Being involved with an accident with a stolen vehicle can leave you confused, overwhelmed and wondering how you could seek compensation. Not just this, but road traffic accidents can cause severe injuries, sometimes changing your life in an instant. You could now find yourself struggling with daily activities, such as driving, getting dressed or even going to work. These physical injuries can often be made worse by the stress of lost income and a disrupted routine. At a time where your recovery should be your focus, you don’t have to face these struggles alone. Seeking compensation in stolen car accident claims can help you in the aftermath of your accident.
Monetary compensation can be used to fund any ongoing medical treatments you require, and even reimburse you for the financial losses caused by your injuries. With experts here at Accident Claims, our solicitors could help you throughout your entire car accident claim; from guiding you through the process, to gathering strong evidence to support your case, we are here to help.
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- What Are Stolen Car Accident Claims?
- Can I Claim For An Accident With A Stolen Vehicle?
- How Can The MIB Help Me With A Stolen Car Accident Claim?
- Stolen Vehicle Accident and Injury Compensation
- What To Do If You Have Suffered An Injury Caused by A Stolen Vehicle
- Is There A Time Limit In Which to Make My Stolen Car Accident Claims?
- Why Use Our Solicitors For Your Stolen Vehicle Accident Claim
- Useful Links Relating To Stolen Car Accident Claims
What Are Stolen Car Accident Claims?
Stolen car accident claims can occur in situations where you have been involved in a road traffic accident caused by a stolen vehicle. This can be a car that has been illegally taken, or driven without the owner’s permission.
Typically, in these situations, the driver is uninsured, untraceable and sometimes even evasive if they have caused an accident. In these types of accidents, a claim can be pursued through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). The MIB is a government scheme which provides compensation to victims of collisions involving untraceable or uninsured drivers.
Some examples of how a stolen car accident claim may arise include if:
- A driver in a stolen vehicle is manoeuvring recklessly. Whilst looking at their phone, they swerve into your lane, causing a side-on collision. You suffer a severe shoulder injury as a result.
- You are walking along a pavement when suddenly you are struck by a car. The vehicle collides with you, and leaves you trapped between the car and a wall. This results in a traumatic amputation of your left leg, and ongoing post-traumatic stress disorder.
- A stolen car driver causes a rear-end collision, due to speeding. You suffer whiplash and a broken leg as a result of the rear-end collision.
These examples are by no means exhaustive, and have been used illustratively. If you’d like to discuss the particulars of your own claim, please get in touch with our advisory team today.
Can I Claim For An Accident With A Stolen Vehicle?
You could claim for an accident with a stolen vehicle if it can be shown that your injuries were caused by the negligent actions of another road user. In order to demonstrate this, we must show:
- As a road user, you were owed a duty of care
- This was breached
- The breach caused an accident which resulted in your injuries
Everyone using the roads has a collective duty of care to use the roads in a way that minimises their risk of causing damage or harm to others. They can uphold their duty by adhering to the guidance laid down by both the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code.
However, if you’d like to explore whether you’d be eligible to make a stolen car accident claim, contact our advisory team today.
How Can The MIB Help Me With A Stolen Car Accident Claim?
The MIB can help with stolen car accident claims as they can provide compensation for your injuries in cases of hit-and-run accidents, or where the driver is untraceable. All insurance policies in the UK pay into the MIB to fund compensation payouts.
Essentially, in the event that you are involved in a road traffic accident where the other driver either flees the scene, is uninsured or is driving a stolen vehicle, you could make a claim through the MIB.
The solicitors at Accident Claims have years of experience with claims made through the MIB, and can help you manage your own claim today. Get in touch with us to learn more about how you could make a claim through the MIB.
Will The Whiplash Reforms Apply To My Stolen Car Claim?
Stolen car accident claims will typically not be made under the Whiplash Reforms. The Whiplash Reform Programme was enacted in 2021, to change the way that whiplash claims in England and Wales can be brought. However, they do not typically apply to MIB claims. If your stolen car claim is not being made through the MIB then the Whiplash Reform could apply.
In some whiplash claims not made through the Reforms, the tariff found in the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021 may still apply. We’ve provided a few examples of the tariff in the table below.
| Injury | Duration | Tariff Amount |
|---|---|---|
| One or more whiplash injuries + psychological injuries | More than 18 months, but not more than 24 months | £4,345 |
| One or more whiplash injuries | More than 18 months, but not more than 24 months | £4,215 |
| One or more whiplash injuries + psychological injuries | More than 15 months, but not more than 18 months | £3,100 |
| One or more whiplash injuries | More than 15 months, but not more than 18 months | £3,005 |
If you would like to find out more about the Whiplash Reforms and whether or not they apply to your case, please speak to one of our advisors.
Stolen Vehicle Accident and Injury Compensation
Compensation in stolen car accident claims can be made up of two different heads of claim, called general and special damages. The first of these focuses on the physical and psychological harm caused by your injuries; it can also appreciate any loss of amenity caused by your accident.
Special damages instead is compensation for the financial losses caused by your accident; we discuss this in further depth in our section below.
However, when professionals are tasked with valuing your general damages, they can look to frameworks such as the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) which is a document containing compensation brackets for certain injury types. We have taken some figures from the JCG to provide a table with suggestive payouts in stolen car accident claims.
Please note that the top entry has not been taken from the JCG and that these figures are suggestive only.
| Injury | Severity | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Serious Injuries + Special Damages | A number of severe injuries paired with financial losses such as costs of professional care, lost earnings or medical costs | Up t £1,000,000+ |
| Paralysis | Tetraplegia (also known as Quadriplegia) - sensory impact and a reduced ability to communicate | £396,140 - £493,000 |
| Paraplegia - the amount awarded will be impacted by the level of independence and depression | £267,340 - £346,890 | |
| Head Injury/Brain Damage | Very Severe - might be some ability to follow basic commands, but little (if any) meaningful response to environment | £344,150 - £493,000 |
| Moderately Severe - severe disablement, with a large dependence on others and a need for constant care | £267,340 - £344,150 | |
| Back | Severe (i) - damage to the spinal cord and nerves. Significant pain and disability with incomplete paralysis | £111,150 - £196,450 |
| Neck | Severe (i) - not full paraplegia, but incomplete causing little to no movement in the neck | In the region of £181,020 |
| Amputation of the Arm | Loss Of An Arm (ii) - above the elbow amputation | £133,810 - £159,770 |
| Severe Leg Injuries | Severe (i) The Most Serious Injuries Short of Amputation - extensive degloving of the leg, or ununited fractures of the leg | £117,460 - £165,860 |
| Shoulder | Severe - associated neck injuries and damaged brachial plexus | £23,430 - £58,610 |
Special Damages In Stolen Car Accident Claims
As we briefly discussed, your compensation could also include any financial losses caused by your accident. This can include costs such as:
- Medical expenses
- Lost earnings or reduced earning potential
- Damage to your vehicle
- Any costs for rehabilitative aids
- Care needs, whether professional or gratuitous
- Travel costs
However, in order to seek compensation for any out-of-pocket expenses, you will need to hold documents which prove these losses. Your evidence could include payslips, bank statements or receipts to show associated costs.
To learn more about what could be included within special damages, please get in touch with our advisory team today.
What To Do If You Have Suffered An Injury Caused by A Stolen Vehicle
After you have suffered an injury caused by a stolen vehicle, you should begin compiling evidence. Typically, the more quality evidence you hold, the higher your chances of a successful claim.
When making a claim through the MIB, you could use documents such as:
- CCTV footage, or dashcam footage if the accident was caught on camera
- Medical evidence including GP record, any copies of scans, X-rays or tests and copies of prescriptions
- Your police crime reference number
- Contact details of anyone who may have witnessed the accident, so we can later gather a witness statement
- As much information about the other vehicle involved as possible, such as the number plate and the make and model.
- A personal diary outlining symptoms, pain and impact on daily life
These are only a few examples of what types of documents you could use as evidence. Get in touch with our advisors today to learn more about what documents can help prove fault in a car accident.
Is There A Time Limit In Which to Make My Stolen Car Accident Claims?
Yes, there is generally a time limit of 3 years from the date of the incident to start stolen car accident claims (or any personal injury claim). This is stipulated under the Limitation Act 1980, and it is imperative that your claim is started within the limitation period, to ensure it doesn’t become time-barred.
There are however exceptions to these time limits, which can be applicable to certain claimants. To learn more about the limitation period, or whether the exceptions might apply to your claim, please get in touch with our advisors today.
Why Use Our Solicitors For Your Stolen Vehicle Accident Claim
Using our solicitors here at Accident Claims can give your claim the best chance of success. With years of training, education and experience, they can help you seek compensation which encompasses all of the damage caused by your injuries.
Not only this, but by placing claimants at the centre of all they do, they can provide a tailored service, helping you to get the most out of your compensation claim.
By offering their services on a No Win No Fee basis, you could make a claim without paying any upfront solicitors’ fees. In addition to this, you wouldn’t face any ongoing solicitors’ fees during the progression of your claim. Most vitally, you wouldn’t have to pay these fees if your claim fails.
Instead, if your claim was successful, then a small fee would be taken from your compensation as a pre-agreed percentage. This success fee is limited in line with legislation to make sure that you receive the majority of your compensation.
As well as the advantages of claiming compensation under a Conditional Fee Agreement, by working with a stolen car accident claims specialist solicitor, you could expect:
- Guidance, support and advice through the entire claims process
- Help with compiling evidence needed for your claim
- Clear and concise updates about the progression of your claim
- Negotiation on your behalf to seek compensation that reflects the full extent of your injuries and financial losses
These aren’t the only ways that our solicitors can help you; with decades of experience, they can navigate the claims process on your behalf, meaning you can focus entirely on your recovery.
Start Your Stolen Vehicle Accident Claim Today
To get started with your own stolen car accident claim, you can reach our advisors by:
- Calling us on 0800 073 8801
- Contacting us online
- Speaking with an advisor using our live chat
Useful Links Relating To Stolen Car Accident Claims
To learn more, please read our other guides about:
- How to make a passenger accident claim
- Child car accident claims, and how to seek compensation
- Tinnitus after a car accident, and how to make a claim
Helpful External Resources
- How to claim Statutory Sick Pay from the Government
- What to do if your vehicle has been stolen
- Information regarding first aid after an incident
Thank you for reading our guide on stolen car accident claims.
