Bill Anderson

While filtering through a set of traffic lights in Edinburgh, Bill Anderson was knocked off his Triumph and dragged along the road by a trailer being towed by a van. “Immediately after the accident, I remember a guy saying ‘Sorry mate – I didn’t see you’,” recalls Bill, who suffered serious and lasting damage to his left hand during the accident. “I assumed he was the driver of the van so, when it came to claiming compensation for the injuries I’d sustained in the accident, I didn’t expect there to be a problem.”

Bill was rushed to hospital, where he was initially told his left thumb had been so badly crushed, it would have to be amputated. “Four hours of microsurgery saved my thumb, although it’s now 25% shorter than it used to be, is crooked and won’t bend,” says Bill, who can no longer do intricate or heavy work with his left hand. “My bike was also damaged, although that was a secondary consideration as my hand had been so badly injured, I could no longer ride a motorcycle anyway.”

Bill’s insurance company put him in touch with a firm of solicitors who advised him that, as there was no proof that the accident was the fault of the van driver, who was denying liability, his claim was likely to be unsuccessful. “I was indignant as I knew the accident wasn’t my fault,” says Bill. “I was determined to persevere with my claim - but it wasn’t about the compensation. It was about being heard and receiving acknowledgement that I wasn’t to blame.”

A year and a half later, Bill felt he was getting nowhere. “The solicitors refused to meet me and obviously wanted to drop the case so I decided to look on the internet to see if there was anyone else who could help me,” says Bill, whose internet search led him to the Digby Brown website. “The first thing I noticed was the firm’s involvement with motorcycle racing, which I follow, and, after reading a couple of case studies, I decided to call them.

“Within 45 minutes of meeting Brenda Mitchell from Digby Brown, Brenda had done more for me than the other solicitors had done in 18 months. Brenda listened to me and, when she said she was prepared to take my case, I felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders.”

Following a thorough investigation of the accident, an action was raised in the Court of Session in September 2008 and, a year later, an offer was made. “All the way through, Digby Brown dealt with everything very professionally and kept me well informed. When this offer was made, they explained the pros and cons and made it very clear that they would support whatever decision I made.

“I could have gone to court but I’d gone from being in what I’d been told was a ‘no-win’ situation to being offered £12,000 plus costs – and vindication that I wasn’t to blame – so I accepted.

“I was very impressed with the team at Digby Brown and their knowledge about motorcycling, what happens when a motorcycle is involved in an accident and the end result, made a real difference to the outcome of my case.”

If you wish to make a motorcycle accident claim in Scotland, call the Digby Brown Motorcycle Law Department on 0845 273 2323 or complete an Enquiry Form .