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A Guide To Serious Injury Car Accident Compensation

By Stephen Hudson. Last Updated 29th June 2023. Welcome to our guide on serious injury car accident compensation. Even the safest of drivers can be involved in a road traffic accident unfortunately and many times due to another driver’s negligence or carelessness. Figures by the Department of Transport show that in 2016, 181,384 people were involved in a road traffic accident, 1,792 of those were killed and 24,101 seriously injured.

Serious car accident

Serious car accident

Car accidents sometimes occur where no-one is found to be liable and were caused by circumstances that could not have been predicted, but in the majority of cases, someone is at fault either by negligence, reckless or dangerous driving or simply through not paying attention.

A whole variety of injuries can be caused when someone is involved in a car accident ranging from mild to extremely severe and also death. Injuries resulting from a car accident can have devastating consequences on the victim’s life and can have a lasting impact for years to come. Car accident compensation payouts can at least help with the financial burden being injured can bring and also give some peace of mind and justice to those injured through no fault of their own.

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A guide to serious injury car accident compensation UK

A serious injury car accident can happen due to all sorts of reasons, for example, a vehicle ploughing into stationary traffic, driver falling asleep at the wheel, carelessness and lack of due care and attention, dangerously speeding, bad weather and many, many more. Accidents can happen in the split of a second giving innocent people no time to react.

Injuries from car accidents can vary enormously. Some people are extremely lucky and come away unhurt or maybe with just a few scratches and bruises. Others may suffer temporary injuries such as whiplash or a small fracture for example. However, in many cases, injuries caused by being involved in a car accident can be very serious and have a permanent effect on a person’s life such as broken limbs, head injuries, brain damage, paralysis and many more.

If you have been seriously injured in a car accident and want to make a car accident compensation claim, this guide that has been put together by our highly experienced personal injury claim solicitors at Legal Expert to give you some information regarding eligibility, the claiming process, what can be claimed for in a serious car accident compensation claim and more. Please read on and feel free to contact us at any time for more help and advice.

Serious car accidents on motorways

There are a particular set of rules that applies solely to motorway use that are set by the Highway Code such as speed limits, safe distances to be kept between vehicles, what to do in slow-moving traffic, poor weather conditions, breakdowns and when emergency vehicles are approaching for example.

Car accidents that occur on motorways can often result in more serious injuries purely due to the speed the vehicles are travelling at, at the time of the accident. Although speed on its own is not necessarily a cause of accidents, coupled with poor driving conditions, it can be fatal. Speed can also make the outcome of an accident a lot worse. For example, if a car has a tyre blow out whilst travelling at 30mph, the driver has a better chance of keeping the car under control compared to if they were travelling at 70mph. Reaction time is also greatly reduced the faster you travel and the impact of a vehicle hitting something will be significantly higher causing greater damage and a higher chance of serious injury or death.

With cars and other vehicles travelling at higher speeds on a motorway, rules of driving on the motorway need to be strictly adhered to in order to reduce the likelihood of an accident occurring.

Motorway accidents can be put into two sections depending on where the first impact happened. These are hard shoulder accidents and main carriageway accidents. The hard shoulder is only supposed to be used by the public for emergencies such as a breakdown, the emergency services if volume of traffic is high and agencies that are responsible for maintenance etc. The hard shoulder is considered unsafe to drive along or stop on if unnecessary.

There are many reasons why an accident could occur on the motorway, some of the most common are:

  • Human error – The most common cause of serious car accidents are down to human error such as negligence, lack of due care and attention, driving under the influence of drugs and / or alcohol, dangerous or reckless driving, falling asleep at the wheel, driving a vehicle unfit for use, dangerously changing lanes and undertaking and many more.
  • Unexpected and unforeseen vehicle problems such as wheel problems, steering or brake failure etc.
  • Bad weather conditions.
  • Problems with the surface of the road such as potholes appearing that the Highways agency hasn’t had the chance to fix.
  • Debris on the roads, again, that the Highways Agency hasn’t had a chance to clear.

If drivers involved in a serious car accident on a motorway have not respected the laws of driving on the motorway, they will be found liable for the accident and possibly prosecuted. If you have suffered a serious injury after being in an accident on the motorway you will be eligible to make a car accident compensation UK claim.

Injuries resulting from serious car accident

There are numerous injuries that you can sustain from being involved in a serious car accident, ranging from minor if you’re very lucky, to extremely serious and life-altering, or possibly death. Any of these could result in serious injury car accident compensation.

Neck Injuries:

The most common neck injury caused by car accidents is whiplash which is when the head is jolted backwards and forwards in quick succession causing stretched and torn ligaments. This is classed as a less serious injury generally as full recovery is usually expected. However, more serious neck injuries such as cervical dislocation and damaged disks that can have a large impact on a person’s life may occur in a serious accident.

Brain and Head Injuries:

One of the injuries drivers and passengers are at risk from are head injuries due to the head hitting the side of the car, dashboard or steering wheel or from being hit by the passenger behind. Head injuries can be fairly mild such as small bumps and bruises but depending on how hard the head has been hit, more serious injuries such as brain damage can occur. The extent of the damage will greatly depend on the level of impact of the head being hit. The lack of visible injuries to the head doesn’t always mean there isn’t an injury as sometimes if the head has been shaken about, bleeding and swelling of the brain can be present.

Injuries of the Spinal Cord:

Spinal cord damage can be a result of displaced bone fragments, damaged disks, or bruised or torn ligaments in the spinal cord tissue. This can affect the part of the nerve cells that are responsible for carrying signals from the brain to other parts of the body, often causing loss of feeling or of function.

Internal Injuries:

Internal injuries are often life-threatening and need to be treated immediately but aren’t always spotted straight away if there are no visual signs of injury. In serious car accidents, internal injuries are common and can include injuries such as damage to the lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, bowel, spleen and aorta. Broken ribs are also common and can sometimes puncture the lungs.

Facial Injuries:

Damage to the face can range from minor, small scratches and bruises, to more severe such as cuts and lacerations, fractures and dental damage. The injuries usually result from the face hitting the side of the car, steering wheel, airbag, dashboard and from shattered glass.

Other physical injuries:

Broken or fractured bones, cuts and lacerations to the body, bruising can all have an impact on someone’s way of life.

Psychological Injuries:

Injuries following a serious car accident aren’t always physical, but are often psychological and long-lasting, sometimes having a huge negative impact on a person’s life especially if they were seriously physically injured or experienced the loss of life of a loved one. Psychological injuries include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), emotional distress, ongoing depression and anxiety.

Being involved in a serious car accident and suffering an injury as a result can have a long-lasting effect on your life depending on the severity and extent of your injury. When looking on a car accident compensation forum you can often find car accident compensation examples that give hope to others who may want to claim compensation for their pain and suffering from an injury that was not their fault. If you call us on 0800 073 8804 we can give you a free evaluation on how much compensation for a serious car accident injury you may be entitled to.

Serious car accident compensation

If you have been injured in a car accident you may be eligible to make a car accident compensation claim. Even if the accident was your fault or the injury you sustained was partly your fault, depending on the circumstances, you may still be entitled to claim a car accident compensation payout. Serious injury car accident compensation examples can be found here.

Brain damage compensation

You will certainly be entitled to claim compensation for any brain damage sustained from a serious car accident. The amount awarded will be dependent on the severity of the brain damage. By using a car accident compensation calculator UK, you may be able to get an idea of what you could potentially be awarded, but it would only be an estimate.

Disability caused by a serious car accident

Disabilities can be short term or long term but in both cases will be good reason to claim compensation as either short or long term can have a big impact on finances and lifestyle. Home and car adaptions may be necessary putting a huge strain emotionally and financially.

Paralysed by a serious car accident

Paralysis may range from a smaller area of the body, to the whole body. Again, as with any disability, home and car adaptions may be necessary which can cost tens of thousands of pounds depending on the extent of the work to be done and by making a compensation claim, this would cover these extra costs at least.

Making a car accident compensation claim cannot change what has happened or make an injury disappear, but it can relieve any financial burden incurred as a direct result of the injury and give a sense of justice to the claimant. Legal Expert are a team of highly experienced personal injury specialists that do their best to get the maximum payout they can for their clients and can help you to get the compensation you deserve.

Compensation For A Serious Injury In A Car Accident

If you make a successful personal injury claim for a serious injury in a car accident, you will receive general damages. This head of claim covers the pain and suffering you’ve experienced due to the injuries caused by your car accident.

The amount of compensation that may be offered for general damages is decided on a case-by-case basis. Many legal professionals may refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to help them when valuing this head of claim as it lists compensation guidelines for various injuries. The figures we have used in the table below have been taken from the 16th edition of the JCG.

This table should be used as a guide only.

Edit
Reason for Compensation Average Payout Amount Comments
Very Severe Head/Brain Injury £282,010 to £403,990 Severe brain damage that has left the injured person unresponsive and unaware of their surroundings.
Moderately Severe Head/Brain Injury £219,070 to £282,010 The person will be seriously disabled and will substantially depend on others for constant care.
Spinal Injury Quadriplegic (Paralysis) £324,600 to £403,990 Extremely severe permanent spinal injury.
Spinal Injury Paraplegic (Paralysis) £219,070 to £284,260 Severe permanent spinal injury.
Amputation of Arms (a) £240,790 to £300,000 Both arms have been amputated.
Amputation of Arms (b)(ii) £109,650 to £130,930 One arm is amputated above the elbow.
Severe Back Injury (i) £91,090 to £160,980 Permanent loss of feeling and motor function and possible paralysis.
Chest Injury (a) £100,670 to £150,110 This is taking into account injuries such as damage to the heart or lungs which will cause ongoing pain and discomfort.
Severe Neck Injury (i) In the region of £148,330 Terrible pain and discomfort, reduced movement and possibly even paralysis.
Leg Injury – Amputations (iii) £104,830 to £137,470 One leg is amputated above the knee. Factors such as severity of phantom pains will affect the amount awarded.

You may also be able to claim special damages as part of your compensation settlement. Special damages could be included in a personal injury claim to cover for the financial losses or expenses that can be directly linked with your injuries.

Under special damages, you could be compensated for:

  • A loss of earnings.
  • Essential travel.
  • The cost of prescriptions.
  • Carer costs.

Providing evidence of these losses could help support your claim. For example, you could provide any bank statements or invoices relevant to your expenses.

For more advice on compensation payouts for serious injury claims following a car accident, contact our advisors today either online or by calling us.

No Win No Fee car accident compensation

Here at Legal Expert, our specialist solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis. This means, in short, that you do not need to pay any legal fees at all unless your case is successful, in which case we will take a small percentage of your compensation award. If your case was not successful, you will not be required to pay anything at all, we cover the costs ourselves.

By working on this basis, we feel that it gives everyone the chance to claim for compensation if they have suffered a car accident injury, without the worry of making any financial loss, such as not having the ability to work. Other factors could influence the nature of the claim, such as the defendant not having any car insurance.

Making a compensation claim can be a long drawn out process and to pay a personal injury lawyer by the hour could result in huge legal fees, financially this could be a massive risk as there is no guarantee that the case will be won in the end and so would leave the claimant in a worse position than before starting their claim.

By using our No Win No Fee service for claims after road accidents, you haven’t got any financial risk at all. If we win, we take a small percentage of the amount awarded, if we were to lose, it’ll cost you nothing. Therefore you can only gain with our No Win No fee service and working with our law firm. This also helps with making sure that you file your claim within the 3-year time limit.

Why choose Legal Expert for your car accident claim?

Our solicitors at Legal Expert specialise in the personal injury claim industry and have many years of experience in making car accident claims. We have a fantastic record of successfully claiming the maximum payout amounts of compensation for our clients. This is largely due to our hard work and perseverance in fighting our client’s corner for them to get the compensation they deserve.

We are a caring and friendly firm and understand that you will be going through an extremely difficult time at the moment and so work hard on your behalf behind the scenes so that you can concentrate on your recovery. We try our best to take you through the claiming process as quickly and efficiently as we can without causing you any unnecessary stress.

So what happens when you contact us? When you call us, a member of our professional team will answer your call. We will offer you a free consultancy session where you can ask as many questions as you need to regarding making a car accident compensation claim so that you feel more comfortable about what it involves. We will also use this session as an opportunity to gather as much information as we can from you at this point so that with your permission, we can start to launch your claim for you. We also offer a free local medical at a time and place convenient to you if we fell it could help with your case but we can discuss that in more detail during the consultancy session.

If you’d like to speak to us regarding making a serious injury car accident compensation claim, just call us on 0800 073 8804 and we will take it from there. You will not regret choosing Legal Expert as your personal injury claims solicitor as we are a very dedicated team that will endeavour to get you the maximum compensation payout we possibly can for you, getting you the justice you deserve.

Useful Links

Road Traffic Act 1988

This takes you to the Road Traffic Act 1988 legislation. This outlines all the rules and regulations regarding driving on the roads in the UK.

RTA statistics

This is the government site that gives road traffic accidents statistics over recent years. The statistics include numbers of those injured, types of accidents and severity of injuries sustained etc.

NHS whiplash injury guide

As whiplash is a very common injury caused by car accidents, this may be of use. This is the NHS site giving information about how to help and treat whiplash and when to seek medical guidance.

Our car accidents claim guide

This is a guide put together by Legal Expert giving some more information regarding making car accident claims that may be of use.

Our No Win No Fee guide

This is another of our guides that explains in more detail our No Win No Fee policy which is worth having a read so that you understand a little more about how it works and how it can be really beneficial for you when making a compensation claim.

We also have some other guides you may find useful on car accident claims:

Thank you for reading our guide on serious injury car accident compensation.

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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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