Road traffic accidents
When you are in a road traffic accident, you're very lucky if you are able to walk away without some sort of injury. When you are injured, making a claim against the responsible party will protect your financial interests by gaining payment for medical expenses, lost wages and ongoing conditions related to the injury. To gain this compensation, you must have grounds for a claim, follow the proper procedure and have the correct documentation.
Grounds for a claim
If you are injured by any type of vehicle and are not at fault for the accident, you have grounds for a claim. You will be submitting a claim against the other party, even if that party was unidentified at the scene of the injury. To show you have a proper claim, however, you must have the correct documentation. In all cases the medical paperwork must show you were in fact injured during the accident.
Injury documentation
A great many car accident compensation claims are thrown out or lost due to missing paperwork. The individual claiming injury failed to seek medical treatment for his injuries immediately following the accident and thus doesn't truly qualify as being hurt to a state that can support a claim.
On a more personal level, this means you should immediately seek out medical attention following an accident even if you feel the slightest injury. If you are in shock and numb to any pain that might appear later, ask the ambulance personnel on the scene to check you for any swelling or apparent injuries and note any abnormal feelings or sensations that might develop into pain later, as is often the case with whiplash.
All of your medical assistance should be documented and you should see a doctor immediately if any new symptoms appear. The medical notes are instrumental in determining if you were in fact injured as well as setting compensation levels for your injuries.
Procedure in a car accident
When involved in a car accident, you must first get applicable information from the other driver after assessing any injuries. If police are involved, as they usually are, you can trust the officers to obtain the required information and handle the documentation. Be sure, however, that you get a copy of any signed documents from the scene for your own records.
If the party causing the injury drives off without stopping or is not insured, you will need to file your claim with Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). The untraced driver claim covers hit-and-run style accidents and an uninsured motorist compensation plan protects you when you are involved with a driver without insurance.
If you opted for legal insurance on your auto insurance package, you already have legal representation for your claim. If you chose not to have this coverage, you can retain the services of a solicitor to represent you. Many of these solicitors act on a no win no fee policy, but you should determine the details of the plan as well as how much you will be asked to pay when you win to protect yourself from unfair or skewed compensation plans. If you're not sure if you have legal insurance, contact your insurance company.
Your solicitor, whether through your insurance or self obtained, will guide you through the claims process, and you can put the idea of grand awards aside. The average compensation from insurance companies in a traffic related accident is GBP 1,500 to 2,000.