Road Traffic Accident Claims

How do I make a road traffic accident claim?

If you have been involved in a car accident within the last three years, and have suffered injuries due to someone else’s negligent actions, it is likely that you will be eligible to make a claim.

To make a claim it is recommended to seek legal advice as soon after the accident occurred as possible, whilst the details of the accident are still fresh to mind.

We have a team of specialist road traffic accident solicitors that you can contact via email, online enquiry form, phone or live chat to start the claims process.

A member of our friendly team will then contact you to ask you a series of questions regarding the circumstances of the accident. We will also explain to you the No Win, No Fee agreement and outline the next steps to proceeding with your personal injury claim.

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What can I claim compensation for?

The injuries that you have suffered as a result of the accident may leave you out of pocket, as you may need to take time off work to recover. This may also involve the need to pay for rehabilitative treatment and increased travel costs, through being unable to drive, or due to the damages to your vehicle. The following will be taken into consideration when calculating the value of your road accident claim:

• The cost of repairing your vehicle, or its replacement cost if it is too badly damaged.
• Any travel costs you have incurred whilst your own vehicle is off-road, e.g. hire charges, bus fares etc.
• Loss of earnings.
• Injury compensation.
• Medical expenses such as physiotherapy fees, prescription charges, painkillers etc.
• Compensation for care and support.
• Rehabilitation

What are the common types of road traffic accidents?

There are many different accident scenarios, including:

• Rear end collisions
• Concertina collisions
• Collisions at junctions or roundabouts
• Lane-changing collisions
• Collisions caused by overtaking
• Excessive speed
• Reversing
• Failing to indicate
• Collisions caused by uninsured drivers
• Drunk drivers
• Joy riders
• Hit and run accidents

No two road traffic accident claims are the same and arguments about who is to blame can arise even in the most straightforward accident circumstances. In some cases both parties can be at fault leading to a split liability settlement or a finding of contributory negligence.

How much will my road traffic accident claim be worth?

If you have been involved in a collision our car accident solicitors will provide you with a free honest assessment of your case advising you what you can claim for, such as:

• The cost of repairing your vehicle, or its replacement cost if it is too badly damaged.
• Any travel costs you have incurred whilst your own vehicle is off-road, e.g. hire charges, bus fares etc.
• Loss of earnings.
• Injury compensation.
• Medical expenses such as physiotherapy fees, prescription charges, painkillers etc.
• Compensation for care and support.
• Rehabilitation

The amount of compensation that you could obtain depends on the individual circumstances of each case.

As of the 31^st May 2021 the laws around claiming compensation for a whiplash injury have changed. A new fixed tariff of compensation, based on the length of time it takes the claimant to recover from their whiplash injury. Visit our whiplash injuries page for more information on how the new tariff system works.

Your road accident solicitor will take into account the above factors when calculating a settlement figure, but you can use our car accident claims calculator below to get an idea of how much your physical injuries could be worth.

Calculate my claim

Why choose us to handle your claim?

Knowing the law and what evidence to obtain to prove who caused an accident, and what evidence is required to support any losses sustained, is vital to the success of any car accident claim, and it is what we do best.

Obtaining evidence to prove who caused an accident and to support any losses sustained, including a report from a medical expert, is vital to the success of any car accident claim.

TRUE Solicitors LLP help thousands of injured clients every year recover compensation from their road traffic accident claims, including pre-med settlement offers.  We act for clients who have suffered relatively minor soft tissue injuries, such as whiplash, and those who have suffered more serious injuries requiring extensive medical treatment.

What road traffic accident claims do we handle?

True Solicitors handle all types of road traffic accidents including:

Motorcycle accidents
Cycling accidents
Public transport accidents
Passenger accidents
Uninsured driver claims 
Pedestrian accidents
Taxi accident claims 

Is there a time limit for making a claim?

Road traffic accident claims should be started within three years of the accident happening. The sooner you instruct the help of a solicitor the better. There are however some exceptions to this rule, including:

Children – If children are involved in a road traffic accident the law allows for their parent or guardian to submit a claim on their behalf at any time before their eighteenth birthday.  After the child has turned eighteen they can choose to pursue a claim themselves before the age of twenty-one.

Mental Incapacity – If the person involved in a car accident doesn’t have the mental capacity to make a claim themselves, a family member or friend can make a claim on their behalf at any time after the accident has occurred.

What do I do after a road accident?

If you have been involved in a road accident you must immediately stop your vehicle, seek medical attention if you or anyone else involved has been injured and exchange details with the other driver. If it is safe to do so it is also advisable to collect evidence, such as photos and video footage from the scene of the accident.

By law you must also report the accident to the police within 24 hours of the accident occurring.

Read our guide: What should I do after a road traffic accident? for more information.

Can I claim for a road accident that was partly my fault?

A lot of road accidents can be caused due to the fault of both of the drivers involved. When a person is partly responsible for the injuries that they have sustained, this is referred to as ‘contributory negligence’. If the claimant is found to be negligent in some way for causing the accident, or acting negligent in a way that has made their injuries worse, the compensation amount awarded will be reduced by what percentage the person was at fault. For example if it is deemed that the claimant was 30% at fault, they would receive 70% of their compensation settlement.

Read our guide: Common scenarios for split liability & Contributory negligence for more information.

What evidence do you need to prove a road accident claim?

When making a road traffic accident claim your solicitor will build a case against the defense by collecting evidence to support your claim. If it is safe to do so, at the scene of the accident it is advisable to collect the following details:

• The name, address, vehicle registration number and insurance policy details of the third party.
• The make and model of the vehicle(s) involved.
• The date and time of the accident.
• The road conditions and weather.
• If possible take photos or video evidence from the scene of the accident, make sure that this clearly shows vehicle damage.
• Make note of the police case reference number assigned to the accident.
• Get the contact details of any witnesses.
• Note the direction of travel of the vehicles involved.

After the accident it is also helpful to:

• Keep a diary of your symptoms and pain suffered.
• Receipts for any out of pocket expenses – such as travel receipts to and from medical appointments and prescription charges.
• Payslips dated 3 months prior to the accident and during the time you were off sick to show your loss of earnings.

Read our guide: What evidence should I collect after a road traffic accident? for more information.

Contact True Solicitors on 0344 854 7000, or submit your details below, to start a road traffic accident claim:

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