As a passenger in a car accident, you may feel a little shocked about what has just happened to you. As a passenger, it wasn’t you that was in control of the vehicle. You were a passenger and were trusting the person driving. If you were involved in a car accident and you were not driving, you may be considering compensation if you were injured in the accident, as a passenger. Even if it was the driver’s fault, a passenger can claim compensation for injuries that they have suffered. The driver may be your friend or even a family member, so you may be trying to work out if it’s worth making a claim. This is why insurance is always required when driving a vehicle. You’re not claiming against your friend or family member, you are claiming from their insurance. So don’t worry. We’re certain your friend or family member would rather you got the compensation to help you get back on your feet after a crash.
If this has happened to you then should reach out to Solicitors On Your Side to help with your claim. As mentioned above, passengers who are involved in car accidents cannot be seen as a liable party, so they are eligible for compensation if they have suffered injuries right away. Solicitors On Your Side will make sure that you get the justice you deserve and help you recover your losses. Contact one of our friendly team today!
As a Passenger in a car accident, you are automatically “not at fault”. Why is this?
If you are a passenger that has been involved in a car accident, you are more of a victim of circumstance than someone who could have been held accountable. You were not the person driving or driving another vehicle. Instead, you are known as a “third party”. That means you were involved in an accident but were not the cause of it. You were a victim of bad luck. Even if you were distracting the driver, it is the driver’s responsibility to keep their attention to the road. Any accident that happens, even then, is not your fault.
The vehicles you could be a passenger of include:
- Cars
- Motorbikes
- Bikes
- Mini-buses
- Coaches
- Trams
What are the most common injuries after an accident?
Vehicle passengers have few responsibilities in the vehicle to keep themselves safe. This includes wearing a seatbelt and not distracting the driver. A passenger in a car accident can still get hurt, even after taking all of the appropriate precautions. They could suffer from whiplash, strains, backache, soreness, internal bleeding or broken bones. In the worst-case scenario, they could even lose limbs or suffer from head, spine or brain damage.
Whether a passenger has suffered from life-changing injuries or soft tissue damage, they have the right to make a compensation claim. Many injuries can also take time to develop, so it is always worth considering visiting a doctor or health practitioner after a car accident.
Additional injuries may include:
- Bruises, bleeding and soreness
- Broken bones and fractures
- Glass injuries and seatbelt damage
- Burns
- Paralysis and nerve damage
- Back and neck trauma
- Fatalities
Let Solicitors On Your Side know exactly what physical injuries you have, and we can help you with rehabilitation, as well as identifying what compensation is eligible to claim.
How will the drivers pay for my compensation?
At Solicitors On Your Side, we have been dealing with car accidents and accident claims for years. Our expert solicitors understand if you feel a little nervous about making a claim against either of the parties responsible for the accident. After all, they may be dealing with injuries themselves. However, if you make a claim, you will not be claimed from them, but from their insurance company. They are set up to help you as an injured individual and will not place any strain on their insured. This means you can focus on being put back into a position health-wise and with compensation set aside for instances where accidents like this happen.
What evidence can I use in support of my claim as a passenger in a car accident?
We always advise you to find as much evidence as possible to support your claim. Often it is important to write everything down, so you can remember it in detail. It’s always better to have too much evidence than too little evidence.
Evidence that would be useful to your claim includes:
- Photographs of your injuries and the scene
- CCTV Footage and pictures
- Dash-Cam footage
- Witness Statements or witness accounts from the scene
- Police reports or any other emergency service reports
- Medical Reports from your GP or hospital
- Receipts for expenses accrued as a result of the accident (Physio, hire car, taxis)
- Communication with your insurance provider
- Diary or written evidence from yourself
How much can I claim in compensation, as a passenger in a car accident?
The compensation amount and what you will receive in compensation after a car accident depends entirely on the extent of your damages and how bad your losses are. The extent of your injuries and your recovery time is usually what predicts the amount of compensation you will receive. Speak to a solicitor about getting an estimate for the amount of compensation you could be due.
How long does a car accident claim take?
The amount of time a car accident compensation claim takes to go through depends on a number of factors. The first being the extent of your injuries. The priority at the first stage of seeking a compensation claim after an accident is to identify how long it will take for you to recover, if at all and how we can help your rehabilitation. Our solicitors will help you every step of the way through this and by starting your claim, we can seek earlier amounts of compensation or ‘interim payments’ to help speed up treatment and your recovery. With the experience of our own clients, the average timescale is between 4 months and 9 months, based on our last 10,000 client’s cases.
Work with Solicitors ‘On Your Side’ for your passenger car accident compensation claim
Here at Solicitors On Your Side, we understand that any type of road traffic accident can be traumatic for you. That’s why we want to help you get rehabilitated, along with securing the maximum compensation. Our expert car accident claim solicitors can offer you free advice and appointments remotely. The majority of our accident claims are carried out on a No Win, No Fee basis, meaning that we only get paid, if your claim is successful.
Fill out a form online or call us on 0330 912 2124
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