Road Traffic Accident 101: Understanding What It Is And What You Can Do

Looking at the news and the statistics will
easily confirm that road accidents happen all too often. Whether you are a
pedestrian, a cyclist, or motorist; once on the road, you run the risk of
getting involved in a road traffic accident. But what exactly is a road traffic
accident and what can you do if you are involved in one?

Types of injuries in
road traffic accidents


When we speak of road traffic accidents, injury caused
by impact most often comes to mind. We then think of a pedestrian or cyclist
getting hit by a car, or a man or woman getting swept off the road. Yet road
traffic injuries can have many other forms, including:

  • Seat belt
    injuries
  • Burn injuries
  • Airbag injuries
  • Whiplash injuries
  • Child restraint
    injuries

As you may already have noticed, road traffic
accident injuries are not always caused by direct impact; road traffic accident
injuries are actually any type of injury which comes as a direct or indirect
result of road traffic accidents.

What victims should do
– immediately

If you happen to have the bad luck of being
involved in an accident on the road, do not hesitate to call the police; the
road traffic accident should be reported immediately to the proper authorities.
Information should be exchanged and evidence should be collected without delay.
This is not only to ensure proper compensation later on, but it may also help
prevent similar accidents in the future. Immediately after an accident, you
should:

  • Report the
    incident to the police and other proper agencies
  • Take down the
    names and other information of witnesses, if any
  • Take photos of
    the accident site, personal injuries, as well as any damage to the
    vehicle(s)
  • Exchange personal
    information, as well as insurance data, with the other party
  • Seek medical
    help, even if no injury is clearly apparent
  • Avoid arguments
    or discussions – let the authorities handle that

How to claim
compensation

Your ability to claim compensation will be
directly affected by your ability to provide proof and documentation – that’s
why it’s so important that the authorities are involved and that as much
information as possible is gathered about the accident (eyewitness accounts,
photographs, and official reports) as well as about the sustained injuries
(doctor’s assessments and diagnosis) and damage reports (mechanic’s
evaluation).

Consulting a personal injury solicitor is
never a bad idea – just because you consult a solicitor doesn’t mean that you
will inevitably go to court and present your case in front of a judge; it
simply means that you are seeking assistance in regards to understanding your
rights and what proper procedures to follow. Going to court is an option, but
more often than not, the guilty party is more than ready to cooperate,
especially if they know that you have a solicitor by your side. This is also
true for insurance companies as well – they are more likely to advance you fair
compensation (and faster, as well) when you have legal aid.

Nobody likes to be involved in road traffic
accidents – but they do happen, more often than we care to think about them.
It’s important to follow the correct procedures and take the necessary steps
for claiming the proper compensation for damages and for injury in the right
way. And if you feel that you need professional help and advice regarding your
claim, you should turn to experts in personal injury such as
http://shireslaw.com.

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