We have years of experience helping clients with successful road traffic accident abroad claims. Whether you were driving the vehicle yourself, a passenger or using the road as a pedestrian when the incident took place, if you sustained injuries in an accident that was not your fault you may be able to claim compensation.
Road accidents that happen in Europe are covered by special rules which makes it as straightforward to claim compensation as if the accident had been in the UK. If your accident takes place outside the EU you can still make a claim against the driver or the insurer of the vehicle involved.
Your claim will be governed by the law of the country where the accident happened - which will include how long after the accident you are able to make the claim. This can be less than a year, so it’s really important to get in touch with a solicitor as soon as you can following the incident.
For all accidents after 11 January 2009, the foreign law will govern the assessment of your damages, which can often require expert evidence from a foreign lawyer. The team of specialists here at Lanyon Bowdler are highly experienced at dealing with these kinds of cases and have first-rate contacts with expert lawyers across the world.
If you have suffered a personal injury abroad either in a road traffic accident or other circumstances and would like legal assistance, please call now or complete an online enquiry form.
If you were involved in a road traffic accident in Europe and it wasn’t your fault - or even if it was partly your fault - you could be able to make a claim for accidents abroad compensation.
Claiming for a road accident from within the EU is much easier since the introduction of the EU Motor Insurance Directives. British citizens involved in road accidents abroad can go to the Motor Insurers Bureau to obtain details of the foreign insurance company and its UK Representative. All you have to do is provide the offending vehicle’s registration number and country of registration. Information Centres across European countries cooperate with each other to provide the necessary insurance and claims representative information.
At the scene of the accident you’ll need to show your driver’s license, a green card and a registration document or rental agreement to prove ownership of the vehicle. The local police or the foreign driver may ask you to sign an incident report form called the European Accident Statement or “Constat Amiable”, only do so if you agree with what has been written.
To assist your claim, it is important to make notes of what happened, including the time and place, and get the contact details and registration number of all the people and vehicles involved. The same goes for any witnesses to the accident. It’s also a good idea to take photos of everything as well.
As soon as you can, make contact with your insurance company and provide them with the details of the other parties involved.
It’s also possible to bring the claim in the English courts, which is usually much more straightforward than going through a foreign legal system.
The roads in many countries can be more dangerous than those in the UK due to issues with maintenance, lighting or signage. The local driving styles can also increase the likelihood of an accident occurring, so you should always be more vigilant when driving in unfamiliar places.
If you are involved in a car accident abroad, make sure the police are called and you get a copy of the report.
The procedures you should follow at the scene are similar no matter which country you are in, and no matter what the circumstances of the accident are.
In all cases you should:
Try to remain as calm as possible, and don’t say too much.
Do not admit liability and do not sign any documents except the European Accident Statement (Constat Amiable) if you understand and agree with the statements given.
Thousands of people travel by bus or coach on holiday every year without incident. Unfortunately, on the rare occasions that accidents happen, they can be quite serious.
If your bus or coach journey starts and ends within an EU country, and the journey is over 250km, you may be protected under special EU rules. However, a bus or minibus accident can even happen during a short transfer journey from your home to the airport or between the airport and the hotel. An accident on these journeys could at the very least spoil the end of your holiday but it may also prevent your trip taking place at all. If you booked the transfer together with other elements of your holiday it may be possible to claim against the tour operator or travel agency in the UK.
Our experienced holiday accident claims solicitors will be able to advise you how to approach things according to your specific circumstances and ensure you are awarded maximum compensation.
The amount of compensation you could be entitled to is determined by the rules of the country where the accident occurred, as are the time limits for bringing an action against a bus or coach company abroad.
We’d advise you to get in touch with us as soon as possible to start your claim to ensure all procedures are followed within the various rules involved.
Neil Lorimer and his colleagues in the personal injury department settled a compensation claim involving a serious holiday accident, which sadly included a large number of deaths and casualties.
A coach bringing holidaymakers home from the Costa Brava careered off a French motorway killing eleven people, including six from Shropshire, and injuring a further 60.
Lanyon Bowdler’s personal injury department also dealt with a multi party action on behalf of 23 claimants injured in a coach accident in Grenoble, France.
Neil Lorimer recovered substantial damages for three clients injured in a minibus accident near Jaipur, India, which involved a number of complex issues. One of the clients, Carol Sharpe, suffered fractured vertebrae in her spine.
Following the successful claim, she commented: “Can I add my heartfelt thanks to you and your team for the way you have pursued my accident claim and for obtaining an outcome that came as a wonderful surprise.”
If you’ve been involved in a car accident abroad while you were a passenger in a taxi and you have received medical treatment for your injuries, you may be able to claim compensation. As with all accidents involved injuries you should keep good records of what happened.
If the taxi driver at fault is worried about the repercussions, it might be difficult to get accurate details from them, especially if there is a language barrier.
In this case, it is even more important to get help from the local police and collect supporting evidence yourself through photos and videos.
If you've been injured, or a loved one has been killed in a road traffic accident abroad that wasn't your fault, we could help you claim compensation.
This guide offers some helpful tips on what to do in the event you have been injured or suffered illness whilst abroad.
Please give our accidents abroad solicitors a call for a friendly, confidential, conversation about how we can help support you with a personal injury claim. There is no commitment or charge for our initial assessment.
Please contact a member of the team or complete our online inquiry form toward the top of this page on the right-hand side. We can also arrange a home or hospital visit when more convenient.
Lanyon Bowdler has offices in Shrewsbury, Bromyard, Hereford, Ludlow, Oswestry, Telford, and Conwy in North Wales. We regularly act for clients across Shropshire, Herefordshire, Mid and North Wales, Birmingham and the Midlands on holiday road traffic accidents and accidents or illnesses abroad compensation claims.
As a leading national law firm, we can represent you wherever you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Give us a call or complete our online enquiry form, to see how we can help. We have offices in Telford, Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Ludlow, Bromyard and Hereford so are able to act for clients all over Shropshire, Herefordshire, Mid and North Wales and across the Midlands.
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