What to Do After a Car Accident That Wasn’t Your Fault

Knowing what to do after a car accident that wasn’t your fault may make a big difference when claiming personal injury compensation.

You could suffer injury in a car accident that was not your fault and be able to claim compensation for the pain, suffering and financial losses involved. There are over 4,300 people injured in car accidents every year, according to the Road Safety Association, with more than 50% of injuries, 2,300, happening in the Dublin area. 

Hughes & Associates, personal injury solicitors in Dublin, have put together a guide to what to do after a car accident that wasn’t your fault, which may be invaluable when you need it.

The first thing to do is check for injuries and ensure your own and other passengers’ safety.

Do not get out of the car if it is not safe to do so, like on a busy motorway.

Call the Gardai if you are unsure what to do when in a car accident.

You should call the emergency services if you are injured or if one of the passengers needs medical attention.

If someone in the other car involved in the road traffic accident needs help, call the emergency services for them.

You may need to call the emergency services if the car accident happens on a busy road, so that the Gardai can make the necessary diversions.

A vital step in the process is to exchange information with the other driver in a road traffic accident.

Both sides are legally obliged to exchange the following information:

You should also get the other driver’s phone number after a car accident.

Gathering evidence at the scene is another important step and will be essential if you need to claim personal injury compensation after a road traffic accident.

Any evidence, no matter how small it may seem, could play a big part in making a successful personal injury claim*.

Evidence to gather at the scene of a road traffic accident:

Hughes & Associates personal injury solicitors can help gather the evidence you may need for a road traffic accident compensation claim.

Seek medical attention for any injury you may have, however slight it may seem to you at the time. 

If you have banged your head in a road traffic accident, you could have a concussion but not realise it. Other small tissue injuries may only become noticeable later, when you have calmed down after the car crash.

It is always best to seek medical attention in case of delayed symptoms or if you do not realise how serious your injuries are at the time.

Having medical records of your injuries at the scene of the accident or later at the A&E can be very useful when making a personal injury compensation claim*. 

You can claim personal injury compensation after a car accident that was not your fault. You claim for the suffering and losses and the impacts on your life.

There are two types of damages in a car accident claim in Ireland:

You should contact a personal injury solicitor as soon as possible after a road traffic accident.

A good personal injury solicitor will know what to do, who to contact and how to make a compensation claim.

The right personal injury solicitor will also be there for you, to help you make sense of what has happened and help you take the steps to getting compensation.

When you have your claim ready, it must go to the Injuries Assessment Board.

Hughes & Associates know how to make a claim to the Injuries Assessment Board for compensation.

You make a claim for compensation to the Injuries Board in Ireland for the effects of the road traffic accident injury on your life. 

The Injuries Board will assess the details of the car accident. They may send you to an independent medical professional for an assessment of your injuries. You may have to attend the Injuries Board investigations, but you can have your solicitor with you.

Every personal injury claim* must go through the Injuries Board, and you can then decide to accept their offer of compensation or take the case to court.

Hughes & Associates personal injury solicitors will be with you throughout the Injuries Board process and can advise you on when to accept an offer of compensation.

When hit by an uninsured driver or a hit-and-run driver, you contact the Gardai, as it is an offence to drive without insurance or to fail to stay at the scene of an accident on Irish roads. 

You will still have a right to claim compensation, but your claim will more than likely go through the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland, the MIBI.

The MIBI is an insurance industry-funded organisation that finances claims against uninsured drivers and hit-and-run drivers. A personal injury solicitor can deal with your claim against the MIBI fund.

When you claim against the MIBI Drivers Fund, they will investigate your case and pay your compensation if they find in your favour.

The uninsured driver may offer to pay your compensation costs, but do not take their word at the scene of an accident.

Hughes & Associates personal injury solicitors in Dublin have the experience of making MIBI claims.

Make a car accident claim today by contacting Hughes & Associates Personal Injury Solicitors in Dublin.

You could have a compensation claim if you have a personal injury after a car accident that was not your fault. You can claim damages for the personal injury and the impact on your life.

Contact Hughes & Associates Personal Injury Solicitors today for a confidential and professional service in a car accident compensation claim.