By Jo Anderson. Last Updated 8th August 2023. Welcome to our guide which discusses how to report a car accident. Car accidents can be frightening experiences. If you have recently been involved and injured in a car accident, you may have many questions about what you should do.
Accident Claims UK has created this guide for people who have recently been involved and injured in a car accident, even those involving parked cars could be entitled to compensation. We will explain how to report the incident to the police and your insurer. We will also explain how to make a compensation claim for any injuries you have sustained and damage to your vehicle.
How to report a car accident
If you have been injured due to a car crash that was not your fault, Accident Claims UK can handle your compensation claim. We can provide you with a knowledgeable solicitor with up to thirty years of experience handling compensation claims. Your solicitor will push to win you the maximum amount of compensation that you are owed, and you will also have the option to have your claim handled on a no win no fee basis.
For free advice on how to report a car accident and begin your car accident claim, call Accident Claims UK on 0800 073 8801 or use our online claims form to get in contact with us. If you have legitimate grounds to make a compensation claim, a solicitor will start working on your case right away.
Select A Section
- A Guide On When And How To Report Car Accidents
- What Are Car Accidents And Collisions?
- What Should You Do After A Car Accident?
- When Do I Have To Stop If Involved In A Car Accident?
- Who Should You Report A Car Accident To?
- Do I Have To Report My Car Accident To The Police?
- How To Report Car Accidents To The Motor Insurance Bureau
- Road Safety Facts And Statistics
- Calculating Compensation For Car Accidents
- Damages Also Awarded For Personal Injury Claims
- No Win No Fee Car Accident And Injury Claims
A Guide On When And How To Report Car Accidents
Welcome to our guide on how to report a car accident and make a compensation claim.
Unfortunately, every year, thousands of people are injured in Great Britain due to road traffic accidents. For the year ending with June 2020, there were 131,220 casualties of varying levels of severity caused by road traffic accidents, including car accidents. If you are involved in a car accident that causes damage or injury to another person, you must stop if you don’t exchange details at the scene, you are legally obliged to report your accident to the police. You are also required to inform your insurance provider.
If you were injured in a car accident where you were not at fault, you could claim compensation for your injuries. If you were involved in an accident where you and another driver or party were partially at fault, you might still be able to make a claim but for a lower amount of money. To enquire about making a compensation claim for your injuries and damage to your car, after you report your car accident, call Accident Claims UK for your free consultation. If you have legitimate grounds to claim, we will provide you with an excellent solicitor to handle your case, who will start working on your compensation claim as soon as possible.
What Are Car Accidents And Collisions?
Before we look at how to report a car accident, let’s first look at how these accidents can happen. Car accidents are when a car collides with another vehicle, comes off the road, hits an object or a pedestrian.
There are four main types of car collisions. Rear-end collisions happen when one vehicle collides with another vehicle from behind. This often causes whiplash injuries. Other types of collisions include t-bone accidents, where a vehicle collides into the side of another vehicle, which often happens at junctions. Head-on collisions where vehicles crash into each other from the front and sideswipe accidents which happen when a car hits another car from the side because the driver changed lanes without checking their mirrors properly.
Car accidents can also happen if a car hits a stationary object like a lamp post or a pillar. In this instance, the driver is nearly always at fault. A car can also hit a pedestrian or a cyclist.
What Should You Do After A Car Accident?
Car accidents are scary experiences. People will often respond by panicking if they are injured and may feel very helpless and afraid. Before you report a car accident, there are things you can do at the scene of a car accident to make sure everyone stays calm and that the injured people get the help that is needed. You can also collect evidence at the accident scene to help the police investigate the incident if necessary. The evidence can also be used by your solicitor to help support any compensation claims that you make.
What To Do After A Car Accident
- Stop at the nearest safe place.
- Check to see if you, those travelling with you, or other people involved in the accident are injured.
- If you or anyone else is injured, do what you can to ensure their safety, calling 999 for emergency services if they are seriously or critically injured. Administer first aid if it is needed and you can.
- If the accident is serious, you can call 999 to report it to the police. Otherwise, you can report the accident later (within 24 hours) using the police’s non-emergency number 101.
- Exchange your contact details with the other driver. Do not say anything which could be taken as an admission of guilt.
- Speak to eyewitnesses and take down their names and contact details, as well as insurance details.
- Collect evidence that could help the police, and support a compensation claim you might make. This can include photographic evidence, video evidence, or writing down details of the crash once you get to a safe place, such as the vehicle registration details and registration number.
How Long Do I Have To Claim For A Car Accident?
If you are eligible to claim compensation after a car accident, you will need to be aware of the time limits in place for starting a personal injury claim. Under the Limitation Act 1980, you would typically have three years from the date of the accident to launch your claim. However, there are some cases that may have exceptions apply to this limitation period.
For example, if a child has been injured, the 3-year limitation period would pause until their 18th birthday. However, a responsible adult could apply to be a litigation friend for the child and make a car accident compensation claim on their behalf prior to this date. If no claim is made by the claimant’s 18th birthday, they will have three years from this date to start one.
To learn more about the other exceptions that may apply to the personal injury claims time limit, you can contact our advisory team. They could also inform you whether you may have an eligible claim.
When Do I Have To Stop If Involved In A Car Accident?
If you are involved in a car accident, you are legally required to stop in the nearest safe place, according to the Road Traffic Act 1988. Driving away from a road traffic accident is an offence, often referred to as a “hit and run” offence.
Who Should You Report A Car Accident To?
We will now look at how to report a car crash or how to report a road accident of any other sort. First of all, you are legally required to report a car accident to the police within 24 hours, ideally at the scene of the accident, if you do not give your details at the time of the accident.
Reporting an accident to your insurance company is also required. How long before you have to an accident to your insurer? Some policies require you to report the accident within 24 hours, and some require you to report the accident within 48 hours. Check the terms and conditions of your policy. Should you tell your insurance company about a minor accident? Yes. Exact details of the accident may emerge later, so you may find you need your insurer, even if you don’t initially think you are.
Do I Have To Report My Car Accident To The Police?
According to the Road Traffic Act 1988, all road traffic accidents causing damage to another vehicle, property, or injury to a person or animal must be reported to the police if you do not give your details at the time of the accident. How long do you have to report a car accident? Car accidents must be reported to the police within 24 hours.
If anyone is seriously injured or the accident has caused immediate danger, dial 999 for an ambulance. Police will also arrive on the scene. How to report an accident in the UK if the situation is not urgent? If the situation is not urgent you can call the police’s non-emergency number 101. Report the car accident at the scene of the accident if you can. Otherwise, you can report it later. How to report an accident after the fact? You can dial the police’s non-emergency helpline or report an accident to the police online. For this, you should be re-directed on how to do so on your local police force’s website.
How To Report Car Accidents To The Motor Insurance Bureau
Are you wondering how to report a car accident?
If you are hit by an uninsured driver or an untraced driver (i.e. a driver that flees the scene), it can be very distressing to think that someone showed such disregard for your safety. Sadly, there are thousands of uninsured motorists on the roads of the United Kingdom.
Compensation claims are normally made against the driver that is at fault, against their insurance provider. If you have been hit by an uninsured driver or are injured in a hit and run accident, you may be worried that you cannot claim for your car accident. Fortunately, you will be able to make a compensation claim for the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB). The Motor Insurance Bureau was set up to compensate people who were hit by uninsured or untraced drivers and is funded by insurance premiums from all insurance policies purchased in the UK. If you make a compensation claim from the Motor Insurance Bureau, a solicitor can negotiate with the MIB to ensure you get the maximum compensation you deserve.
To report a car accident to the Motor Insurance Bureau, visit the MIB’s website. Alternatively, allow your solicitor to contact the MIB on your behalf.
Road Safety Facts And Statistics
The road safety charity, Brake, reported that there were 1,752 people killed on the roads in Great Britain in 2019, with a further 25,000 people seriously injured.
| Severity Of Casualty | Rate Of Injuries Reported |
|---|---|
| Fatal injuries | 777 |
| Deaths or serious injuries | 11,150 |
| Total casualties | 93,861 |
| Total number of vehicle miles | 255 billion |
Data for this table may be found in this government guide.
Calculating Compensation For Car Accidents
If you have been injured in a car accident that was not your fault, Accident Claims UK can help you claim compensation. Once you report a car accident, if you are curious to see how much compensation you could be owed for your injuries, you can use our personal injury compensation calculator to estimate how much compensation you could claim in general damages. The rates in the table below are based on official Judicial College guidelines.
| What Injury Was Suffered? | How Serious Was It? | What Could You Claim? | What Else Do You Need To Know? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arm injury | Severe injuries | £96,160 to £130,930 | Injuries to the claimant’s arm which are short of amputation though still very serious. The person will be almost as badly off as if they had lost the arm. |
| Arm injury | Injuries which resemble permanent or substantial disabilities. | £39,170 to £59,860 | Serious breaks or fractures to either one of the arms or both., There may be a disability or functional loss. |
| Arm injury | Less severe injuries (to the arm) | £19,200 to £39,170 | Less severe injuries could still lead to significant levels of disability. Some degree of recovery will have happened. |
| Ankle injuries | Severe | £31,310 to £50,060 | Injuries to the ankle which necessitates prolonged periods of care as well as time to recover either in plaster and/ or where plates and pins must be used. There is significant disability left in this joint. |
| Ankle injuries | Modest | Up to £13,740 | Less serious or severe than the category above and with shorter lasting or lower levels of symptoms and effects on the claimant. |
| Elbow injuries | Less severe injuries (to the elbow) | £15,650 to £32,010 | Injuries affecting the elbows which impair your ability to use the elbow properly. It may require surgery or leave the person disabled. |
| Knee injuries | Moderate (1) | £14,840 to £26,190 | Moderate injuries to the knee could involve cartilage being torn or meniscus tears. Such injuries could lead to minor levels of disability in the joint. There may be some weakness or wasting. |
| Foot injury | Moderate | £13,740 to £24,990 | Displaced fractures of bones in the foot or feet. |
| Wrist injuries | Level (c) | £12,590 to £24,500 | Even at this less severe level, there will be some degree of disability suffered. There could be lasting pain or there could be some degree of stiffness in the joint. |
| Wrist injuries | Level (d) | £6,080 to £10,350 | Wrist injuries for which the recovery takes a bit longer, but which may be complete. |
In addition to general damages, you will be able to claim special damages and funds for repairs to your car. These are not included in the table above.
Damages Also Awarded For Personal Injury Claims
If you make a personal injury claim, your compensation package will include general damages, which will award you for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity and special damages, which will reimburse you for any expenses you have incurred as a result of your injuries. This could include reimbursement for the cost of alternative transport whilst your car was being repaired, medical expenses, or funds to reimburse you for any income lost if you had to take time off work due to your injuries.
No Win No Fee Car Accident And Injury Claims
So, you report a car accident, but what’s next? If you choose to claim compensation with Accident Claims UK, we can handle your claim on a no win no fee basis. This means that we will not charge you an upfront fee, making the process more affordable for many. Instead, we will charge you a success fee, only on the condition we win your claim. If your claim is unsuccessful, we will not charge you a success fee, decreasing the financial risk involved for you.
If you wish to learn more about how to report a car accident and the benefits of making a No Win No Fee compensation claim, call Accident Claims UK to speak to an advisor. If we can see that you are owed compensation, we can also provide you with a knowledgeable solicitor to handle your case.
You may be eligible to claim funds to compensate you for your injuries and pay for any medical treatment you may need. To make a personal injury claim after you report a car accident, use our email address, call Accident Claims UK on 0800 073 8801 or use our online claims form to contact us.
report a car accident
How the claims process works for car accidents
As we’ve already shown how to report a car accident, we’ll now explain what happens next. If you decide to seek compensation, your case will be reviewed, for free, by one of our specialist advisors. If it is clear that your case is strong enough, you could be referred to one of our personal injury solicitors. If further evidence is required at this stage, the advisor will provide free legal advice on what to do next.
If your case is taken on by a solicitor, they will discuss what happened with you in more detail. They will then act quickly to secure the evidence required to back up your claim. In all cases, a medical review will be needed. This will be arranged locally and conducted by an independent specialist.
Once everything is in place, your car accident compensation claim will be sent to the defendant’s insurer. So that you’re not bogged down with tricky or medical questions, your solicitor will take control of all communication. Where needed, they’ll supply additional evidence to try and counter any objections to your claim.
Ultimately, your solicitor’s main aim will be to gain the maximum level of compensation possible for your injuries. All of this work is carried out on a No Win No Fee service meaning you’ll only pay solicitor’s fees if you are paid compensation. Please give us a call today if you’d like to begin a car accident claim.
Resources
- A Guide To Car Accident Claims – How Much Compensation Can I Claim For A Car Accident?
- Road Traffic Accident Claims – A Guide To Claiming Compensation, How Much Compensation Can I Claim?
- Cycling Accident Claims & Advice – How Much Compensation Can I Claim For An Injury?
- Mobility Scooter Accident Claims
External Resources
- Road Traffic Act 1988 – A link to this important piece of legislation.
- How to claim from the Motor Insurance Bureau
Thank you for reading our guide about how to report a car accident.