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How To Claim Compensation Against Hungarian Lorry / HGV Driver? – View Our Guide

Hungarian lorry accident claim

Hungarian lorry accident claim

If you have been injured after being involved in a road traffic accident, apart from the pain and suffering due to the injury itself, it can be a very stressful experience when trying to claim against those responsible for the accident. When the accident involves a foreign vehicle such as being hit by a Hungarian HGV, the prospect of filing a claim against them can seem even more daunting. However, it actually isn’t that different to filing a claim against a registered UK driver thanks to the Green Card System and Legal Expert. When there is an accident involving a foreign registered vehicle, the MIB (Motor Insurance Bureau) act on the behalf of the foreign driver and deal with any claims.

If you have been hit by a Hungarian lorry and sustained an injury as a result, providing it can be proven that they were liable, you may be entitled to make a compensation claim against them. If you would like to make a claim but don’t know where to start, contact us at Legal Expert for free help and advice on 0800 073 8804.

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A guide to Hungarian lorry / HGV’s accident compensation claims

The number of foreign vehicles, particularly lorry’s and HGV’s, on UK roads has gradually been increasing over recent years and it would be extremely unusual not to pass at least one on every journey. It is estimated that over 18,000 road traffic accidents each year are due to foreign road users including Hungarian HGV’s. Driving attitudes vary across different countries, as do speed limits, weather conditions and road conditions so it might not be really surprising that a large number of accidents on UK roads are due to foreign drivers but that is no comfort if it’s happened to you

To help foreign vehicles move freely from country to country, after the second World War, a system called the ‘Green Card’ system was introduced. Anyone driving vehicles registered in countries that use the Green Card system, carry a universal insurance document. One of the requirements of belonging to the Green Card system is that the vehicles have to be insured.
Making a compensation claim can be a tricky and confusing process for those who have no experience in making such claims, therefore we have put together this guide to give a thorough overview on what it involves and what you can do to support your case and give yourself the best chance of making a successful claim.

How to claim compensation against a Hungarian Lorry / HGV driver

If you have been hit by a Hungarian HGV or lorry and been injured, but it wasn’t your fault, you will be eligible to make a personal injury claim for damages.

Generally speaking, making a claim after being hit by a foreign lorry is more or less as the same process as if claiming against a UK driver. The usual routine post road traffic accident would apply in that you need to take note of the driver’s personal details such as name and address, and very importantly take note of the vehicle licence plate number. With lorry’s, it’s very important to get the licence plate number of both the front cab and the back trailer section as these can sometimes differ and it’s actually the cab number that will indicate where the vehicle is registered. It makes no difference whether the driver is Hungarian or not, or whether the vehicle belongs to a business that doesn’t come from Hungry. If the vehicle is registered in Hungry then that is what is important. Also, gather any witness details too.

The MIB can then be contacted where they can make a foreign vehicle registration check to make sure that the vehicle is insured and ideally part of the Green Card system. Normally you wouldn’t deal directly with the vehicle’s foreign insurance company as they would usually have a UK representative.

If after the MIB foreign vehicle check, it is found that the vehicle is not insured, then the MIB will pass the claim to the guarantee fund under the Uninsured Drivers Agreement.

What is a Hungarian Lorry / HGV?

A lorry or HGV are effectively the same thing. HGV stands for ‘Heavy Goods Vehicle’. HGV’s are vehicles with a gross weight of over 3500kg and include vehicles such as fridge trucks, flat beds and tippers, box vans and drop sided vehicles for example. According to both UK and European law, a special HGV license is needed in order to drive such large vehicles.

Explaining the international Green Card system and how it helps in claims involving foreign vehicles

The Green Card system came about after the Second World War and now has over 40 countries, including all of the European countries, that belong to it. It was invented for two main purposes:

  1. Allowing foreign vehicles to move freely through borders with a universal document that is proof of a minimum third party insurance.
  2. To ensure that drivers of foreign vehicles are not disadvantaged in anyway if they are involved in an accident in a foreign country.

The Green Card is a universal document that proves that the foreign motorists have the minimum compulsory insurance cover with the legal requirements of the country they are visiting.

In the UK, the MIB has the responsibility of providing the green cards to insurers. The insurers then can print and issue their own cards as required.

The details of the countries belonging to the Green Card system can be found on the Council of Bureau website.

The Green Card Bureau pledges to compensate the victims of any road traffic accident caused by foreign vehicles that are registered in a country that belongs to the Green Card system. Under international agreements, the Green Card Bureau of the country from where the liable foreign vehicle is registered is required to reimburse the Green Card Bureau of the country in which the accident took place in.

I had an accident with a Hungarian vehicle, what should I do?

If you have been involved in an accident with a Hungarian lorry, the initial steps to take will be more or less same as if you were involved in an accident with a vehicle from the UK. If you are able, try to at least gather the following information:

  • The name, address and contact number of the driver.
  • The driver’s insurance details.
  • The licence plate number of both the front and back of the lorry. As mentioned earlier, the number on the cab at the front is sometimes different on the trailer at the back. By getting these details, the MIB will be able to run a foreign vehicle registration check.
  • If you are able, take some photographs of the vehicles involved and the accident scene.
  • Take down the contact details of any witnesses to the accident so that witness statements can be obtained at a later date if needed.
  • It may also be worth noting if there may be any CCTV coverage of the area in which the accident took place so that any footage of the accident can be used as evidence to prove liability.

Once you have the insurance details, with the help of the MIB, making a claim should be fairly straight forward using the Green Card system. However, things can become more complicated if it is found that the vehicle is not insured.

The Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB) cannot confirm the Hungarian vehicles cover. What happens next?

Once the MIB have made a foreign vehicle registration check, they should be able to ascertain from this whether or the vehicle is registered under the Green Card system and if so, the insurers can be contacted and with the help of the MIB you can start issuing proceedings against a foreign insurer for any damages or injuries you may have sustained. However, if in the unfortunate circumstances that it appears the Hungarian HGV was not covered by any insurance, then the MIB will transfer the case over to the Guarantee Fund to be handled under the Uninsured Drivers Agreement.

Although making a claim can seem more problematic if there appears to be no insurance for the foreign driver or vehicle, under UK law and the Uninsured Drivers Agreement 1999, you will still be able to make a claim for damages against those liable.

I suffered whiplash in foreign vehicle road accident

Whiplash is the most common injury sustained from being involved in a road traffic accident. It is caused by the head being thrown back and forth violently in quick succession which causes the tendons, muscles and ligaments in the neck to become over stretched with force resulting in a lot of pain, discomfort and stiffness with reduced movement. Victims of a whiplash injury also often find they suffer with discomfort in their shoulders and upper back along with headaches and sometimes muscle spasms. Depending on the severity of the injury, the victims symptoms may clear up after a few weeks, but in severe cases it can take months before any improvement is seen which can have a real negative impact on their everyday lives.

If you have suffered whiplash after being involved in a foreign car accident or have sustained whiplash from truck collision, then you may be entitled to make an insurance claim against foreign driver and also claim compensation for your injury. Contact Legal Expert for further help and advice and to see if you have a legitimate reason to make a claim.

How much compensation can I claim for a road traffic accident in Hungry?

If you were visiting Hungry and whilst there sustained an injury after being involved in a road Traffic accident, you may be wondering how to go about making a claim against the foreign driver if they were to blame for the accident and so your injury. You may feel overwhelmed by the added difficulties of overcoming the language barrier and trying to understand the differences in their laws and procedures when dealing with road traffic accidents, compared to those of the UK, that you may be thinking you’ll never get anywhere with it. However, it’s not as hard as you first expect, in fact, you deal with it in much the same way as you would if it had happened in the UK. You gather all the details as mentioned earlier in the guide such as the drivers name and address, vehicle licence plate number and the insurance details, and provided you can prove that they were to blame, you will have a legitimate claim to make.

The compensation amount you could be awarded will directly depend on the severity of the injury you have sustained. See further on in the guide some examples of the average compensation payout amounts for certain injuries typical of being involved in a road accident.

Hungarian vehicle road traffic accident claims

The amount of compensation will mainly be dependent on the severity of the initial injury that the claimant has suffered. Also taken into consideration are any long term effects the injury may leave, the expected recovery time and whether a full recovery is expected or not, also, extra costs incurred as a direct result of the injury such as medical or travel costs, and lost income and benefits are all taken into account when calculating the final award. So as you can imagine, due to there being so many variables, each case will result in a different amount of compensation being paid, even if the injury is similar.

Although it is impossible to predict exactly what amount someone may be awarded for an injury that wasn’t their fault, it is however, possible to show the average amounts awarded for certain injuries from past cases to at least give an idea of what could be paid out to you if you were successful in winning a compensation claim for your injury.

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Reason for Compensation Average Awarded Amount Comments
Mental Anguish Up to £4,100 Fear of impending death and loss of life.
Neck Injuries £2,150 – £6,920 Award amount will depend on how severe the injury is, the expected recovery time and future prognosis, and how the claimant’s life has been affected.
Minor – Moderate Shoulder Injury £2,150 – £11,200 Award will depend on the severity of the injury, any ongoing pain and suffering, and the future prognosis and expected recovery period.
Back Injuries – Moderate £10,970 – £34,000 The higher end of the bracket is for injuries that have possibly resulted in disability. Reduced movement and ongoing pain and discomfort, surgery may be required. The lower end of the payment bracket is for soft tissue, muscular and disc problems where pain and discomfort is experienced but prognosis of recovery is good.
Minor – Severe Chest Injuries £3,460 – £131,620 The lower amounts are for minor fractures and breaks to ribs, the higher amounts would be awarded to claimants with severe injuries such as punctured lungs and damage to the heart causing permanent on-going problems.
Head Injury Moderate – Severe £37,760 – £247,282 The higher payout amount is for those with severe disability, constant care needed, dependance on others. The lower end would be for those where memory and concentration problems are apparent, change in personality and reduced ability to work.
Head Injury – Minor – Moderate £1,940 – £37,760 The higher payout will be for those symptoms as described above. The lower end for those where expected full recovery is likely.
Minor Injuries Up to £600 Full recovery expected within 7 days
Minor Injuries £600 – £1,200 Full recovery expected within 28 days
Minor Injuries £1,200 – £2,150 Full recovery expected within 3 months

Again, just to clarify, the amounts in the table are just to show what could be possible, but there is no guarantee of any amount at all until you’ve actually won your case. Seeking legal help from a reputable personal injury solicitor such as those at Legal Expert, will give you the best chance of success as they have years of experience and know what they are doing.

No Win No Fee Hungarian vehicle accident claims

At Legal Expert, we believe that anyone who has suffered due to the negligence of someone else, should rightfully be able to claim compensation for their pain and suffering regardless of their current financial situation. As you can imagine, legal fees can be very expensive and not everyone can afford the luxury of paying a solicitor for however long it takes to make a compensation claim that there’s no guarantee of being won and potentially leaving them completely out of pocket, therefore many people who absolutely deserve to be compensated, may never get that chance of getting the justice and financial help they are entitled to as they can’t afford to gamble their current finances.

With this in mind and the fact we like to see everyone get their fair chance, we offer a No Win No Fee service. Basically with No Win No Fee, there are no legal fees to be paid if we do not win your claims case for you, therefore you don’t need to worry about gambling your finances. Also, because our fees are dependent on the outcome, we don’t ask for any upfront costs to be paid at all, if we win your case for you, we will then simply take a small percentage out of the compensation award amount when it is released.

So as you can see, our No Win No Fee service provides a safe way for anyone to rightfully claim compensation for their injury regardless of how much money they do or do not have in their bank account.

Speak to our team today

If you would like some free help or advice, or would like us to handle your compensation claim for you on your behalf, don’t hesitate to call us on 0800 073 8804. We will offer you a free consultation session where we can discuss the details of your case with you and gather some initial information. You also have the opportunity to voice any worries or concerns you may have about making your compensation claim and can ask any questions about making the claim as well.

With your permission, we will then start to put the process into motion, gathering more evidence and working behind the scenes to build you a strong case.
If we feel it could be of benefit, we may also offer you a free local medical as well.
We are a friendly and very experienced team that will do our best to get you the compensation you deserve.

Useful Links

NHS and whiplash

The NHS guide on whiplash, what it is, symptoms and how it can be treated.

Green Card System explained

Motor Insurance Bureau’s (MIB) website. This link leads information regarding the Green Card System , what it’s for and how it works.

HGV accident claims

Legal Expert guide on what to do if you are involved in an accident with an HGV.