If you have been injured in a road traffic accident that wasn’t your fault and you were the driver at the time, you can definitely make a claim for compensation. Your role in a vehicle has no bearing whatsoever on your ability to make a claim. The only possible reason for not being able to make a claim as the driver of a vehicle, is if your accident happened more than three years ago. In the United Kingdom, personal injury claims are time-barred after three years. If however your accident happened within the last three years, then you should be eligible to make a claim for compensation.
We say should, because there is another factor that affects your ability to claim, and that is how the accident happened. To be eligible for financial compensation, the other party must be partly or wholly to blame for the accident in which you sustained your injuries. Putting in a new claim for an accident you were responsible for is possible, though, and in the end it is up to the other side to contest liability – and some insurance companies pay out regardless, if it is in their best interests. If they do contest liability, then they will have to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that they were not to blame for the accident.
If you were driving for work, such as if you were going to a meeting or you operate a private hire vehicle, then you can also make an accident claim. Your claim will be against the other party’s insurance company. Insurance companies are becoming increasingly careful when it comes to processing claims, because there is a lot of fraud. However, if your claim is a legitimate one, then the claims process will run smoothly and you will get the compensation that you are legally entitled to – and the amount could be in the thousands of pounds.
To find out more about the claims process, contact an accident advice helpline. Operated by law firms, accident advice helplines give you the opportunity to get answers to all your claims-related questions with no obligation whatsoever to make a claim. You can use the information given to you as you wish. Seeking legal advice is important in the aftermath of an accident, because you need to know whether or not pursuing a claim is worth it. The only way to find this out is to discuss your case with a claims advisor. A claims advisor will ascertain your eligibility to make a claim and help you to ascertain the strength of your case and with this information, you will be able to make an informed decision.
