In the UK, if you’ve been injured in a road traffic accident then it’s your responsibility to report the matter to the police and subsequently make a car accident claim.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule – if you’re a pedestrian and have been injured by a car, for example, then you should make a pedestrian accident claim.
In this guide we’ll be focusing on road traffic accidents, specifically those involving cars.
A common question we get is whether or not you can claim compensation for whiplash injuries following a car crash.
The short answer is yes – if you suffered serious neck pain as a result of an incident that wasn’t your fault then you can make a claim for compensation. In our experience, most people who suffer from whiplash following a car accident do not always realise that they are entitled to compensation until they hear about it from someone else or from reading an article like this one.
If you’ve been involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be able to claim compensation for any injuries you sustained.
This is called third party injury compensation and is one of the most common reasons people go to court (or settle out of court).
It doesn’t matter whether you were injured in a road accident, at work or even playing sport – if the injury was caused by another person, you could be entitled to receive financial compensation.
How much compensation should you receive?
The amount of compensation you receive will depend on how serious your injuries are. Here are some of the most common injuries that can result from an accident:
Common soft tissue injuries: These are often described as ‘workplace’ or ‘sports’ injuries because they are caused when an impact forces the soft tissues in the body to become overstretched or torn. They include strains, sprains and whiplash.
Long-term problems: If your injury is serious enough to cause long-term damage, such as chronic back pain or nerve damage, this is known as a permanent disability. You could receive ongoing payments for this.
Permanent scarring: More severe injuries can cause lasting scarring on the skin.
As a rule, you’ll need to be able to demonstrate that the injury suffered falls into one of the following categories:
- You sustained a physical injury to your body or mind that significantly impacted on your day-to-day life and activities
- Your employer suffered financial loss because of your inability to work
- You were physically unable to work due to injury
- You suffered as a result of psychological trauma as a result of the accident or your injuries
When you’ve established that you have a case for claim, it’s worth getting in touch with an expert third party personal injury lawyer who can give you expert advice on how best to proceed with proceedings.
The amount of compensation you could potentially receive is largely dependent on the seriousness of your injuries, but could cover anything from medical expenses, loss of income due to inability to work, pain and suffering and even funeral costs if applicable.