August is National Road Victim Month, organised by national charity, RoadPeace, to remember those who have been killed or injured in road traffic accidents. According to the Department of Transport, over the last decade, on average five people are killed and more than 60 injured on Britain’s roads every day.
The summer holiday season often sees an increase in road accidents and traffic volume as people head out on holidays and day trips. The hot weather causes more breakdowns, increasing the risk of accidents involving pedestrians awaiting roadside recovery.
An experienced team
Our personal injury team has handled over 200 road traffic accident cases involving injury in the last year, of which two were fatalities. They support victims of road traffic accidents and their loved ones, who may so far have been unable to seek mental and physical rehabilitation and financial compensation.
Seeking help toward recovery
Road traffic accidents can have long term effects on victims, often including ‘invisible’ mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which can impair the victim’s ability to work and enjoy life – and also to access the professional help they need to recover.
Our head of Personal Injury, Simon Adamson, commented: “Families dealing with grief and major changes to their lives can find it difficult to seek help to move on. Road traffic accidents can be catastrophic, and cyclists and pedestrians are particularly vulnerable to serious injury. We’re seeing more of these cases post-lockdown as people have taken to cycling for commuting and leisure purposes.
“We work within the Rehabilitation Code to help improve the claimant’s health, quality of life and ability to work. Access to the rehabilitation or professional care that clients need is as important as the issue of financial recompense for the costs and suffering they have endured.
Support for Families
Where there has been a fatality, close relatives who were financially dependent on the victim may be entitled to make a claim for the loss of that financial support. Funeral costs, and other fees associated with obtaining probate, may also be claimed in the event of a fatality.
Contact the Specialists
By law, there is a time limit of three years to issue court proceedings following an accident. We would recommend contacting a solicitor well before that time to ensure important evidence is preserved including CCTV and witness details.
Do not hesitate to reach out to our personal injury team this national road accident month, and at any point throughout the year, to see if you have grounds to make a claim. We operate on a no win, no fee basis so will only take on a case we feel has a strong chance at success, so it’s always worth having that initial chat.
Call us on 0161 969 3131 or fill in our contact form and we will be in touch at the earliest opportunity.