Pedestrians are highly vulnerable road users. If you’ve been hurt in an accident as a pedestrian, we could help you claim compensation.
As a pedestrian, you’re one of the most vulnerable users of our roads. This means you are more at risk than most others. Only cyclists and motorcyclists are more likely to be injured or killed in a road traffic accident.
The Department for Transport has reported that in 2020, 14,717 pedestrians were killed or injured in accidents, with 3,483 of those being children.
Motorists have a duty of care to drive carefully to avoid accidents. If they failed in this obligation, you could be entitled to compensation. Even if you were involved in a hit and run accident and don’t have the details of the driver who caused your accident, you could still be able to make a claim.
The most commonly seen accident of this type is a pedestrian hit by a car. But it’s not just cars that hit people on foot. Motorcycles and bicycles have also hit pedestrians and caused serious injury.
When it comes to cars, there are a number of ways a pedestrian can end up being hurt, including:
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The most common causes of road accidents in the UK are carelessness on the part of drivers. The Department for Transport reported that in 2019, the most frequent reason for a car accident happening was a driver failing to look properly. This caused 29,305 accidents across the country.
Drivers failing to properly judge another person’s path caused a further 15,557 accidents. Meanwhile, motorists driving carelessly or recklessly or being in a hurry were responsible for 12,829 accidents.
A further 281 accidents were caused by drivers disobeying pedestrian crossings, while vehicles travelling along a pavement caused 188 accidents.
There were, however, 2,360 accidents put down to pedestrians being careless, reckless or in a hurry, while pedestrians being under the influence of alcohol caused 1,183 accidents. But even if a pedestrian is partly responsible, a driver has a responsibility to drive carefully enough to avoid anyone.
This means that you may still be able to make a claim. The legal issue of contributory negligence will apply. It will mean that, for example, if you were found to be 20% responsible for your accident, your compensation will be reduced by 20%.
If you need guidance in working out whether you could claim compensation, our friendly and understanding claims advisors can help.
Children are even more vulnerable when they’re on the roads. They lack the experience and awareness of adults, so could find themselves more at risk of an accident. They are also less visible on the roads, so drivers could find it more difficult to see them.
In 2019, 5,200 children were involved in accidents as pedestrians on our roads – 2,157 of those were aged 12-15.
If your child has been hit by a car or other road user, it can be even more distressing than if you were injured yourself. We could help you get the compensation you might need to provide for them and give them the best chance at recovery.
All road accidents are different. This means that it will be difficult to say exactly what you might be entitled to for your accident. Our compensation calculator could give you a rough idea of what you could receive for an injury.
Your compensation will be split into general damages and special damages. These will be based on your specific circumstances, so each claim will result in different amounts of compensation.
General damages compensate you for the pain and suffering you’ve been through as a direct result of your accident. It covers any effect the injury has had on your lifestyle – such as having to give up an active hobby.
Special damages reimburse you for the financial impact your injury has had on your life. It covers a loss of earnings if you’ve had to stop working, medical treatment and any modifications or aids you now need, such as wheelchairs.
You can also claim back the cost of travel to and from medical appointments, so make sure you keep hold of any receipts or invoices for anything related to your injury.
Most pedestrians will have three years to make a claim for an accident. If you have been the victim of an accident, you should start your claim as soon as possible.
Doing so gives you the best chance of getting hold of important evidence, such as CCTV or dash cam footage. The sooner you start your claim, the clearer the details will be in your mind – and in the minds of any witnesses or anyone else involved in the accident.
There are some exceptions to the three-year rule, though. If you are claiming on behalf of someone who lacks the mental capacity to make a claim themselves, you will only face a deadline if they regain capacity. This will be three years from the date that happens.
Meanwhile, a child will be able to make a claim at any point until they are 18, at which point they will then have three years to start the process.
If you need any further information on how long you have to claim, just give us a call. We’re happy to talk you through it.
The strongest claims have strong evidence to back them up. So you can help your solicitor by providing proof of what happened.
You can do this by taking photographs and video footage of the accident scene and your injury. You can also request footage of any CCTV cameras in the vicinity. It will also help to get the names and contact details of anyone else who was involved in your accident and anyone who witnessed it.
Make sure you report your accident to the police. Their investigation or report could form part of your evidence when making a claim.
You may also want to compile a diary of your symptoms. Record how severe your injury is, whether it’s got any worse and the impact it’s had on your daily life.
The majority of claims that we process are on a No Win No Fee basis. This gives everyone the chance to obtain justice for what happened to them.
A No Win No Fee claim means that there is no cost upfront, letting you focus on your recovery rather than worrying about funding your claim.
It also means there is nothing to pay if your claim is not successful. You will only pay a success fee if you are awarded compensation. Your lawyer will make sure you know all the details before you go ahead.
Where we offer No Win No Fee services for road traffic accident claims typically customers pay 30% + VAT of the amount recovered by our solicitors, although this will be subject to your individual circumstances and the actual fee may be less than this. Success fees are common practice and they were introduced when the law changed in April 2013. This amount is higher than the normal 25% on all other personal injury claims because of changes introduced through the Civil Liability Act 2018.
Here at First4Lawyers, our priority is making sure people like you get the justice they deserve. We have won multiple awards for our determination to get accident victims the compensation they’re legally entitled to.
We work with highly rated personal injury solicitors who share our values and our client focus. They will work with you to present the strongest case possible, to give you the best chance of a successful claim.
Our claims advisors are experienced, compassionate and understanding. They’re here to help you during difficult times. To chat to them about your options, just give us a call, request a call back or start your claim online.
You don’t have to go through this on your own.
Yes, if you’re a passenger who has been involved in a collision on the road and suffered injuries through no fault of your own, then you’re entitled to make a claim for compensation.
Yes, you can make a claim if you were hit by an uninsured driver.
With the help of our panel of solicitors, you can claim through the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB).
Backed by every motor insurer in the UK, the MIB is a scheme set up to help compensate victims of accidents caused by uninsured and untraced motorists.
It depends on the type and severity of any injuries sustained.
For those inflicted with minor brain or head injuries, they could receive between £1,940 and £11,200. At the other end of the scale, severe leg injuries could see compensation between £48,080 and £119,210, whereas loss of an arm may mean an award of between £84,310 to upwards of £120,270.
For further examples see our compensation calculator.
Generally speaking there is a limit of three years to start a claim, starting from the date of your accident. If you were under the age of 18 when you had your accident, you have until your 21st birthday.
The length of time it will take to make your claim depends on your individual circumstances.
Every case is different, so it’s very difficult to say at the early stages how long the process will be from start to finish.
Once your solicitor has completed their initial investigations into your case, they will be in a better position to advise you on how long the process is likely to take.
To give you a very general idea:
For a personal injury claim like minor whiplash, for example, the process could be completed in about six months. But in more complex cases, such as claims involving a trip, slip or fall, it could take over a year to be settled. The process could also be longer if the defendant disputes your claim.
Claiming for a work accident could be between six and nine months. But if the injury is more severe, or there are legal complexities, it could take longer.
Medical negligence cases tend to take longer as they can be complex with multiple factors and evidence. A rough estimate would be 18-26 months.
You can contact one of our advisors to discuss your situation.
Whether you want to make an accident and injury claim, or need a solicitor for personal or business law matters - our friendly team are here to help, 24/7.
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