Your Road Traffic Accident Claim Checklist

If you are involved in a road traffic accident where someone else was wholly or partially at fault, it is important to take the right steps, both at the scene of the accident and in the following days. This will help to ensure that you stay protected legally and that you have the best chance of claiming compensation effectively.

This checklist is intended to give a quick overview of the key things you need to do following a road traffic accident, so you have confidence that you don’t miss anything. For complete guidance through every step of making a claim, please get in touch with our road traffic accident lawyers and we will be happy to help.

What to do after a road traffic accident

Do not admit liability

You should never admit liability for the accident, even if you think you may have been partially responsible. This can potentially undermine any claim you make in future and mean that you could lose out on compensation.

Call the emergency services if necessary

If anyone has been injured or the road is blocked, you should call the police and an ambulance. You should also call the police if you feel threatened by anyone else involved in the accident.

Make sure you get all the right information about the accident

These details include when and where the accident occurred, personal details of any other road users and police officers involved, and the weather and road conditions at the time of the accident.  Get details of any witnesses.  Take photographs.

All of this information is crucial when making a claim as it makes sure you can get in touch with the other people involved and have a clear record of what happened.

Contact your insurer

You should contact your insurer as soon as possible, ideally immediately after the accident. Even if you do not intend to make a claim on your insurance, you should notify your insurer in case any other drivers involved in the accident attempt to make a claim.

Seek medical attention

It is always a good idea to seek medical attention following an accident. As well as being important for protecting your health, this can also provide evidence of any injuries you suffered which can be important if you wish to claim compensation.

Start a personal injury claim

If you were injured in the accident, you should consider starting a personal injury claim. While some people are reluctant to do so, the compensation available is often substantial and you could leave yourself vulnerable if the other party makes a claim and you did not.

When thinking about starting a claim, key points to remember are:

• You normally need to claim within 3 years of the accident occurring
• Most claims are resolved out of court, making the process faster and less stressful
• Even if your accident involved an uninsured or unidentified ‘hit and run’ driver, you may still be able to make a claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB)
• Claims valued at £1,000-£25,000 can often be resolved in around 4-9 months with an out-of-court settlement using the government’s Pre-Action Protocol for Low Value Personal Injury Claims in Road Traffic Accidents
• Higher value claims can take longer to resolve, but can still usually be settled out of court
• Most personal injury lawyers offer ‘no win, no fee’ deals, meaning there is normally no upfront cost to you for starting a claim
• It is always a good idea to work with a personal injury team with specialist experience in road traffic accidents, as they can ensure all the right steps are taken and that you have the best chance of securing fair compensation

Start a road traffic accident claim today

If you have been injured in a road traffic accident that was not your fault, we can help you to claim compensation. We offer genuine no win, no fee deals and decades of specialist expertise with all types of road traffic accident claims, so our team can provide the very best service to help you get the compensation you deserve.

To find out more about starting a claim, please get in touch with our road traffic accident claims solicitors offices across South Wales and the surrounding area by contacting your local Devonalds office.