the vehicle
- Excessive speed
- Driving while under the influence of alcohol
Some of these incidents would not be able to be claimed for, as someone else’s negligence would need to have caused the accident in order for you to claim compensation. For example, if you’ve injured yourself from a motorbike crash caused by you excessively speeding, you wouldn’t be able to claim as you would be deemed liable. However, if you were hit by another moped driver who was exceeding the speed limit, you may still be able to claim.
To know more about claiming for injuries like a broken fibula or a fractured humerus as the result of a moped accident, please call us using the phone number above. We are available 24/7, offer free legal advice and can tell you if you’re able to claim in just a few minutes.
What Is Dooring?
Dooring is when a car driver or passenger opens a car door into the path of another road user. This could result in different types of injuries based on the other type of vehicle involved. For instance, if you’re on a scooter or bicycle, you’re more likely to get seriously injured by this than if you were in a car. This is because a car offers more protection than a bicycle or moped.
An accident on a moped caused by someone opening a car door on you could cause an arm break or a broken leg, as you could potentially slam into the car door at high speed. This type of injury could be avoided by car occupants applying the Dutch Reach when opening car doors. RoSPA explains this technique.
When someone in a car uses the hand that is furthest away from the car door to open it, it means they are forced to twist their body as they do so, giving them a clearer view of the road. This makes them more aware of when it’s safe to open the car door, which could prevent accidents like this from happening.
Moped Accidents On Bends
The next few sections will explain in more detail the types of incidents you may be able to claim for. If you don’t see your accident circumstances listed below, don’t worry; this list isn’t exhaustive, and you may still be owed compensation for your accident.
RoSPA states that motorcyclist crashes on bends can, broadly speaking, be placed into one of three categories:
- The motorcyclist is driving too wide on a left-hand bend, and, as such, they hit an oncoming vehicle.
- The motorcyclist loses control while on a right-hand bend, causing them to collide with a tree or hedge on the other side of the road.
- Another vehicle cuts the bend, resulting in them colliding with the vehicle, causing a moped accident.
Of these three scenarios, there is usually only one you could claim compensation for, as you can only potentially receive compensation due to someone else’s negligence. In most circumstances, you would be deemed liable for the first two scenarios due to an error in judgement when driving.
Moped Accidents When Merging With Traffic Or Overtaking
You could also suffer an accident on a moped while overtaking traffic that is slow-moving or completely stationary. This is known as filtering. Drivers of other vehicles can sometimes fail to realise that a smaller vehicle, such as a scooter or a motorbike, can overtake in this instance when lorries or cars cannot. Therefore, the other road user may fail to account for the approaching motorbike.
This can be an issue, as some car users may fail to take into account motorcyclists when overtaking vehicles. Other examples of incidents where you may be able to make a personal injury claim due to an accident on a moped include:
- An accident occurring due to a car driver failing to check their blind spot as they pull out of their lane to overtake another car. They could slam into the motorcycle because they couldn’t see it in their mirrors.
- An injury could also occur because a car driver could fail to recognise that a moped is overtaking their vehicle. This could cause them to attempt to change lanes, resulting in a collision. This could lead to you wanting to use a personal injury claims calculator.
Accidents At Junctions And Crossroads
An accident on a moped could also happen at a junction or crossroads. This can be caused by another road user pulling out from the junction and colliding with the motorcycle while it’s travelling down the main road. As the motorcyclist would have the right of way, the other road user is usually liable for the accident. According to RoSPA, reasons for this occurring include:
- The driver not looking as they’re pulling out of the junction.
- The driver only briefly looks, so they’re unable to process that the moped is approaching.
- They may also not look at the correct places on the road.
- Finally, they may detect the vehicle but not correctly judge how fast it’s going or how far away it is. If this is misjudged, it could easily lead to a road traffic accident.
Highway Code For Mopeds
Every road user in Great Britain has a duty of care to one another, which is outlined in the Highway Code. These rules are guidelines for how every road user needs to conduct themselves on the road.
Rules from the Highway Code that specifically relate to vehicles like scooters or motorcycles establish that:
- You must only carry one pillion passenger who must sit astride the vehicle while using an appropriate seat. You cannot carry a passenger if you only hold a provisional license.
- A protective helmet must be worn, fastened securely and adhere to the required regulations.
- It may be beneficial to wear eye protectors and, if you do wear them, they must follow the established guidelines.
- During daylight riding, you should make yourself as visible as possible.
- While riding in the dark, wear reflective clothing to improve your visibility.
- While manoeuvring, you need to be aware of what is behind and to the sides of you. You can use mirrors to help with this.
If you’ve adhered to the rules set out in the Highway Code for someone driving a motorcycle, but an accident has happened anyway because of another road user’s negligence, then you may be able to claim. Speak to a member of our team today for more information.
No Win No Fee Claims For An Accident On A Moped
If you have been involved in a moped crash and are eligible to make a road traffic accident compensation claim, one of our solicitors may be able to help you. Additionally, they may offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This is a type of No Win No Fee arrangement, and some of the benefits of making a claim with a solicitor under one include:
- Not having to pay your solicitor any upfront service fees.
- No ongoing service to pay during the process of your claim.
- If your claim fails, not having to pay your solicitor for the work they have provided.
Should your claim be successful, your solicitor will take a success fee from you. This fee is deducted directly from your compensation award, and there is a legal cap in place for the percentage that this fee can be, as per the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013.
To see if you could work with one of our solicitors if you have been injured in a moped accident, you can contact our friendly team of advisors.
Start Your Moped Accident Claim
If you have any questions or queries about claiming for an accident on a moped, our advisors are available 24/7 and offer free legal advice so they can help you at a time that suits you. If you choose to use a personal injury lawyer from our panel, they could provide their services on a No Win No Fee basis. Call us today to see if you could be eligible to claim.
You can:
- Call us on 0800 073 8804.
- Use our online contact form.
- Use the live chat window on the right-hand side of the screen.
Learn More About Claiming For Road Traffic Accidents
For more useful information, please refer to the information below.
- To see more road accident and safety statistics, visit the Department for Transport website.
You can also learn more about motorcycle accident claims below:
- Read about motorcycle passenger accident claims
- Find out about claiming for a motorcycle accident without insurance
- Get guidance on fatal motorcycle accident claims
- Explore the process of making motorcycle accident claims in Scotland
Written by Durdy
Edited by Stocks