This guide will explore the question ‘can I make a claim for a road traffic accident with solicitors near me?’. If you have been injured in an accident on the road, you may wonder whether you are eligible to seek compensation and how a solicitor could help you throughout the process. We will explore this in more detail throughout our guide.

Additionally, we will look at the duty of care you are owed as a road user and the accidents that could occur if this is breached.

Furthermore, we will discuss the steps involved in the road traffic accident claims process, such as gathering evidence to support your potential claim.

To learn more, please continue reading. Alternatively, you can get in touch with an advisor from our team. To reach them, you can:

• Fill out our online contact form
  
• Speak with an advisor via the live chat feature below
• Call on the number at the top of the page

Choose A Section 

1. Can I Claim With Road Traffic Accident Solicitors Near Me?
2. How Could A Road Accident Take Place?
3. Steps To Take After A Road Accident
4. How Much Road Traffic Accident Compensation Could I Receive?
5. A Breakdown Of A No Win No Fee Agreement 
6. Extra Guidance About Claiming With Road Traffic Accident Solicitors Near You

Can I Claim With Road Traffic Accident Solicitors Near Me? 

To successfully make a claim for compensation following a road traffic accident, three criteria need to be met. Firstly, you must show that you were owed a duty of care. You must then show this duty of care was breached and as a result, you sustained physical or psychological harm. This is known as negligence.

Road users owe a duty of care to each other under the Road Traffic Act 1988. As part of their duty of care, they must navigate the roads in a way that reduces the risk of them causing harm to others. Additionally, the Highway Code offers guidance and rules for different road users to follow. The rules are backed elsewhere in law.

If another road user’s negligence causes you harm, you may be able to seek compensation. If you’re wondering whether you can use road traffic accident solicitors near you to help you claim, please continue reading.

How Could A Road Accident Take Place?

There are various ways a road traffic accident could occur. Additionally, there are different road users who could be affected, such as pedestrians, drivers, cyclists and motorcyclists.

Examples of how a road accident could take place include:

• A car driver may be drunk when they operate their vehicle. As a result, they may mount the pavement colliding with a pedestrian in a car accident.
• A motorcyclist may fail to adhere to the speed limits resulting in them coming round a bend too quickly and crashing into an oncoming vehicle.
• A driver might fail to check their mirrors before changing lanes. As a result, they knock into a cyclist causing them to sustain severe injuries.

Please note, not all accidents on the road could form the basis of a valid claim. You would need to prove that another road user’s negligence caused you harm. To learn about the steps you could take after an accident, including hiring road traffic accident solicitors near you, continue reading.

Steps To Take After A Road Accident 

There are several steps you can take after an accident on the road, including reporting the road traffic accident.

For example, if you are involved in an accident that causes you damage or injury, you must report the incident to the police within 24 hours if you have not given your details at the time of the incident. You must also report the accident to your insurance company, regardless of whether you are planning to make a claim.

Additionally, you should provide your name, address and registration number to those who have a reasonable grounds for requiring these details.

Another step you can take is to seek evidence to support your potential claim. This can include:

• Pictures of the scene of accident 
• Dashcam footage
• CCTV footage
• Pictures of your injuries
• A police report, if applicable
• The contact information for any witnesses
• Medical records, such as a doctor or hospital report

You may also be wondering ‘could road traffic accident solicitors near me help?’. If so, we have explored the services a solicitor could provide in the section below.

How Could Road Traffic Accident Solicitors Near Me Help?

If you’re wondering ‘do I have to use road traffic accident solicitors near me?’, it’s not always necessary.

When looking for legal representation, you do not have to limit your search to solicitors near you. Instead, you can focus your search on finding a solicitor who has experience handling claims similar to your own.

Additionally, you may benefit from working with a solicitor who offers their services on a No Win No Fee basis. In doing so, you typically won’t have to pay for their services upfront or while your claim is ongoing.

The solicitors from our panel can work on this basis. They can provide services such as helping you gather evidence and keeping you updated throughout each stage of the claims process.

To learn more, please get in touch on the number above.

How Much Road Traffic Accident Compensation Could I Receive?

After making a successful claim, you could be awarded a settlement that consists of general and special damages. General damages seek to compensate you for the pain and suffering you have experienced due to your injuries, both physical and psychological.

Solicitors can use a document called the Judicial College Guidelines to assist them when calculating the value of your injuries. The document contains guideline compensation brackets that correspond to different injuries.

We have created the table below using these figures. However, please only use them as a guide. This is because each settlement can differ depending on it’s unique circumstances.

Injury	Notes	Award
(a) Very Severe Brain Damage	The person will need full-time nursing care and will experience a range of issues.	£282,010 to £403,990
(a) Hand Injuries	Both hands are totally or effectively lost.	£140,660 to £201,490
(a) Chest Injuries	One lung is completely removed and the person experiences serious heart damage.	£100,670 to £150,110
(b) Chest Injuries	The chest, lungs or heart are traumatically injured leading to permanent damage and other issues.	£65,740 to £100,670
(a) Severe Neck Injuries (ii)	Injuries that cause disabilities of a considerable severity such as permanent brachial plexus damage.	£65,740 to £130,930
(b) Severe Leg Injuries (ii)	Injuries are very serious and lead to permanent mobility issues.	£54,830 to £87,890
(a) Severe Back Injuries (iii)	Injuries such as disc lesions, fractures of discs or of vertebral bodies are included in this bracket.	£38,780 to £69,730
(c) Less Severe Arm Injury	The person will have experienced a significant disability but there will be a substantial degree of recovery.	£19,200 to £39,170
(b) Moderate Knee Injuries (i)	Injuries such as dislocation are included in this bracket as well as the acceleration of symptoms from a pre-existing condition.	£14,840 to £26,190
(c) Moderate Shoulder Injury	Soft tissue injuries with symptoms that are more than minimal. They persist after two years but are not permanent.	£7,890 to £12,770

 

Special damages seek to compensate you for the financial losses caused by your injuries. Examples of some of the costs that could be addressed include:

• Medical expenses
• Care costs
• Travel costs
• Lost income

You will need evidence to claim these costs back. For example, payslips could help when claiming back a loss of earnings.

To learn more about how much road traffic accidents are worth in compensation, get in touch on the number above.

Will The Whiplash Reforms Apply To My Claim?

As of the 31st May 2021, the Whiplash Reform Programme introduced certain changes to the way claims are made for low value road traffic accident claims.

As such, if you are a passenger or driver of a vehicle who is over the age of 18 and you have sustained whiplash or soft tissue injuries that are worth £5,000 or less, your claim must be made via the government’s Official Injury Claims portal.

In doing so, your whiplash and soft tissue injuries will be valued in accordance with the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021. This piece of legislation has a set tariff of injuries.

This tariff applies to all occupants inside a vehicle so even if you do not claim via the Official Injury Claims portal, your whiplash injuries may still be valued in line with the tariff of injuries. If you have other injuries not included in the tariff, they will be valued in the traditional way.

A Breakdown Of A No Win No Fee Agreement 

Whilst you may wish to use road traffic accident solicitors near you, you may find it beneficial to work with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel instead. They can offer their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).

Under a CFA, you typically won’t pay for the services they provide if your claim fails. If your claim is a success, you will pay a legally capped percentage from your compensation. This is known as a success fee.

For more information about whether you’re eligible to have a solicitor from our panel represent your claim on this basis, please get in touch using the details provided below.

Start Your Road Traffic Accident Claim Now 

The advisors on our team can offer you free legal advice regarding your potential road traffic accident claim. Additionally, they can provide further guidance on the question ‘can I claim for a road traffic accident with solicitors near me?’.

For more information, you can:

• Fill out our online contact form
  
• Speak with an advisor via the live chat feature below
• Call on the number at the top of the page

Extra Guidance About Claiming With Road Traffic Accident Solicitors Near You

Below, we have provided some additional resources that you may find beneficial:

• GOV – Road Accidents And Safety Statistics
• NHS – First Aid
• Brake – Raising Awareness

Additionally, please see some of our other guides relating to personal injury claims:

• A complete guide to road traffic accident claims
• Making personal injury claims for a car accident in the UK
• A guide to personal injury claims

We hope this guide exploring the question ‘can I make a claim for a road traffic accident with solicitors near me?’ has helped. However, if you have any other questions, please get in touch on the number above.

Writer Marlon Callan

Editor Meg MacAllister