Making a passenger accident claim

If you were hurt in an accident as a passenger in any vehicle - car, van, taxi or other - you could be able to make a claim for compensation. As a passenger, you are typically classed as an innocent party in an accident. That’s because a passenger can’t be responsible for an accident.

As a result, we have a high success rate in claiming compensation for passengers injured in accidents - whether it’s from the driver of the vehicle you were in or another driver.

We’re here to help you during a distressing time.

How much compensation could I claim?

The compensation you’re awarded for your injury will depend on what sort of injury you’ve suffered.

In most cases, compensation levels will be based on certain legal guidelines. For example, a broken leg that you recover completely from could be awarded up to £8,550 in compensation. Meanwhile, a minor hand injury could see you receive up to £4,461.

However, the law around whiplash changed in May 2021. You are now entitled to specific amounts of compensation set out by the government. For a whiplash injury lasting up to three months, you’ll receive £240. The same injury lasting up to two years will see compensation of up to £4,215 awarded.

Can I claim for non-injury losses?

After a road traffic accident, you can also make a claim for any financial losses you suffer. This could be anything you spend money on as a result of your injury.

You could claim for a loss of earnings, bonus or commission if you’ve been unable to work after your accident. It is also possible to make a claim for anything that was damaged in the accident.

These claims are for special damages and can include:

• Medical care, including any kind of medication or treatment like physiotherapy
• Repairing or replacing damaged property, including your phone, jewellery or any other personal item
• Transport to and from medical appointments

Make sure you keep the receipts and invoices from these expenses to claim them back.

How can I fund my claim?

In most cases, we’ll enter into a No Win No Fee agreement with you. This means that there’s nothing to pay upfront, letting you focus on your recovery rather than how you’ll fund your legal action.

With a No Win No Fee case, there’s also nothing to pay if your claim is not successful. That means there is no financial risk involved in claiming.

If your claim is successful, we’ll receive payment of our fees. This will be up to a maximum of 35% of your compensation plus VAT, but the exact figure will depend on the type of accident you were in.

How long do I have to make a claim?

In most cases, you’ll have three years to make a compensation claim. It’s always a good idea to begin a personal injury claim as soon as possible so you don’t have to worry about the deadline. It can make it easier to recall the details of the accident and to get hold of certain pieces of evidence.

There are some exceptions to the rule, though. If you’re claiming on behalf of a child who was injured as a passenger, you’ll be able to make a claim at any point until they turn 18. From that date, they’ll then have three years to make their own claim.

And if you’re claiming on behalf of someone who lacks the mental capacity to claim for themselves, you won’t face a deadline unless they regain capacity.

If you have any questions about whether you’re able to make a claim, just get in touch. The expert team at First4InjuryClaims is here to help you through the process by making everything clear and straightforward.

Do I need evidence?

Evidence is hugely important to a successful claim. The stronger your evidence, the higher your chances of success.

We’ll help you work out what evidence you should submit as part of your claim. This could include things like:

• CCTV footage of the accident
• Dashcam footage
• Medical reports – you’ll have to have a medical assessment as part of your claim
• Photographs and video of your injuries and the accident scene
• Police reports
• Witness details and statements

If you have any questions about the process of claiming, don’t hesitate to ask. You can get in touch at any point during your claim by phone or email.

We’re here to make sure you feel confident about getting justice for what happened to you.