Passengers Can Make Road Accident Claims Too

Road accidents are never a pleasant thing, but there’s one thing that makes the whole experience even worse. For a passenger – helpless to prevent or reduce the consequences of an accident – a car, van or truck crash can feel particularly unpleasant. When such a traumatic event results in an injury, a compensation payment can aid the recovery process, compensating for time, emotional trauma and loss of earnings.

Compensation is often not the first thing that comes to mind after accidents, but passengers in particular may not think they are entitled to any compensation for injury they have been involved in. Whether it’s a car accident that caused a personal injury in Manchester or a bus crash in London, passengers should consider whether their injuries would benefit from compensation.

Who Is Responsible?

The first and most important question in any personal injury claim, in Manchester or anywhere in the UK, is who was responsible for that injury. For passengers, the answer may be the driver of the vehicle that crashed into theirs, or it may be the driver of the vehicle they were sitting in. In accidents involving public transport, it might even be the company that owns the line they were travelling on.

As with any accident claim, blame can go more than one way. Passengers do have some responsibilities in road accidents. Any passenger who fails to wear their seat-belt or behaves in an unsafe manner in the vehicle may be held responsible for some portion of their injuries. If a passenger is aware that their actions may have been responsible in part for their injuries, they should notify their legal representative when filling out the claim form. Trying to hide this aspect of the claim leaves the accident claim solicitor unprepared should the issue be brought up later.

Many types of injuries commonly occur in road traffic accidents, from the physical to the psychological. When they do, passengers deserve compensation.