Car Accident Lawyer
Car Accident Claims
Being involved in a road accident can be a very traumatic experience, even more so if you have suffered serious injuries. You should know if you are eligible to pursue road traffic accident claims for compensation. Contact our specialist serious injury lawyers for further help an advice
“This is an excellent PI team, who are highly respected in the PI sector. Their team includes bright, hard-working solicitors dedicated to achieving successful outcomes for their clients”
“Osbornes is a well-regarded personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims.”
Make a Car Accident Claim
If you or a family member has been involved in a road traffic accident our team of specialist solicitors can help you to gain the rehabilitation and compensation you are entitled to. Every month our team are contacted by road users who have suffered injuries due to an accident that wasn’t their fault.
What should you do when you are involved in a car accident or other road accident?
Whether you are a driver or a passenger, here are some guidelines to follow if you are involved in a car accident.
It is an offence under the Road Traffic Act not to stop after an accident. If the accident causes injury or damage to a vehicle, you must provide your name, address and vehicle registration number to whoever has ‘reasonable grounds’ to request them. This could be the other driver, their insurance company or the police. Note if the driver is not the owner, the owner’s name and address must also be supplied. Finally, you must report the accident to the police within 24 hours as well as to your insurance company. This is the case even if you do not intend to make a claim.
If anyone is injured, call 999 right away for an ambulance and the police.
The police will not always attend so if you believe the other party is at fault you will need to think like a detective yourself which can be difficult when you are feeling flustered and upset.
Most people will remember to exchange details with the other people involved. But to be certain the details are correct take a photograph of all number plates and vehicles. This will prevent any later argument with an insurer insisting you have the wrong vehicle.
If possible collect details of any witnesses and make notes of the accident, such as the time, date, exact location and weather conditions. The cameras on our mobile telephones are ideal for assembling this evidence.
Should you decide to pursue a claim for compensation for personal injury this information will be very helpful. However, you should not be put off from making a claim because you are concerned you do not have all the necessary details. An experienced personal injury solicitor will know how to go about obtaining all the information needed.
In summary:
- Record the details of the other party at the scene, including name, address, telephone, insurance details and vehicle registration number.
- Report the matter to the police immediately. If for any reason this is not possible, report the accident in person to a police station as soon as you can (and get a police reference number).
- Take details of any other party and any witnesses.
- Contact your own insurers.
What type of car accident can I claim for?
Pedestrians crossing the road
The rights of pedestrians are well protected by the law. There is no offence of “jaywalking” in this country and if a pedestrian is knocked down at traffic lights, on a crossing or other place where they should have been visible to oncoming traffic, there will usually be at least some fault on the part of the vehicle user.
Car Passenger Claims
There will almost always be a claim here as road accidents are invariably caused by someone’s negligence but the car passenger will have been an innocent party.
Rear-end shunt
These are common cases where one vehicle fails to brake and collides with the back of the vehicle in front. Almost always liability will rest with the driver of the vehicle behind.
Hit and Run
If the accident was a hit-and-run or if the other party was not insured then the case can still proceed but it will be dealt with by the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) rather than an insurance company.
Insurance is compulsory for nearly all motorised road vehicles. Most road accident claims are therefore directed to a motor insurer and they pay the compensation and costs in the successful cases.
Uninsured cases are run like any other personal injury claim but the MIB has a separate scheme for Hit and Run cases. Under this scheme, court proceedings are not allowed and there are special rules governing eligibility, procedure and costs.
No Win No Fee Auto Accident Claims
Your claim would be funded on a No Win, No Fee basis which means you will not have to pay anything at the start of your claim and there will be nothing to pay should your claim be unsuccessful.
When you call us to discuss your claim, our personal injury lawyers will discuss funding and explain, in full, payments to be made from your compensation.
Are there time limits on making a road accident claim for compensation?
The time limit for making a road traffic accident claim is three years. This means that court proceedings must be issued within 3 years of the accident date. There are some different time limits and court may decide to extend depending on the circumstances and type of case. When you call us for your initial free consultation our legal team will discuss this with you.
London Car Accident Lawyers
Osbornes Law specialise in personal injury claims for compensation, we have a large team of experienced and independently accredited solicitors handling road traffic accident claims in London and across the UK. Our solicitors have helped thousands of people get their lives back on track following serious injuries. We have built up a strong reputation for representing clients with the following injuries:
Our legal teams comprise car accident lawyers fluent who are fluent in many languages including Romanian, Hungarian, Polish, Bulgarian, Czech and Spanish.
Car Accident Claim FAQs
How do I start a car accident claim for compensation?
Whether you are a driver or a passenger, you may be entitled to claim compensation for your injuries. If you intend to claim for personal injury, you should get advice from a legal specialist. The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) is a not-for-profit association of legal specialists. APIL will be able to find you an accredited, expert personal injury lawyer. You may also look for members of The Motor Accident Solicitors Society, which is an association of solicitors who specialise in helping people who suffered personal injuries arising from motor accidents. The Law Society has its own panel of experienced practitioners and will be able to help you find a personal injury solicitor local to you.
Does it matter if the police are not prosecuting the other party?
In short, no. You can still succeed with a compensation claim in full.
Can a passenger claim for personal injury compensation?
Injured passengers are entitled to claim against the driver who was at fault. This could mean the driver of the car that they were travelling in. If more than one driver was at fault, they can claim against each one. Click here for more info
Can I still make a car accident claim if I was not wearing a seatbelt?
The law says that passengers and drivers must wear a seatbelt and failure to do so could result in criminal prosecution. Seatbelts are one of the simplest yet most effective ways of saving lives on the road. However, if you were involved in a road traffic accident and the accident was not your fault, failure to wear a seat belt does not mean you cannot claim compensation. Your compensation will likely be reduced, however. A 25% reduction is typical.
Can I claim compensation if the car accident was my fault?
First, consider whether the accident was truly your fault or not. Sometimes it is not entirely clear where the blame lies, and it might even be shared between the parties involved. A solicitor will help you determine whether you could be held responsible.
Even if you are found partly responsible you may still be able to claim personal injury compensation.
What should you do if a cyclist hits your car?
Cyclists aren’t required to hold insurance which means that if they are at fault for an accident unless the cyclist has third-party cycle insurance it is most likely that you will have to claim through your own insurance.
In relation to liability, we will use our expertise and experience to secure 100% liability, or as close to it as possible on the facts of the case. If the opponent was at fault but alleges that it was also your fault, then they are making a claim for ‘contributory negligence’. Just as it is for the claimant to prove their primary claim by evidence, it is up to the defendant to put forward evidence to show that you are partially to blame. If they succeed, the final amount of compensation is reduced by a percentage to reflect your contribution of blame.
It is common for contributory negligence to be raised against claims brought by cyclists. Examples would be running a red light, being unlit in the dark, and turning without indicating.
Where a claimant sustained head or facial injuries and was not wearing a helmet, insurers and their lawyers will usually claim up to 25% for contributory negligence, but they will not often succeed in this evolving area of the law.
It should be remembered that the hierarchy of responsibility principle has been written into the Highway Code, and is generally applied as a common law principle. It means that those with the potential to do the most harm must bear the greatest responsibility to avoid the danger they pose, and in practice means that the negligence of a car driver will be considered more serious and significant than that of the injured vulnerable road user, and so findings of contributory negligence against cyclists are often relatively low, around the 20% – 30% range.
It is also the case that allegations of contributory negligence can be thrown into discussions for the purposes of negotiation and may not always have merit on close inspection.
Speak to a Car Accident Lawyer Today
For a free initial conversation call 020 7485 8811
Email us Send us an email and we’ll get back to you
Osbornes prepares cases well; the whole team is good and lawyers there know their stuff.
They deal with people compassionately and take on the right amount of detail. The firm has some really brilliant key solicitors.
The personal injury team is responsive and its level of service towards clients and other professionals is exceptional and high quality
The team offers specialist expertise in cycling-related injury claims and regularly acts for foreign nationals.
It has considerable experience in cases arising from motor accidents and accidents at work
Osbornes is a well-regarded personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims.
Their team includes bright, hard-working solicitors dedicated to achieving successful outcomes for their clients from partner level to paralegal. Their client care is exceptional.
They are a team who are highly respected in the PI sector.
This is an excellent PI team doing a broad range of PI work.
Osbornes’ ‘highly respected‘ personal injury team is experienced in a range of complex, high-value claims, with notable strength in acting for European clients for whom English is not a first language.
Osbornes’ ‘highly respected‘ personal injury team is experienced in a range of complex, high-value claims
Osbornes’ ‘highly respected‘ personal injury team is experienced in a range of complex, high-value claims.
"Osbornes always provides work of excellent quality and the advice is sound."
"The firm has the ability to handle the most sophisticated and complex matters."
"Osbornes is always client-focused and works tirelessly to obtain the best outcomes."
'The team deals with multi-million pound, often multifaceted claims, involving such factors as severe brain, psychiatric, gynaecological and spinal injury, major trauma, amputation and fatality.'
"They are a boutique firm with highly experienced partners who are well-respected in the industry."
"The team at Osbornes deals with catastrophic injury claims with the same professionalism as the largest firms, but provides a much more client-focused experience."
"A really first-rate team, well capable of dealing with the most serious and complex injuries."
"This team has carved out an exceptional reputation in catastrophic injury work."
"Osbornes has impressed me with their personal touch for clients whilst offering a first-class handling of catastrophic injury claims. The partners all have vast experience and are highly respected in their field."
"This is a really excellent personal injury team that can be regarded as one of the major players in the London claimant personal injury market."
"Osbornes have managed to recruit a team of outstanding catastrophic injury lawyers who are at the top of the game."
"They punch well above their weight. The quality of service they provide equals that of any of the larger top-name firms in this area"
Ben Posford is fiercely bright, with an unrivalled passion for his clients’ cases. His encyclopaedic knowledge of all things PI is second to none. His foresight and commercial nous have propelled Osbornes into the highest echelons of the market where they rightly belong.
The firm has an excellent and innovative line in cases involving non-English speaking claimants, managed by recruiting paralegals with multi-language skills – an impressive route for expansion of the caseload.
Great expanding team with expertise and respect in the sector. Led by a commercially savvy and business minded team.
A really excellent group of PI solicitors, notable for their individual quality.’
A niche firm that punches well above its weight in the catastrophic injury sector, borne out by the quality of work they obtain.
This combination of experience and diligence reaps massive rewards for clients, Osbornes being well known in the industry as a fantastic firm.
The Osbornes personal injury team now comprises some of the most technically adept and hard hitting lawyers in the business.
Ben Posford is one of London’s best catastrophic injury lawyers, in my view. He is a real brain injury specialist.
Excellent coverage of personal injury, and traumatic brain injury. There is a real specialism in claimants who do not speak English as a first language.
The group is noted for its expertise in matters relating to cycling injuries, and is the official legal partner of the London Cycling Campaign charity.
To complement its strong reputation for high-value and complex personal injury work, the firm continues to develop its 'excellent and innovative line in cases involving non-English speaking claimants'
"Osbornes comprises some of the most technically adept and hard hitting lawyers in the business"
"A small but high-powered team, dealing with cases of significant value and complexity."
"An excellent firm which achieves fantastic outcomes for clients."
"Osbornes Law have captured the magic of keeping the customer service levels of a smaller firm whilst having all the expertise and power of the biggest firms."
"A superb boutique catastrophic injury firm."
"Really good at dealing with people who have suffered a serious injury."
"Affable and charming with very good client-handling skills."
"superb firm with consummate professionals and a human touch."
Osbornes now has a team of highly experienced personal injury lawyers; particularly strong on high-value quantum cases, workplace accidents and claims involving foreign workers injured in the UK.
The team provides fantastic strength-in-depth for personal injury claims. It is also particularly well placed to service clients from Eastern Europe with specialist native language speakers. From the smallest case to a multimillion-pound spinal injury case, Osbornes has the right staff to manage every claim.
Ben Posford remains pre-eminent in his field with expert understanding of litigating cases of the upmost severity. His experience builds on Stuart Kightley’s running of the firm with recent partner additions of Rob Aylott making a fantastic addition.
A firm going from strength-to strength-which retains its client care whilst being able to offer a full personal injury service.
Beneath Ben Posford’s calm and reassuring presence, which clients love, lies a formidable tactical and legal brain. His experience tells and he gets it right at every stage of the process from arranging the best possible rehabilitation, to ensuring, so far as possible, a polite relationship with those acting for the defendant in order to ensure best and early resolution of the claim.
"Clients say he is very impressive, in terms of both his experience and his management of the personal injury team."
"They have an expanding profile in personal injury and clinical negligence and offer a superb, broad service in accidents abroad, enabled by their recruitment of bilingual legal executives who can guide non-English speakers through complex litigation."
"Solid personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims arising from fatalities and severe head and spinal injuries."
"Offers specialist expertise in cycling-related injury claims."
"Offers specialist expertise in cauda equina syndrome cases."
"An exceptional outfit. They take on difficult cases, fight hard and win."
"Stuart Kightley is an incredibly empathetic solicitor who is very knowledgeable about traumatic brain injury."
"They are an outstanding firm to work with. They are consistently impressive in their work."
"Osbornes often handles claims valued at over £1m, particularly relating to severe brain and spinal cord injuries and niche areas such as cauda equina syndrome and cycling accidents."
"The hard-working, thorough and committed Robert Aylott, who brings significant heavyweight personal injury experience."
"Key team members include the energetic and personable Stuart Kightley who is head of the personal injury department."
"Osbornes has a growing influence and impressive work load and is gaining a reputation for handling complex catastrophic work."
"Catastrophic injury cases head Ben Posford is an excellent practical litigator who offers exceptional service."
"Stuart is also very experienced in advising on fatal accidents and workplace accidents."
Thank you for the hard work and patience and for being so patient with my constant questions.
"I have found Osbornes to be thorough, clear and understanding from the initial call. They do exactly what they say they will and with passion! I would recommend them to anyone".
Very good efficient service. Would not hesitate to use again.
I will use Osbornes for any future needs.
I don't think I could have asked for anything more. One of the best dealings I've had with the legal profession.
Sam was excellent and very professional in dealing with our claim.
Head of the personal injury department, Stuart Kightley is a first-rate practitioner, wholly focused on getting his client the best outcome in a pragmatic, sensible and consensual manner.
As a real specialist in spinal cord injuries, Ben Posford is always looking at new angles on how to maximise his cases.
Ben Posford is one of the best catastrophic injury lawyers around.
They provide exceptional service, great knowledge and understanding of the law, excellent client care and tactical nous
Stuart Kightley is praised for his expertise in catastrophic and fatal claims. Clients say he is very impressive, in terms of both his experience and his management of the personal injury team.
My claim was dealt with efficiently and professionally. Communication was excellent, and timely. Shrewd and sound advice was provided at every stage of the claim from beginning through to completion. On the basis of my personal experience I would strongly recommend Osbornes.
I just wish to thank you for your hard work and successful outcome. I am pleased with the result and would recommend you and your firm to anyone in the future.
Ben Posford … is ‘tactically astute’ and ‘one of the best personal injury solicitors around’.
Ben Posford ‘knows how to maximise the value of the claim for his clients’.
Client StoriesVIEW ALL
23.9.2024High Court Ruling: English Law in Multi-Vehicle Collision
High Court victory Siobhan McIvor, Partner in the Personal Injury Department, has succeeded in obtaining judgment for her seriously injured...
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18.4.2024£40,000 Payout in Motorcycle Accident Case
Megan Lambert, a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer at Osbornes Law, recently settled a claim for a motorcyclist whose lower left leg...
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5.3.2024Pedestrian hit by a car claims substantial compensation
Understanding Your Rights as a Pedestrian If you are a pedestrian and were knocked over by a vehicle when crossing...
Read more- 18.1.2023
Motorcyclist receives £3 million in settlement
Collision leads to life changing injuries Kate Milton, a Senior Associate at Osbornes Law settled a claim for a 27-year-old...
Read more - 19.6.2022
Car accident client stories
Below is a summary of the car accident claims that the personal injury specialists in the personal injury claims department...
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28.2.20226-Figure Settlement for Brain Injuries Caused by Car...
High-speed collision causes catastrophic brain injuries Our Spanish client was the front-seat passenger in a car driven by her husband...
Read more- 6.10.2021
Multi-Million Settlement After Motorbike Accident
£5m settlement for injured motorcyclist Our lawyers achieved a £5m settlement for a 54-year-old man following a motorbike accident. As...
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9.8.2021Motorcycle Accident Case Settles for £400,000
The accident causes serious injuries Mr C, an Italian man working in a 5 star London hotel was riding a moped...
Read more- 9.8.2021
Motorcycle accident case settles for £90,000
Our client’s journey from devastating accident to settlement Mr H was a hard-working security operative. He and his wife...
Read more - 2.9.2020
Motorbike accident results in multiple Injuries
Blanca Diego, Personal Injury solicitor at Osbornes Law, settled a claim for a 30-year-old motorcyclist who was involved in a...
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15.9.2019Osbornes Settles Brain Injury Case For Six Figure...
Case Overview: Brain Injury in Road Accident Osbornes acted for a Hungarian doctor who sustained a serious brain injury in...
Read more- 13.8.2019
Help for Passenger in Car Crash
Osbornes Law represented a woman in her twenties, who was involved in a car accident whilst on holiday in France....
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25.3.2019Brain injury car accident victim receives £5m
A man in his twenties who sustained serious injuries in a car accident as a teenager has received more than £5...
Read more- 19.6.2013
Head & Brain Injury Case Studies
Man who suffers head injury in car crash receives compensation A man who suffered a serious head injury as a...
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Personal Injury Accreditations
Insights From our Personal Injury Lawyers VIEW ALL
- 8.10.2020
Pedestrian hit by car on zebra crossing settles...
Blanca Diego, Solicitor in the Osbornes Personal Injury Department, recently settled a claim for a Spanish client who sustained injuries...
Read more - 21.9.2020
Motorcyclists – Could your actions be invalidating your insurance?
Insurance cover for you and your bike is vital in the event of an accident or theft but beware – insurance...
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20.6.2019Brachial Plexus Injury
In my career I have worked for the two biggest motorcycle insurance brokers in the UK and assisted their policyholders...
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25.3.2019RTA Claims Process
RTA claims process reforms Where are we, exactly, with fixed fees now that the Road Traffic Accident (RTA) claims process...
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19.6.2018Pedestrian receives £535,000 compensation
Polish graduate knocked down at pedestrian crossing Osbornes acted in a pedestrian accident claim for Mr M, a Polish graduate...
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Our Personal Injury Team View the whole team
Rob Aylott
Partner
Personal Injury SolicitorsSam Collard
Partner
Personal Injury SolicitorsSophie Davies
Partner
Personal Injury SolicitorsLaura Swaine
Partner
Personal Injury SolicitorsNicola Hall
Associate Solicitor
Personal Injury SolicitorsAndrew Middlehurst
Senior Associate
Personal Injury SolicitorsView the
whole team
