Car Accident Claim Solicitors – How To Make A Claim

This informative guide will explain the benefits of using car accident claim solicitors. A car accident can cause severe and life-changing injuries. Therefore this could cause physical and psychological pain and suffering, as well as impact your quality of life, including your ability to work and enjoy social events. If another road user’s negligence has caused you to be injured, you could be eligible to make a road traffic accident claim. 

car accident claim solicitors

A guide to car accident claim solicitors

Every road user has a duty of care to navigate the roads safely and ensure they do not cause harm. The Highway Code outlines the responsibilities of drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to ensure the safe use of the roads. Some of the rules in The Highway Code are backed by law. At the same time, the Road Traffic Act 1988 governs the correct use of vehicles and bikes on the road as well as defining certain driving offences. 

Continue reading to learn more about the time limits for making a car accident claim and how much compensation could be awarded for a successful claim. We will also discuss how the changes to the process of claiming whiplash compensation could affect your claim.

Additionally, if you would like to make enquiries, speak to a member of our team. Our advisors are available 24/7 to provide free and confidential legal advice. If you allow them to assess your claim, they could place you in contact with one of the No Win No Fee car accident claim solicitors from our panel. However, speaking to an advisor will not place you under any obligation to further your claim with us.

To get in touch, you can:

Select A Section

  1. Who Could Car Accident Claim Solicitors Help?
  2. Types Of Car Accident Claims
  3. Are There Time Limits On Car Accident Claims?
  4. How Do I Claim For A Car Accident Injury?
  5. Car Accident Compensation Payouts UK
  6. Contact Car Accident Claim Solicitors Today

Who Could Car Accident Claim Solicitors Help?

The following must be true to make a car accident personal injury claim:

  • A road user owed you a duty of care.
  • They breached their duty of care.
  • As a result of this breach, an accident occurred in which you sustain injuries.  

For example, the driver of a car has consumed over the legal limit of alcohol and is swerving dangerously across the road. They crash into an oncoming vehicle on the opposite side of the road. The non-fault driver is badly injured in the accident; they have a serious head injury and a severe shoulder injury.

The victim in this example could be eligible to use a car accident claim solicitor to help them make a case to receive road traffic compensation. This is because the driver breaching their duty of care caused them to be injured. 

Further examples of how a road user could breach their duty of care: 

  • Driving through red lights.
  • Speeding.
  • Driving under the influence of drugs.
  • Failing to follow the guidance of road signs and markings. 

Continue reading to find out about different types of car accident claims. Additionally, contact our advisors to find out how car accident claim solicitors could provide advice on liability.  

Types Of Car Accident Claims 

Various car accidents that could occur involving multiple parties include: 

  • T-bone – A car collides with the side of another car. 
  • Head on – Two cars crash into one another.
  • Rear end – A car crashes into the back of another car.
  • Sideswipe – One car hits the side of another one while changing lanes, for example. 

It is important to note that you do not have to be the driver of a vehicle to make a compensation claim for injuries caused by a road user’s negligence; for example, you could be a passenger in a car accident. Therefore, this also encompasses taxi and minicab accidents, bus accidents and other public transport accidents. 

Whiplash Injury Claims

The Whiplash Reform Programme was brought into effect on the 31st of May 2021 and changed the process of claiming compensation for whiplash injuries. 

Drivers and passengers over 18 must now use the government’s online portal to claim for whiplash if their injuries are valued at £5,000 or less. However, if your injuries are valued at £5,000 or over, the claim does not need to be made through the portal.

Furthermore, the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021 outline a tariff of injuries that can be applied to most whiplash claims. These tariff amounts might still be applied to claims not made through the portal, however.

To learn how this could impact your claim, please contact our team of advisors. You could be connected with one of the car accident claim solicitors from our panel. 

Are There Time Limits On Car Accident Claims?

There are time limits for making a car accident claim laid out by the Limitation Act 1980. You generally have three years to begin your claim from the date you were injured or the date that you connected your injuries to negligence.

There are some exceptions to these time limits, for example, if you are under the age of 18 or lack the mental capacity to make a claim. A member of our team can advise you on whether these exceptions apply.

Also, if you would like to enquire about talking to one of the car accident claim solicitors from our panel, speak to our advisors. A solicitor could tell you whether your claim is within the relevant time limits. 

How Do I Claim For A Car Accident Injury?

To claim following a car accident injury, it is not only important to check that you are within the relevant time limits, but it is also important to prove your injuries were caused by another road user’s negligence. Some evidence you could gather as proof includes:

  • Photographic evidence
  • CCTV or dashcam footage 
  • Witness contact details
  • Medical evidence

Finally, we recommend seeking legal advice. At Advice, we offer free, confidential guidance to help you start your claim. Contact us today to begin.  

Car Accident Compensation Payouts UK

There are two potential heads of successful road traffic accident claims:

  • General damages – reimburse for the mental and physical pain and suffering caused by the injuries. 
  • Special damages – reimburse you for past and future financial losses resulting from the injuries sustained in the accident.   

Legal professionals, such as car accident claim solicitors, use a document called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), updated in April 2022, to help them value the general damages in personal injury settlements. We have also used the JCG to create the table below to provide compensation brackets for different injuries which could be sustained in a road traffic accident. 

It is important to note that these figures are a guide and should not be taken as the exact amounts you will receive.

Injury DetailsCompensation Bracket
Amputation of Arms (a)Both arms are lost.£240,790 to £300,000
Injuries Affecting Sight (b)The person will have total blindness.In the region of £268,720
Chest Injury (a)The total removal of one lung or serious heart damage. This will cause serious and prolonged pain as well as significant permanent scars. £100,670 to £150,110
Severe Neck Injuries (a)(i)The injury may be associated with incomplete paraplegia.In the region of £148,330
Severe Neck Injuries (a)(iii)The injuries will lead to chronic conditions and a significant permanent disability. This could be caused by dislocations, fractures or severe damage to soft tissues. £45,470 to £55,990
Amputation of Legs (a)(iii)One leg will be amputated above the knee. £104,830 to £137,470
Severe Back Injury (a)(ii)The person may suffer a loss of sensation due to nerve root damage and impaired mobility. £74,160 to £88,430
Severe Leg Injuries (b)(iii)The person will have injuries to joints or ligaments or have serious comminuted or compound fractures. The injury will lead to prolonged treatment, instability or a combination of features. £39,200 to £54,830
Moderately Severe Psychiatric Harm (b)The person will have significant problems with their ability to cope with daily life, work and education. £19,070 to £54,830
Deafness/Tinnitus (c)The person will have completely lost hearing in one ear. This could be accompanied by tinnitus, headaches or dizziness.£31,310 to £45,540

Furthermore, you could be eligible to claim compensation for monetary losses caused by your injuries. Some of the costs and expenses you could claim under special damages include:

  • Past and future loss of earnings 
  • Housing alterations
  • Medical expenses
  • Care costs 
  • Travel expenses   

However, it is important to note that special damages must be proved using evidence. This could include payslips, travel tickets, invoices or bank records. If you don’t provide sufficient evidence, you might not be fully compensated. 

Please contact a member of our team to learn more about calculating car accident injury payouts. 

Contact Car Accident Claim Solicitors Today

Are you wondering how using No Win No Fee car accident claim solicitors under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) could benefit road traffic cases? This arrangement means that you generally do not make any payments for your solicitor’s services if your claim is unsuccessful. There are also usually no upfront and ongoing fees for their services as well. 

At the same time, if your claim is successful and you are awarded compensation, your solicitor will receive a small percentage of the compensation, known as a ‘success fee’. The law caps the percentage that your lawyer can take, which stops you from being overcharged.

To find out whether you could be eligible to work with one of the No Win No Fee car accident claim solicitors from our panel, allow one of our advisors to assess your claim.  

To get in touch, you can:

Cases Car Accident Claim Solicitors Could Handle

Take a look at more road traffic accident guides from our site: 

External sources for further reading:

If you have any more questions about using car accident claim solicitors, speak with our team today.

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