UK CAR ACCIDENT CLAIM ADVICE

It is a common misconception that victims of vehicle collisions do not need lawyers. Until a solicitor is retained the insurance company knows that the person they are dealing with is not legally trained, is not familiar with damages awards and is not usually able to take the case to court. They are therefore unlikely to offer fair compensation in car accident claim settlement negotiations.

To be able to obtain compensation, you usually have to prove that there was negligence on the part of another person. This occurs when there is a breach in the duty of care by another person towards you and that breach results in damage. Negligence is generally defined as failing to do what a reasonable person would do or doing what a reasonable person would not do.

Compensation in a car accident claim is payable for almost all financial losses and damages can be awarded for pain and suffering, long term disabilities or death. Compensation can also be claimed for a recognised psychiatric illness including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. In the case of a death within a family, surviving family members who are dependant on the deceased can recover damages to cover financial support.

If you are the innocent victim of a collision you should notify the police and call for an ambulance if anyone is hurt. Try to record everything at the scene, including details of the accident, identification of the drivers and vehicles involved and contact details of any witnesses. Do not accept blame at the scene of the accident. Do not accept money. Do not agree to forget about the accident.

There are time limits within which a car accident claim must be made and they are usually applied strictly. In the case of personal injury the time limit is usually 3 years. Failure to commence proceedings within the time limit may result in loss of entitlement to compensation.

If you have suffered a personal injury in a collision that was not your fault we can ensure that you receive the best advice. Our lawyers have extensive experience in litigating, negotiating and settling cases on behalf of personal injury victims.

Here are 3 good reasons to choose our lawyers:

1. Our lawyers will provide you with legal advice on your rights and entitlements to compensation with no further obligation.
2. Our solicitors are specialist accredited expert members of the Law Society personal injury panel with extensive experience in negotiating, settling and litigating accident compensation claims.
3. If you decide to instruct any of our specialists to obtain compensation for you, they will act on a “no win no fee” basis. Compensation is paid in full and win or lose there is no charge.¹