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Netherlands Car Accident Claims Guide – How To Claim Compensation For A Car Crash Injury In Netherlands

The Netherlands have always been a popular destination for British tourists and, in the main, road safety is very good and comparable to the UK. You may however need to make a car accident claim in the Netherlands if you’re involved in a collision that wasn’t your fault.

Car accident claims Netherlands

Car accident claims Netherlands

This guide explains what you need to do in the event of a collision (as either a driver, passenger or pedestrian), how to claim holiday accident compensation and how Legal Expert can help you with our no win no fee service.

Legal Expert have been working with personal injury claims, including accidents claims in Holland, for many years and can offer a personal injury solicitor who can help you with your claim.

If you’d like to begin a claim straight away, then please call our specialist team on 0800 073 8804 now.

If you’d like to know more first, then please carry on reading and find out everything you need to know prior to lodging a compensation claim.

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A Guide To Compensation Claims For An RTA In Holland/ The Netherlands

As well as knowing what to do in the event of road traffic accident in Holland, there are a number of regulations that all drivers need to adhere to which are slightly different to the UK:

  • You must carry your UK driver’s licence, motor insurance policy and V5 document with you at all times.
  • Your car must have a GB sticker (unless you have euro plates fitted)
  • You must have headlight converters (stickers) which ensure you don’t dazzle drivers when you’re driving on the right hand side of the road.

Unlike other parts of Europe there is no requirement to have a warning triangle, first aid kit or reflective jacket but it may be a good idea to pack them if you can.

As with the UK, you are eligible to make a personal injury claim so long as it can be proven that the other driver was to blame for the accident. To aid that claim there are steps you can take to make your claim easier. This guide will explain what to do in the event of an accident, how to contact the emergency services and what evidence you can gather to help your solicitor with the claim.

There are strict time limits for car accident claims in the Netherlands, as with other personal injury claims. The table below outlines how long you have to make a claim:

Edit
Type of holiday booking Maximum time limit to make your claim
If the holiday was booked by a UK Tour provider 3 years ( This may very )
If the trip was booked privately 5 years ( This may very )

It is advisable to begin your claim as soon as you return to the UK so that a personal injury solicitor can have as much time as possible to gather any supporting evidence as required.

How To Contact The Emergency Services In The Netherlands/ Holland

Holland operates an emergency number that works the same way as the UK i.e. you call and explain what’s happened and they’ll ensure the relevant emergency services are directed to you.

To call the police, ambulance or fire service you need to dial 112 from a public or mobile phone to be connected to the operator.

In extreme cases, where a fatality has occurred or very serious injury, the British Embassy are able to help any UK citizen. We’ve included their contact details at the end of this guide for your information.

Healthcare In The Netherlands For Tourists

The Netherlands, as part of Europe, provide free healthcare to British tourists so long as they have obtained a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) prior to travelling. It’s free to apply and takes around a week to arrive.

The EHIC card means that you can receive free medical treatment at a hospital or doctors to the same level as a Dutch resident but it doesn’t include private hospitals or being brought back to the UK so you should consider taking out travel insurance that includes healthcare.

Whichever method you’ve chosen you should keep your insurance documents and EHIC card with you at all times.

Rules And Regulations For What You Should Do After A Road Traffic Accident In Holland

If you’re involved in a car accident in the Netherlands, then there are a number of steps to follow. These are:

  • Stop at the scene. If you leave, you’ll be committing a crime.
  • If possible, move your car to the side of the road and put your hazard lights on.
  • If you have one, place a red warning triangle around 30 meters from the scene of the accident.
  • Both parties should fill in the European accident report form and sign it. Don’t write anything that admits liability (facts are all that’s required). Don’t let the other driver fill it in for you and ensure that you understand what’s been written before signing it.

These are the mandatory steps that you should take. The next section explains what you can do to help with a compensation claim when you return to the UK.

What Steps Should I Take After A Netherlands Car Accident?

Once you’ve ensured everybody is safe (and has received treatment if necessary) there are a number of steps you can take to gather evidence and make a car accident claim in the Netherlands much easier:

  • Obtain and write down the other driver’s name, email address, phone number and insurance company. If they have their insurance policy, then make a note of the policy number or photograph it with your mobile phone.
  • Take a photograph of the scene of the accident. Try to get as much detail in the photo as possible including the number plate of the other vehicle and photograph any damage to your car so it’s easier to understand where impact was made.
  • Ask any witnesses for their contact details and, if they have time, ask them to write down what they saw while they can still remember it clearly.
  • If your car, or any of the witness’s vehicles, has a dashcam then try to get a copy of the video files as this can be really compelling evidence.

You may not want to spend too much time gathering evidence and just want to return to your holiday, but it really can make a big difference when filing a compensation claim.

While gathering evidence you should try to remain safe and not put other road users at risk.

Reporting A Road Traffic Accident In Holland

It is not mandatory to report every car accident in the Netherlands to the police. In the event of minor accidents, so long as both parties stop and swap details via the European reporting form, the police do not need to be contacted.

For more serious accidents, where somebody is injured then it is advisable to call 112 and speak with the police and ambulance service.

This does 2 things: firstly it means the injured parties will receive treatment promptly and secondly it makes an official police report which can be requested by your personal injury lawyer as evidence that the accident took place.

Can I Claim For Whiplash In An Accident In The Netherlands

A very common injury, following a road traffic accident, is whiplash. According to the NHS, a whiplash injury may not be obvious straight after the accident and it can take up to 12 hours for symptoms to present themselves.

It is recommended that, if you experience any of the symptoms of whiplash, in the days following a car accident, you should visit a doctor or hospital for assessment.

The most common symptoms of whiplash include:

  • Headaches
  • Tenderness around the neck muscles
  • Pain when moving the head, neck or shoulders
  • Stiffness of the neck

Symptoms can get worse over the days following an accident. If you’ve suffered whiplash following a Netherlands car accident and have seen a doctor then contact Legal Expert so that we can assess your claim with you to see if you’re eligible for compensation.

What Can I Claim For When Injured In A Road Traffic Accident In The Netherlands

When making a compensation claim for an accident in the Netherlands, your solicitor will claim against a number of different elements:

  • General damages: These cover the actual injury sustained as well as the pain and suffering caused. Compensation amounts vary depending on the severity of the injury i.e. a bruised back will receive a lot less compensation that somebody who suffers temporary paralysis.
  • Travel costs: These are expenses incurred because of the accident such as travelling to medical appointments or buying a new return flight to the UK because you were unable to use your existing ticket.
  • Care costs: These cover the cost of any support you require while still recovering from your injuries.
  • Loss of earning: If you lose some or all of your salary while recovering then these costs can be reclaimed. If you are likely to have time off in the future or have to change jobs because your injury prevents you doing your old job, then you could claim for future loss of earnings as well.
  • Personal property damage: Any item that was damaged at the time of your accident can be claimed back (to either repair or replace the item).

With any financial expenditure we’d recommend you obtain receipts and provide them to your solicitor when making your claim.

Calculating Compensation For Victims Of Car Accidents In The Netherlands

You probably want to know how much compensation you’re likely to get from your car accident in the Netherlands, but the truth is that every case is completely different so it’s impossible to guess or calculate an amount without first speaking with you.

We can however show you the range of compensation offered for certain injuries. This is the amount of compensation paid out for ‘general damages’ before taking into account other losses like travel costs etc:

Edit
Part of body injured Information Compensation range
Minor arm Injury Muscle damage and fracture which with no complications (quick heal) Maximum £4,200
Serious arm injury Serious broken bone injury (multiple) that may require further surgery and possibly leave the injured party with a disability £82,000
Minor back injury Incapacity may persist over many years although surgery is not needed Up to £8,000
Serious back injury Debilitating injuries, surgery required now and in the future £8,000 to £25,000
Severe back injury Injuries from which the injured party will never fully recover From £25,000 to £110,00
Broken collarbone Full recovery £2,000 to £3,500
Broken nose From simple fracture to serious multiple fractures, loss of smell etc. £1,000 to £21,000
Minor facial scarring £1,000 to £2,200
Facial scarring Visible from a short distance £6,000 to £11,000
Severe scarring Up to a maximum of £62,000
Minor head injury Full recovery within weeks £1,400
Minor head injury with minor brain damage £1,400 to £8,000
Debilitating brain damage Care required with the most basic everyday functions £10,000 to £180,000
Serious brain injury £180,000 to £260,000

To get a better idea of what amount of compensation you might be entitled to then we recommend you call one of our specialists and explain your accident and injuries to them. We’re always open an honest about how much compensation you may get and whether we think you have a good chance of winning your claim.

Make A No Win No Fee Claim For A Car Accident In The Netherlands

Making a compensation claim, especially for an accident that happened abroad, can be quite daunting even before you take finances into account.

Some solicitors charge their clients an hourly rate which means that, if they lose the case, the client ends up with a large legal bill but no compensation.

At Legal Expert we only work with no win no fee agreements where we specify a percentage of compensation as our success fee. When we take on the case, our clients don’t pay us anything up front, no hourly rate and if we are unsuccessful then they don’t pay us for our services at all.

If we win the case however, we take our agreed success fee from the compensation and then send the rest directly to the client.

This means our clients never have to send us any payment at all and we believe it makes claiming for compensation a lot less daunting.

How Our Accident Abroad Team Could Help You

Legal Expert have been working with personal injury claims for many years and always offer a free consultation to potential clients. We honestly assess your claim with you and will let you know if we believe there is a good chance of winning compensation or not.

Our solicitors are all friendly and professional, available when you need them to answer any queries and always work on a no win no fee basis.

Largest Cities in the Netherlands
For your information here is a list of the largest cities in the Netherlands:
Amsterdam
Rotterdam
The Hague
Utrecht
Eindhoven
Groningen
Almere
Breda
Nijmegen
Enschede

Start Your Claim Today

Now that you’ve read this guide about car accident claims in the Netherlands and you know that Legal Experts are specialist’s personal injury solicitors, we hope you’re ready to use us to make your claim. If so, you can contact us by:

Helpful Guides

Here are some more useful organisations and guides that may help if you’re involved in an accident in Holland:

British Embassy The Hague
Lange Voorhout 10
2514 ED The Hague
Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)70 4270 427
Web: www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-the-hague

British Consulate General Amsterdam
Koningslaan 44
1075 AE Amsterdam
Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)70 4270 427
Web: www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-consulate-general-amsterdam

Netherlands Holiday Accidents – a guide about any type of accident claim in the Netherlands, not just car accidents.

Dutch HGV Accident Claim – an article describing how to claim if the other vehicle involved was an HGV.

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    • Patrick Mallon legal expert author

      Patrick is a Grade A solicitor having qualified in 2005. He's an an expert in accident at work and public liability claims and is currently our head of the EL/PL department. Get in touch today for free to see how we can help you.

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