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Home » What Should I Do If I Have Been Involved In A Road Traffic Accident?

What Should I Do If I Have Been Involved In A Road Traffic Accident?

What are the reasons to file an Injury Claim for Personal Injuries?

Personal injury lawsuits aren’t just for malingerers and money-grabbers? Absolutely no!

Personal injury claims can receive bad press from some places however they aren’t an ‘earn money quick’ scheme. They’re designed to reverse the damage – to the extent that is feasible the negative consequences from your accident. You’ve suffered an injury, which is why you have a legal right to compensation in the hope to rectify the mistake.

The negative effects of an accident on the road can manifest in a variety of ways. While the most obvious is the physical injuries that you sustained as a result of the collision, the other consequences could cause just as much damage. They include mental symptoms and changes in your life quality and income loss.

It is clear that money alone will not erase all the negative effects of an accident. However, seeking compensation for personal injury could be an excellent option in difficult situations.

There are many good reasons to file a road traffic accident claim:

Supporting your recuperation. For some types of injuries getting treatment early could make all the difference in your recovery. But, the fastest method to receive treatment is to pay it off privately, and avoid NHS waitlists. This can be challenging particularly if funds are already tight as a result of an accident. When filing an injury claim it is often possible to get funding obtained through a medical facility or through the other party’s insurance company. This allows you to get medical treatment as soon as you can without having to bear the cost.
Financial assistance in the event of a road traffic accident can impact all aspects of the way you live, such as your earnings. If you’re not able to work because of your injuries, the cost of your compensation could be a major stressor and cause of anxiety. Compensation may help ease anxiety. In certain situations it is possible to get compensation received before a claim is concluded through interim payments.
Redressing an injustice You didn’t choose to be hurt however, due to another’s negligent driving or negligence, you’ve been forced to suffer suffering, pain and negative consequences in your personal life. The issue should be resolved immediately. If you file a claim, you will get recognition of the incident in addition to compensation.
An excellent choice in a difficult situation Unfortunately, the accident happened and can’t be altered. You’ll have suffered some harm caused by the accident, regardless of whether you are able to claim damages or not. Making the claim for amount of compensation to which you are legally entitled should at the very least give you a chance to claim compensation for the losses you suffered.

What should I do if I’ve Been Affected In The road Traffic Accident?

Following an incident, there are many ways you can aid your situation and establish the foundations for making claims. It is crucial to avoid some of the most frequent mistakes that personal injury victims make.

Your health is your primary priority. Regaining your health, and keeping your injuries from getting worse is your primary concern following any accident. This includes getting medical treatment and treatments when is necessary. Any action that is based on a potential claim should be taken when you’re certain that your health is secure.
Getting medical attention can also help your claim. Going to your doctor or hospital guarantees you get the medical care you require. It is also helpful to document any injuries you suffered during the incident. Your medical records and your GP will then serve as a solid foundation for proving your claim.
Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer that you trust. It is recommended to talk to a lawyer as soon as you can. They can provide you with an expert opinion from the start that can be beneficial when preparing claims. Following an accident can be a tense period and hiring a reliable lawyer can assist you in this regard as well. It is common to receive calls from a variety of organizations such as your insurance company, the insurance company of the other driver hiring car companies, garages, claims management firms as well as claims management companies. If you select your solicitor earlier stage of your life, this provides you a reliable person to contact that is in your best interests who is able to contact many of these people on your behalf when needed.
Collect and preserve all the evidence you can. If you’re considering filing a claim, evidence at this early stage is essential. Evidence is the most important element to any injury lawsuit, and getting it in place as quickly as you can after an accident will greatly increase your chances of winning. It is possible that you did not gather evidence right after the incident (something that is normal in the context of the incident) however, there are options to collect evidence after a while is passed.
Revisit the scene in order to snap photos if it is possible and secure to do this.
Keep a “pain diary” in which you record the progress in your injury.
Keep documents, receipts and documentation of all expenses you have paid or receive treatment or receive, etc. Find out ‘What am I able to claim after a road-traffic accident below for more details on the kind of losses to keep track of.

Cold-callers

Be wary of callers who claim that their records prove you’ve been victimized in an incident’ or similar. In nine out of ten cases it will be a random occurrence or a general message to everyone at any number they dial. It can also be frightening when you’ve just experienced an accident and a mysterious phone caller appears to know everything about the incident. If you’re not sure if the person who is calling you is related to the accident that you had You may refer them to a solicitor. If there’s a valid reason behind their contact, they should talk to your solicitor about this. In the event that they don’t, you won’t ever hear from them once more. This is a method of getting rid of the wasteful people!

Do I have the ability to make a claim?

The primary requirement for filing an claim is to make it within three years from the date of the incident. There are many factors that can impact this however. For more information, refer to”What is the maximum time frame for an insurance claim following an accident on the roads? The answer is below.

There are certain situations that might cause you to think twice about whether it is possible to file claims. Here are a few of the most common questions:

I believe that it was my fault.

If the accident was in fact your fault, then you’ll not be entitled to compensation. However, it’s important to speak with a solicitor to discuss your situation. You may be judging your actions too harshly.

Additionally, the liability of an accident may be settled through a’split liability’ basis. This means that the ‘fault of the incident is divided among the parties, typically by percentage. If the two parties involved in an incident are both believed to be equally responsible then the responsibility would be split 50/50 between the two. If one of them has an injury claim for personal reasons and is successful, they’ll be able to pursue compensation, however the final settlement amount will be decreased by 50 percent. This would take into consideration their share of responsibility.

Naturally, this is an award for compensation. It could still assist you financially to cover the injuries and loss you’ve experienced. If you’re sharing part of the blame for an accident on the roads the process of filing a personal injury claim might be worth it.

I didn’t have a seatbelt on.

If you did not wear your seatbelt when you were involved in the accident, it does not impact your right to receive compensation, however, it can impact the amount of compensation you are awarded.

The use of a seatbelt may not have prevented the accident from occurring, but it might have reduced or prevented the extent of the injuries. In the event that you didn’t wear a seatbelt, it could be considered “contributory negligence” by you.

Contributory negligence is basically the term used to describe how your actions contributed to the damage you sustained during the crash. In the absence of the seatbelt, you did not to take reasonable steps to protect yourself.

If you don’t wear a seatbelt it doesn’t mean that there’s a chance to find a case of negligence that contributed to the accident. Much will depend on the type of injury you’ve suffered as well as the advice of a medical professional. A medical expert might conclude it is unlikely that wearing your seat belt could not have affected the injuries you sustained. If this is the case, there will not be any reduction in the amount you are entitled to.

If a seatbelt could have been beneficial and reduced the amount of compensation. It can be as high as 25% in situations in which a seatbelt could have avoided your injuries entirely. It is a smaller reduction (usually about 15 percent) when your injuries could be less serious had you worn an appropriate seatbelt.

The driver behind drove off without leaving their information

Drivers involved in traffic accidents are legally bound to stop and give their details on the spot. In the absence of this, it is a crime. However, it doesn’t hinder it from occurring.

If you’re in a position to obtain the registration of the vehicle used by the other driver and license plate, you can use it to locate their insurance details (if they have any). This is obviously not simple to accomplish if you’ve were involved in an accident, and the other driver has left the scene.

There’s still a chance of filing a claim however. The claim will be processed by an organization known as the Motor Insurers’ Bureau. They will try to locate the driver who hit and ran however, if they are unable to locate them, they’ll take care of your claim the same manner as the insurance companies would do – making payments on an outcome of your claim.

These types of claims are generally called”untraced” driver claims.

The driver who drove me did not have insurance or give me inaccurate or misleading information.

It is possible to make an injury claim when the other driver isn’t insured. The incorrect insurance information is not generally a problem as long as you own the registration of your vehicle since this permits the insurers of the car to be identified.

In the event that the car is covered but the driver wasn’t legally insured for driving it typically the insurance companies on the car will come in to handle your claim in the end.

In the event that there is no legal insurance coverage and you are unable to obtain insurance, you can submit claims via the Motor Insurance Bureau. They’ll act like an insurance firm and pay your claim if you are able to prove your claim.

My car was in traffic accident involving a foreign-registered vehicle

This is another scenario in which the Motor Insurance Bureau could be involved. If you resided located in the UK and a vehicle that was registered in a foreign country like a lorry, for example that caused the accident, you might be eligible to claim. The Motor Insurance Bureau is part of in what’s known as the green card system. This allows them to find and contact the appropriate insurance company of that foreign car.

In contrast to uninsured or untraced claims however motor insurers’ Board will generally not intervene to settle the claim. Instead the claim will typically be handled by representatives from the UK appointed by the foreign insurance company.

If you’d like to know more details on these types of claims, please get in touch with us.

I was away at the time of the incident.

Traffic accidents that took place while you were away are also a possibility to claim in certain situations. The amount of compensation will be contingent on the nation in which the incident occurred.

If you’re able file an appeal, it’s most likely that it is the Motor Insurance Bureau , or an agent based in the UK of an insurance company from abroad that will review your claim.

Since these scenarios could be a bit difficult, if you’ve suffered a traffic collision at a foreign location, you should to speak with us about your situation.