Car Accident Claims

Fatigue, impatience and bad roads are just some of the contributory factors that result in most of the car accident claims from crashes and road traffic collisions on London’s roads. Negligence and rash driving add to the numbers.

Regardless of the reason, if you are injured in a car accident that was due to no fault of yours, you may be entitled to file a car accident compensation claim. It’s not something you like to think will happen to you but it is best to be prepared for any eventuality. This means knowing what to do should you find yourself caught up in a crash that is due to somebody else’s mistake, carelessness or negligence.

What to do immediately after a car accident

1. Call an ambulance.

If you are badly hurt your first priority should be to get your injuries attended to. If you cannot get to the hospital yourself, call an ambulance to get you there. Keep all records of this visit, including the diagnosis, prescription, X-Rays and other diagnostic tests. Also keep all of the receipts. These will serve as proof of expenses directly related to the accident.

2. Call the police.

Any road accident must be reported to the police. The police will make their notes at the scene of the accident. They will also question witnesses and take photographs of the scene. This police report will serve as crucial evidence when you file a claim for car accident compensation.

3. Get photographs of the scene.

If you do not appear very seriously hurt, try and record as many details as possible by taking photographs of the scene itself as well as the surrounding areas. Get photographs from different angles. In scrutinizing them at a later date your personal injury lawyer may spot something that you missed.

4. Makes notes of everything you remember before and after the accident.

This includes the time and date, the offending vehicle’s make, model and registration number, weather conditions, lighting and visibility conditions and the offending driver’s insurance details. Get the names and contact details of witnesses at the scene so you have a few people who can corroborate your story if it goes to court. Witnesses play a significant role in proving innocence, so do not dismiss this step as trivial.

All of the above steps are absolutely crucial in order to build a strong personal injury case that can support your car accident compensation claim.

Proceeding with a car accident claim

Once you’ve got the necessary photographs, police records, written notes and witnesses’ details and you’ve got your injuries attended to, you need to find a good personal injury lawyer to file a a car accident compensation claim on your behalf.

Fortunately, this is very easy to do, just call 020 3000 7605. Our personal injury lawyers offer an initial no-cost, no-obligation consultation during which they will go through all of the supporting documents and assess the merits of your case. If you have a strong case they will offer to represent you on a No Win No Fee basis, which essentially means you do not have to pay any fees upfront.

Our No Win No Fee agreement states that the lawyer assigned to your car accident claim will file your claim in court and represent you right through to the end without asking for a penny by way of fees. Only when and if you win the case, you have to pay a percentage of the award as legal fees. Both parties – you and our lawyer – will have to agree on this percentage at the time of signing the agreement.

Understanding your entitlements as a car accident victim

As a car accident victim you are entitled to be compensated for all losses and injuries that you have suffered as a result of the accident. These could include but are not limited to:

• Physical injuries.
• Psychological stress and trauma.
• Cost of immediate medical treatment such as X Rays, doctors’ consultation fees, prescribed medication and dressings for the wounds.
• Cost of long-term medical treatment such as physiotherapy and rehabilitation.
• Loss of actual income from being unable to go to work or attend to business.
• Loss of potential income from bonuses and other perks.
• Cost of transportation to get to the hospital for short and long term treatment.
• Expenses incurred in making the necessary changes to the home or car to help you overcome your mobility restrictions.

Time limits for filing car accident claims

Personal injury law states that all claims for compensation must be filed within 3 years from the time of the car accident. If you delay in putting together your case and get it ready to file after the 3 year statute of limitations you may forfeit any chances of getting the compensation that is due to you. This is another compelling reason why you must consider hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer to file the claim on your behalf instead of deciding to fight it out yourself.

After a car accident you will find yourself dealing with several adverse situations. In addition to getting medical treatment for your injuries and trying to overcome the psychological trauma you will also have to find a way to get back to work as quickly as possible. The longer you stay away from work, the worse the consequences might be. Not only does your salary get docked but you also lose out on promotions and other workplace-related benefits.

This is a lot to deal with and most car accident victims tend to put off the compensation claim for another day. Three years can fly by very quickly and you could lose out on your right to claim.
When you hire our personal injury lawyer, they are committed to your cause. They are of course aware of the 3-year statute of limitations and will work quickly and efficiently to build a strong case that will boost your chances of winning the maximum possible compensation allowable under the circumstances.

All of this is done under the terms of the No Win No Fee agreement, which means you do not have the additional stress of worrying about paying any legal fees until after the case is closed and won.