Motorbike Accident: who has to pay for damages?

[FritsSikkink]

About 4 years ago I had an accident at 6am on my way home from my birthday celebrations. I was turning right and 3 young Thai guys were heading to work and overtaking me on the right side. I turned right and whack, one of them went straight into me. I had been drinking so clearly was to blame regardless of anything else. My girlfriend paid the 3 guys 200 baht each which they was very happy with as they were late for work. As such no police needed to be called and I was off to hospital with a Anterior hip dislocation and spent 10 days hospitalized in traction ( most painful thing Ive ever experienced ).

Anyway the relevance to your question is:

My girlfriend spoke with the bike hire company and claimed on the Government Insurance scheme which all hire bikes will have ( if they are legal anyway, but this is Thailand, lol ). She had to get some paperwork from the hire company owner to give to the Insurance office in North Pattaya road, that was a little bit of a pain, but the Insurance office gave her a cheque within 1 week for 15,000 baht ( the maximum cover on the government Insurance ).

I then also claimed under my Travel Insurance policy and because no police were called alcohol was not tested for on my arrival at hospital, so alcohol was never an issue ( thank god ). To cut a long story short I received full recompense ( 4 months later ) from my UK Travel Insurance for all my hospitalization and medication ( 90,000 baht ).

I can also tell you about an American friend of mine who was renting a motor bike. He was walking down Soi Baukhow in Pattaya and tripped over ( some of the pathways are death traps ) and suffered ankle damage and a cut foot. He had to attend hospital and receive treatment. In total his hospital bills for a few visits was around 8,000 baht. He claimed this off his motorbike ( Government ) insurance also, saying he had fell off his bike. He received full payment. I am not saying his actions are right or wrong, I am highlighting that there definitely is Government Insurance on motorbike hires automatically provided you are renting from a reputable company.

But then how do you know if your hire company are reputable - Good Luck this is Thailand...........

Actually you went into him he didn't go into you. The mirrors at the side have a purpose but as you said you were drunk so probably didn't use them. It was your fault

Depends if he was indicating or not, if so they are in the wrong. But of course mirrors must be checked.

doesn't matter if you indicate, you can't change lanes if it isn't save

[samsensam]

Next time just rent a car..More expensive but much safer...

not really expensive, you can get a car and driver for a fraction of what you'd pay in the uk for a hire car

[callaway]

About 4 years ago I had an accident at 6am on my way home from my birthday celebrations. I was turning right and 3 young Thai guys were heading to work and overtaking me on the right side. I turned right and whack, one of them went straight into me. I had been drinking so clearly was to blame regardless of anything else. My girlfriend paid the 3 guys 200 baht each which they was very happy with as they were late for work. As such no police needed to be called and I was off to hospital with a Anterior hip dislocation and spent 10 days hospitalized in traction ( most painful thing Ive ever experienced ).

Anyway the relevance to your question is:

My girlfriend spoke with the bike hire company and claimed on the Government Insurance scheme which all hire bikes will have ( if they are legal anyway, but this is Thailand, lol ). She had to get some paperwork from the hire company owner to give to the Insurance office in North Pattaya road, that was a little bit of a pain, but the Insurance office gave her a cheque within 1 week for 15,000 baht ( the maximum cover on the government Insurance ).

I then also claimed under my Travel Insurance policy and because no police were called alcohol was not tested for on my arrival at hospital, so alcohol was never an issue ( thank god ). To cut a long story short I received full recompense ( 4 months later ) from my UK Travel Insurance for all my hospitalization and medication ( 90,000 baht ).

I can also tell you about an American friend of mine who was renting a motor bike. He was walking down Soi Baukhow in Pattaya and tripped over ( some of the pathways are death traps ) and suffered ankle damage and a cut foot. He had to attend hospital and receive treatment. In total his hospital bills for a few visits was around 8,000 baht. He claimed this off his motorbike ( Government ) insurance also, saying he had fell off his bike. He received full payment. I am not saying his actions are right or wrong, I am highlighting that there definitely is Government Insurance on motorbike hires automatically provided you are renting from a reputable company.

But then how do you know if your hire company are reputable - Good Luck this is Thailand...........

Actually you went into him he didn't go into you. The mirrors at the side have a purpose but as you said you were drunk so probably didn't use them. It was your fault

To quick to jump down some ones neck hey. Read the posting again where it clearly states that he acknowledge he had been drinking and was to blame. Engage brain and eyes before your fingers on a keyboard then this type of vitriol would be unnecessary. Try to read and understand the posts before bagging the guy. " I had been drinking so clearly was to blame regardless of anything else."

[seedy]

Flaming / Nonsense posts removed

[chrissables]

All normal, and she was wise to avoid getting the police involved; could have got a lot more messy and costly.

The only sure way to avoid problems in future is to avoid renting or riding a motorcycle. If that is not practical, be careful about how you ride.

You could also avoid renting or driving a car too. Or even better stay at home and do nothing.

Killjoy!

I find a motorcycle the most practical way to get around in Thailand…. Have done about 180,000 km in 17 years in Thailand over the past 35 years, without an accident or ticket.

Good travel insurance, don't leave home without it!!

Irrelevant here; not much use when the girlfriend crashes the motorcycle you rented.

Killjoy! DELETED My last motorbike here trip was 16,000 km

Edited May 26, 2016 by seedy
language

[chrissables]

About 4 years ago I had an accident at 6am on my way home from my birthday celebrations. I was turning right and 3 young Thai guys were heading to work and overtaking me on the right side. I turned right and whack, one of them went straight into me. I had been drinking so clearly was to blame regardless of anything else. My girlfriend paid the 3 guys 200 baht each which they was very happy with as they were late for work. As such no police needed to be called and I was off to hospital with a Anterior hip dislocation and spent 10 days hospitalized in traction ( most painful thing Ive ever experienced ).

Anyway the relevance to your question is:

My girlfriend spoke with the bike hire company and claimed on the Government Insurance scheme which all hire bikes will have ( if they are legal anyway, but this is Thailand, lol ). She had to get some paperwork from the hire company owner to give to the Insurance office in North Pattaya road, that was a little bit of a pain, but the Insurance office gave her a cheque within 1 week for 15,000 baht ( the maximum cover on the government Insurance ).

I then also claimed under my Travel Insurance policy and because no police were called alcohol was not tested for on my arrival at hospital, so alcohol was never an issue ( thank god ). To cut a long story short I received full recompense ( 4 months later ) from my UK Travel Insurance for all my hospitalization and medication ( 90,000 baht ).

I can also tell you about an American friend of mine who was renting a motor bike. He was walking down Soi Baukhow in Pattaya and tripped over ( some of the pathways are death traps ) and suffered ankle damage and a cut foot. He had to attend hospital and receive treatment. In total his hospital bills for a few visits was around 8,000 baht. He claimed this off his motorbike ( Government ) insurance also, saying he had fell off his bike. He received full payment. I am not saying his actions are right or wrong, I am highlighting that there definitely is Government Insurance on motorbike hires automatically provided you are renting from a reputable company.

But then how do you know if your hire company are reputable - Good Luck this is Thailand...........

Actually you went into him he didn't go into you. The mirrors at the side have a purpose but as you said you were drunk so probably didn't use them. It was your fault

Depends if he was indicating or not, if so they are in the wrong. But of course mirrors must be checked.

doesn't matter if you indicate, you can't change lanes if it isn't save

It would depend if he was already in the right lane and actually started the turn. Those behind would be wrong IF he was indicating.

[Henryford]

Be grateful she didn't crash into a Mercedes.

[gandalf12]

About 4 years ago I had an accident at 6am on my way home from my birthday celebrations. I was turning right and 3 young Thai guys were heading to work and overtaking me on the right side. I turned right and whack, one of them went straight into me. I had been drinking so clearly was to blame regardless of anything else. My girlfriend paid the 3 guys 200 baht each which they was very happy with as they were late for work. As such no police needed to be called and I was off to hospital with a Anterior hip dislocation and spent 10 days hospitalized in traction ( most painful thing Ive ever experienced ).

Anyway the relevance to your question is:

My girlfriend spoke with the bike hire company and claimed on the Government Insurance scheme which all hire bikes will have ( if they are legal anyway, but this is Thailand, lol ). She had to get some paperwork from the hire company owner to give to the Insurance office in North Pattaya road, that was a little bit of a pain, but the Insurance office gave her a cheque within 1 week for 15,000 baht ( the maximum cover on the government Insurance ).

I then also claimed under my Travel Insurance policy and because no police were called alcohol was not tested for on my arrival at hospital, so alcohol was never an issue ( thank god ). To cut a long story short I received full recompense ( 4 months later ) from my UK Travel Insurance for all my hospitalization and medication ( 90,000 baht ).

I can also tell you about an American friend of mine who was renting a motor bike. He was walking down Soi Baukhow in Pattaya and tripped over ( some of the pathways are death traps ) and suffered ankle damage and a cut foot. He had to attend hospital and receive treatment. In total his hospital bills for a few visits was around 8,000 baht. He claimed this off his motorbike ( Government ) insurance also, saying he had fell off his bike. He received full payment. I am not saying his actions are right or wrong, I am highlighting that there definitely is Government Insurance on motorbike hires automatically provided you are renting from a reputable company.

But then how do you know if your hire company are reputable - Good Luck this is Thailand...........

Actually you went into him he didn't go into you. The mirrors at the side have a purpose but as you said you were drunk so probably didn't use them. It was your fault

Depends if he was indicating or not, if so they are in the wrong. But of course mirrors must be checked.

You check mirrors, then indicate and check mirrors again before moving. He obviously didn't or was too drunk to understand what he saw in the mirror. No excuse, it was his fault. You may like to blame the Thai rider but it was not their fault in this case

[chrissables]

About 4 years ago I had an accident at 6am on my way home from my birthday celebrations. I was turning right and 3 young Thai guys were heading to work and overtaking me on the right side. I turned right and whack, one of them went straight into me. I had been drinking so clearly was to blame regardless of anything else. My girlfriend paid the 3 guys 200 baht each which they was very happy with as they were late for work. As such no police needed to be called and I was off to hospital with a Anterior hip dislocation and spent 10 days hospitalized in traction ( most painful thing Ive ever experienced ).

Anyway the relevance to your question is:

My girlfriend spoke with the bike hire company and claimed on the Government Insurance scheme which all hire bikes will have ( if they are legal anyway, but this is Thailand, lol ). She had to get some paperwork from the hire company owner to give to the Insurance office in North Pattaya road, that was a little bit of a pain, but the Insurance office gave her a cheque within 1 week for 15,000 baht ( the maximum cover on the government Insurance ).

I then also claimed under my Travel Insurance policy and because no police were called alcohol was not tested for on my arrival at hospital, so alcohol was never an issue ( thank god ). To cut a long story short I received full recompense ( 4 months later ) from my UK Travel Insurance for all my hospitalization and medication ( 90,000 baht ).

I can also tell you about an American friend of mine who was renting a motor bike. He was walking down Soi Baukhow in Pattaya and tripped over ( some of the pathways are death traps ) and suffered ankle damage and a cut foot. He had to attend hospital and receive treatment. In total his hospital bills for a few visits was around 8,000 baht. He claimed this off his motorbike ( Government ) insurance also, saying he had fell off his bike. He received full payment. I am not saying his actions are right or wrong, I am highlighting that there definitely is Government Insurance on motorbike hires automatically provided you are renting from a reputable company.

But then how do you know if your hire company are reputable - Good Luck this is Thailand...........

Actually you went into him he didn't go into you. The mirrors at the side have a purpose but as you said you were drunk so probably didn't use them. It was your fault

Depends if he was indicating or not, if so they are in the wrong. But of course mirrors must be checked.

You check mirrors, then indicate and check mirrors again before moving. He obviously didn't or was too drunk to understand what he saw in the mirror. No excuse, it was his fault. You may like to blame the Thai rider but it was not their fault in this case

If moving from the left lane to the outside lane, yes. But if already at the center line, and indicating, people overtaking him would be wrong.

[BlindMagician]

simple ... only rent if there is insurance, and get your copy of the documents!

[kannot]

or maimed someone for life and ended up paying for life.

girlfriend payed exellent proves a lot if posters wrong on here for a start. NO Body was maimed read the original post so why put it in now! !!!. Sensationism at best.

One day maybe it will be one of your family on the receiving end, you might think ( though I doubt it ) differently then, you obviously condone driving with no insurance......why am i not the least bit surprised.

Ive no problem reading and understanding the post but you seem to have trouble comprehending what having no insurance means ultimately, she was lucky no one was injured or maimed/killed nothing more.

In a country with such a high death rate on the roads insurance is a must........that or an amulet, I know which one Ill be relying on.

You really are a real old grumpy concited man any excuse to see your name in print . Mr here by the way I have read your posts to my wife which is nothing to do with this thread so why elude to them !!!!! Stop being a sensationalist and deal with the subject not things that did not happen and was never mementioned by the OP

The subject is " who pays for damages" well "normally" insurance pay, she didnt have any, relevance is that she should have gotten insurance, but you fail to see that and its ultimate consequences. People with no insurance should not be on the road.

It would be much easier if you opened an account of your own .

Edited May 28, 2016 by kannot

[01322521959]

Coming back from Bangsan a couple of years ago a youth hit me. I paid his treatment, the very kind policeman, the motorcycle pound where they kindly looked after my bike.

Youth was without license or anything.

I was fully legal.

My first rule of thumb is 'when in Rome'

£300 to the worse but hey ho, could have been far worse.

[seedy]

Flaming post removed

[eisfeld]

Coming back from Bangsan a couple of years ago a youth hit me. I paid his treatment, the very kind policeman, the motorcycle pound where they kindly looked after my bike.

Youth was without license or anything.

I was fully legal.

My first rule of thumb is 'when in Rome'

£300 to the worse but hey ho, could have been far worse.

Sounds nice. But doesn't that teach the youngster from the start that laws, responsibility and fairness mean nothing?