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Every year in the UK thousands of people are killed and tens of thousands are seriously injured in road traffic accidents.
Pedestrians are among the most vulnerable road users. There were 470 pedestrian deaths in 2017, up 5% on the previous year and 23,805 pedestrians were injured, up 1%*.
If you or a family member has been involved in an accident as a pedestrian, it can be very traumatic, particularly if serious, life-changing injuries are sustained.
Our specialist personal injury solicitors have experience in handling compensation claims for pedestrian accidents of all kinds.
Callum Palmer from our offices on the Isle of Wight outlines five things you should know about making a claim if you or a loved one has been injured by a vehicle:
- Get expert legal advice – Contact an experienced personal injury solicitor and give them the details of the accident as soon as possible. You’ll need to provide details about the accident and the extent of any injuries. Based on this information, an experienced solicitor will assess your case and advise if you have a claim and how to proceed.
- Do your own solicitor research – If you’ve been involved in an accident, your insurance company may recommend a solicitor. You are under no obligation to use their recommendation and it is highly advisable to do your own research. Get in touch with a locally based solicitor who specialises in serious personal injury that can guide you through the process and help you secure maximum compensation.
- Understand what compensation covers – The aim of compensation is to put you back in the situation you would have been in had the accident not occurred. While money can only go so far to compensate for injuries, it will cover your pain and suffering, any loss or reduction of physical and mental capacity, medical treatment costs, travel costs and other expenses, and for any loss of earnings resulting from the pedestrian accident.
- Know your rights – If the driver who caused the accident is uninsured or left the scene and is untraceable, you can still make a claim for personal injury compensation with your solicitor’s help. The Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB) is an independent body that pays compensation to road accident victims injured by uninsured or untraceable drivers and is funded by contributions from car insurance premiums.
- Reach an agreement – Your solicitor will work hard on your behalf to reach an agreement and to secure you compensation for your injuries. The compensation amount will either be agreed as a settlement or determined through court proceedings. However, most cases settle out of court and court proceedings are rare. If your solicitor offers a ‘no win, no fee’ arrangement, you won’t need to pay anything if in the unlikely event you lose the case.
If you or someone close to you has been injured in a road traffic accident, contact our expert team of solicitors. Novum Law has a proven track record of helping injured pedestrians and can help on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis.
* https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-annual-report-2017
