Being involved in a road traffic accident can be life-changing, whether this is due to the physical personal injuries suffered as a result or because of the emotional trauma caused by the event – especially if the accident was not your fault.
Sadly, road traffic accidents are a daily occurrence and if you’re unfortunate enough to be the victim of one, it’s important you know your legal rights when it comes to making a road traffic accident claim.
You can claim compensation for road traffic accident injuries if the accident was caused by the actions of another motorist, person or other third party, whether you were injured as a driver, a passenger or a pedestrian or if you were riding a bicycle or motorbike at the time of the accident.
What Happens After A Road Traffic Accident?
A road traffic accident can have an impact on your entire life, with consequences including:
- Being unable to work
- Struggling to pay bills
- Being in ongoing pain or discomfort
- Having to pay for expenses like rehabilitation or medical costs
- Suffering flashbacks to the accident
What Legal Help Can You Seek?
If you’ve suffered physical or emotional injuries as a result of a road traffic accident that was not your fault, it’s vital you seek legal help from an experienced solicitor.
You May Have Heard About The RTA Claim Reforms – What are they?
The Government is proposing to fundamentally change the way in which legitimate claims by road accident victims are processed and compensated. These proposed changes are planned to start in April 2020, alongside the proposed changes to the small claims limit from £1,000 to £5,000 for RTA claims. This means that individuals will be unable to recover their legal costs for any cases worth less than £5,000, which is thought to account for approximately 96% of RTA claims.
These reforms have already been delayed and the Government now hopes that the new online portal would be up and running by the target date of April 2020.
“The fear is that the new reforms will make it harder for individuals to make an RTA claim,” says Personal Injury Solicitor Trevor Morris at Bartletts Chester office.
“What we don’t want to happen – and we will work extremely hard to ensure this doesn’t happen – is for victims of RTAs who suffer whiplash or other minor injuries to not seek the compensation they deserve.
“The Ministry of Justice has stated that those with life-changing injuries will still get fair compensation but we want to make sure that everyone gets fair compensation and not just those seeking a higher level of damages.”
For further information on the these reforms go to https://www.mass.org.uk/news-press/justice-for-the-victims-of-road-traffic-accidents/
How A Solicitor Can Help With Road Traffic Accident Claims
Bartletts Solicitors has the experience and expertise to assist with a range of road traffic accident claims, from the minor to the more serious personal injury claims and have been doing so for the last 30 years. We are also a member of The Motor Accident Solicitors Society (MASS), which is a non-profit making organisation and membership society of road traffic accident claims experts,
We will work hard to fully understand your particular circumstances, including the details of your accident and whether you were in a car, on a bike or on foot at the time, so we can tailor our specialist advice to you. We will advise and guide you at every stage to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
To speak to one of our specialist personal injury solicitors about your RTA claim, contact us on 0800 988 3674 or 01244 405 399 or email advice@bartletts.co.uk
