Can I Claim For An HGV Accident?

Following an HGV accident, you could be left seriously injured and at a loss. If you are suffering mentally, physically or financially, you could be eligible to claim HGV accident compensation. However, before we begin our guide, you might be wondering, ‘what is an HGV accident claim?’

A Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) is used to transport goods between different locations. You may be involved in an accident involving an HGV if you are a driver, road user or pedestrian. A road traffic accident claim could compensate you for pain and suffering if you have sustained a personal injury following an HGV accident.

Our advisors are available 24/7 to offer free legal advice and answer any questions you may have after reading this guide. They could also confirm your eligibility for claiming lorry accident compensation and connect you to a No Win No Fee lawyer. When making a claim, you can get in touch using the details below:

  • Call the number above
  • Use our live chat function
  • Or contact us to request a callback
hgv accident

A guide on claiming following an HGV accident

Choose A Section

  1. Guidance On Making A HGV Accident Claim
  2. Calculating Compensation For A HGV Crash
  3. Explaining HGV Crashes
  4. What Could Lead To A HGV Accident Claim?
  5. Could I Have A No Win No Fee Agreement?
  6. More Information On Making A HGV Accident Claim

Guidance On Making A HGV Accident Claim

The Road Traffic Act 1988 and The Highway Code sets out the duty of care that all road users, including lorry drivers, owe to other road users. If you injure yourself following an HGV accident, you might be able to claim. However, you must be able to establish who is liable for a car accident.

When a driver acts negligently, they could be held liable for a road traffic accident. Ways they may do this include:

  • Driving over the speed limit
  • Driving under the influence
  • Failing to check their mirrors
  • Tailgating

On the contrary, the operating company of an HGV could be responsible for the accident if they failed to carry out appropriate health and safety checks and maintenance on the vehicle. In addition, a third party, for example, a fellow driver or pedestrian, may also display a level of negligence and cause an HGV accident.

If your employer or a third party owed you a legal duty of care and neglected this duty, resulting in an accident which led to you sustaining a personal injury, you may have grounds for a valid claim. Speak to our advisors for a free consultation with no obligation to use our services afterwards.

Calculating Compensation For A HGV Crash

When determining how much you might receive in compensation for an HGV accident, legal professionals use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to help them value injuries. Any physical or mental injuries you suffer because of an HGV crash caused by someone else’s negligence are referred to as general damages. 

We’ve taken compensation ranges from the 16th edition of the JCG to give you an idea of what a settlement for an HGV accident looks like.

InjuryCompensation RangeNotes
Severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder£59,860 to £100,670All aspects of your life are detrimentally affected.
Arm Injuries Resulting in Permanent and Substantial Disablement£39,170 to £59,860One of both forearms may suffer from serious fractures and there is significant permanent residual disability, either functionally or cosmetically.
Severe Leg Injuries (iii) Serious£39,200 to £54,830Your injury may require prolonged treatment and lead to extensive scarring.
A Severely Disabling Injury to the Elbow£39,170 to £54,830Injuries may cause impairment of function and will involve major surgery or significant disability.
Severe Fractures to FingersUp to £36,740Your grip may be impaired and you could suffer from deformity and reduced mechanical function.
Less Serious Hand Injury£14,450 to £29,000There could be significantly impaired function without future surgery.
Moderate Ankle Injuries£13,740 to £26,590Injuries cause difficulty walking for long periods of time or may cause awkwardness when using stairs.
Moderate Knee Injuries (i)£14,840 to £26,190Injuries may accelerate symptoms from a pre-existing condition.
Moderate Foot Injuries£13,740 to £24,990Future surgery may be required to deal with displaced metatarsal fractures.
Severe Toe Injuries£13,740 to £21,070One or two toes may need to be amputated following a crush injury.

It may also be possible for you to seek special damages following an HGV accident. Special damages involve any losses or expenses you have accrued as a result of your injuries. Therefore, you must be able to prove any financial damage you have suffered, perhaps through wage slips, receipts or bank statements. You may seek special damages for:

  • Medical fees
  • A loss of income or future earnings
  • Home adaptations
  • Vehicle adaptations
  • Prescription fees
  • Care costs
  • Travel expenses

For a more accurate estimation of a lorry accident payout you might receive, get in touch with our advisors. They may be able to connect you with a personal injury lawyer from our panel if you have a valid HGV accident claim. 

Explaining HGV Crashes

An HGV accident may happen for a number of reasons, including:

  • Poor road conditions
  • The vehicle is not properly maintained 
  • Negligent driving
  • Driver negligence
  • Driver fatigue
  • Mobile phone use
  • Pedestrian running out into the road
  • Adverse weather conditions
  • Cyclists not wearing visible clothing

However, not all of these causes would allow you to claim compensation for a lorry accident in which you are injured. In order to be eligible to make a lorry accident claim, you must be able to prove the three following points:

  • You were owed a legal duty of care
  • This duty of care was breached, causing an incident or accident
  • You suffered an injury as a result

Call us today to find out if you are eligible to claim. If you have a strong claim against a liable party, we might be able to connect you to our panel of personal injury solicitors. They could then arrange a private medical assessment for you to determine the extent of your injury and take you one step closer to getting the compensation you could be owed.

What Could Lead To An HGV Accident Claim?

Gathering evidence is crucial for any claim and could strengthen your chances of getting the maximum compensation for a lorry accident. 

Although a personal injury lawyer from our panel could arrange a medical assessment, it is still important that you seek medical attention upon sustaining your personal injury. In some cases, it could be a matter of life or death. Furthermore, hospital records can provide crucial evidence of your accident and injuries.

Other key forms of evidence you might consider gathering include:

  • Taking photos or videos of your injuries and the scene of the accident, including damage to the HGV or damaged car
  • Obtain vehicle registration numbers and insurance policy details, where possible
  • If there was CCTV where your accident occurred, you could request the footage
  • Dashcam footage is also useful
  • Gather witness contact details

Our panel of personal injury lawyers could help you gather evidence to strengthen your HGV accident claim. 

Could I Have A No Win No Fee Agreement?

A No Win No Fee agreement provides an affordable way to fund legal representation, which is why our panel of personal injury lawyers processes claims on a No Win No Fee basis. The legally binding contract is also referred to as a Conditional Fee Agreement and may benefit you because:

  • You’ll pay your solicitor a success fee, but only if you win your claim
  • You don’t pay any upfront solicitor fees or ongoing legal costs 
  • No hidden charges are involved as you’ll agree the costs with your solicitor before beginning legal proceedings

Get Advice On Making A HGV Accident Claim

Call an advisor today to find out if you could be eligible to make a No Win No Fee HGV accident claim. They work around the clock to offer legal advice and may connect you to our panel of personal injury lawyers. We would recommend:

  • Giving us a call on the phone number at the top of the page
  • Connecting instantly via our live chat feature
  • Or contacting us to see if you can begin the claims process

More Information On Making A HGV Accident Claim 

We wanted to share some more sources with you that you may find useful.

When to call 999 – You may need to seek medical help following an HGV crash

Road accidents and safety statistics – The latest government statistics regarding casualties on public roads in Great Britain.

Road Safety – Advice for staying safe on the roads from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

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That concludes our guide on making an HGV accident claim. If you feel like you are ready to take action, speak to our team to potentially begin the process.

Publisher Ruth Vaughn

Writer Lewis Jackson