All about Road Traffic Accident Claims in the UK

Road Traffic Accident

You will be eligible to make a road traffic accidents claim for compensation in the UK if you get injured in a road traffic accident as a pedestrian, a driver, or a passenger.

Accidents can take place at any time. While some accidents are minor but others can be more serious and also result in several injuries.

Throughout this guide on road traffic accident claims in the UK, we will explain the types of collision that may lead to a claim of compensation.

If you have been involved in a road traffic accident then you may be able to claim compensation. To know more stay with us!

Am I eligible to make a road traffic accident claim for compensation?

If you get injured during a road traffic accident in the United Kingdom then you are able to make claim for compensation for the suffering. These are the cases who can make a claim:

  • Cars
  • Buses
  • Taxis
  • Cyclists
  • Motorcyclists
  • Pedestrians
  • Mopeds and scooters

To claim road traffic accident compensation you will need some evidence to show that:

  1. The road accident took place because of the defendant’s negligence.
  2. As a result of the RTA, you were left with several injuries.

Evidence to provision a road traffic accident claim UK:

If you need to make a road traffic accident claim then you need to have some things that might be used as the provision of that accident:

  • You need to take some pictures or videos of that incident. It will be good if you can do this before any vehicles are moved.
  • You can make sure that anybody such as drivers, passengers, and pedestrians is receiving medical treatment. This may involve calling an Ambulance as early as possible.
  • Writing down details of the accident by anybody who has seen the accident occurred.
  • Report to the police regarding the accident if anybody gets injured.
  • You can keep track of all the expenses incurred because of the incident.
  • Most importantly, write down the contact details of the driver, other drivers, their vehicle number, their vehicle registration number, and their insurance policy number.

These may be required to make claim for compensation for a road traffic accident.

Road Traffic Accident

What are the steps for making a road traffic accident claim?

If you have been injured in a road traffic accident then claiming compensation is much easier. Here are the following steps that cover everything from what should you do in case of an accident occurred and ways to seek legal advice and at last receive compensation:

Step 1: Make sure everyone is safe:

The first thing you need to do if a road traffic accident occurred is to make sure that everyone is safe. You need to check for any injuries that take place to you, any passenger, any driver, or anyone else. You need to seek medical treatment immediately if anyone gets injured.

Step 2: Report the accident:

You have to report the accident to the police within 24 hours of the occurrence of the accident. This will also be counted as evidence of your claim.

Step 3: Get the evidence:

To be successful to make a road traffic accident claim, you need to keep pieces of evidence as possible. You also need the evidence to prove that someone else is responsible for your injuries. You can collect phone numbers, addresses, and vehicle registration numbers of those who are involved and witnessed this accident.

You might not admit any responsibility until you are aware of what happened during the accident. This may hurt your compensation claim.

Step 4: Contact Solicitors:

If you need to make a road traffic claim then you may require legal advice as soon as possible. In the United Kingdom, you will have 3 years from the date of the accident to claim compensation.

In some cases, there are no exact time limits. So you will get more time but we will recommend you make the claim as soon as possible.

Step 5: Claim for a road accident:

Once, you contact any legal advisor he will review your case and also inform you whether you are eligible to make the claim. He will work with you to support your claim and they will make sure that you can get the maximum amount of compensation for your claim.

Step 6: Get the compensation:

The compensation you will get depends on the injuries, the losses, and the expenses that occurred. Also, include if you will require any type of assistance or care following the accident.

Finally, you will get compensation for your road traffic accident claim.

Can I claim that the accident occurred due to my fault?

If you were solely responsible for a road traffic accident then you might not be able to claim compensation. But, in many cases, you can claim compensation if the accident happened because of your partial fault.

In such a situation, you will be able to make compensation claims. But, in this case, the amount you will receive would likely be reduced because of your partial contribution to the collision. 

How much compensation for a road traffic accident can I claim?

The amount of compensation that you will get after a road traffic accident varies depending on the severity of your injuries. So, until your case has been reviewed it is tough to say how much compensation for a road accident you can receive.

However, we can show you what will be included in your claim.

  • General damages: In this case, you can ask for compensation to cover your pain, suffering, and loss of convenience. This includes physical and psychological injuries and any illness.
  • Special damages: in this case, you can claim back any financial expenses that are linked to your accident. You can include prescription fees, care costs, lost income, modifications to your homes, and non-NHS medical treatment costs.

FAQ:

Can you claim minor injuries?

Ans: Yes, you can claim for minor injuries if you have suffered some injuries caused by a road accident. These include pain, cuts, soft tissue injuries, neck and back pain, etc.

How long after a road traffic accident you can make a claim?

Ans: In general, road traffic accidents have three years time limit from the date of the accident. But, if you were unable to claim compensation following the accident then you will get three years to claim your recovery.

How do I make claim for compensation for a road accident?

Ans: To make a claim for compensation, get a form from the insurer or write to the other driver or their insurer, then you need to provide all the details of the accident, and the other driver’s policy number. You need to keep all the pieces of evidence of the accident and make your compensation claim.

Conclusion:

The reasons for road accidents vary from case to case. If you have never gone through this process then it might seem complex to you.

Here, in this guide, we have provided all the valuable information that is related to claiming compensation for a road accident in the UK. Hope, this guide will be helpful to you and you will be able to claim compensation for road accidents much more easily.

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