Road Traffic Accident Guide

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If you have been involved in a Road Traffic Accident, you should report the accident to your insurer and gather as much information as possible. It is also useful to know what steps to take to maximise your chances of a successful claim. We suggest you use the following guidelines to make sure that you are in the best position to make a claim:

Information to collect at the time of the accident (if possible):
  • The time and date the car accident took place
  • Contact details of all the drivers, passengers and pedestrians involved
  • Details of the cars, including make, model, registration number, colour, and the number of passengers
  • The insurance details of the car driver and the number of passengers in their car
  • Whether or not the car headlights and/or indicator lights were switched on
  • The weather, visibility and lighting conditions at the time of the accident
  • Name and the station details of any police officer attending the scene of the accident
  • Any damage caused to each car including photographs
  • Any injuries caused as a result of the accident
  • Photographs of the scene of the accident
  • Street name(s) of the accident location
Information to recall following the accident:
  • Try to remember what happened, including sketches of the cars’ positioning
  • Estimate what speed the cars were going
  • The type of road the accident occurred on
  • Try to describe the scene of the accident, including any road markings, traffic lights, signs, obstructions or recognisable buildings
  • Return to the accident scene to take photographs of the accident location and also of your injuries and damage to your car
  • Any information taken from witnesses following the accident
  • Keep a diary of events following the accident, including visits for medical care
  • Keep receipts for all of your ‘out-of-pocket’ expenses that you have incurred as a result of the accident e.g. painkillers, prescription charges, travel expenses
  • Details of any loss of earnings where you have had to take time off to recuperate and the cost of any recommended treatment such as physiotherapy
  • Keep all correspondence relating to the accident and ensure that you forward copies promptly onto your solicitor

 

Even if you believe you may have partially been at fault for the accident, you can still claim for compensation. The more evidence you can produce in support of your claim, especially in relation to liability and the value of your claim, the more likely you are to succeed in recovering the maximum amount of compensation for your injuries and losses.

We are here to help you throughout the process and welcome any questions you may have in relation to your claim. Get in touch with us today via our Online Enquiry Form for a no-obligation discussion about how we can help you.

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