According to the Injuries Board, road traffic accidents are the most common source of claims. 75% of the settlement in Ireland are awarded as a result of car crashes. The most common factors that lead to serious personal injuries and fatalities on the road are:
- Speeding
- Driving under the influence of alcohol
- Driver fatigue (driving while tired)
- Failure to wear a seatbelt
- Weather conditions that lead to hazardous driving
- Merging traffic
Making a Claim
Immediately following a car accident it is vitally important that you establish whether you and anybody else involved in the accident have sustained any injuries in the crash. Once established, it is important that you call an ambulance to the scene of the accident. Regardless of whether you perceive the injuries to be serious or not, it important that medical attention is sought straight away. Medical attention is also an important factor in cases where personal injuries have been sustained as you will need a medical report later on in the process to prove your injuries.
1. Report the car accident
It is important that you report the accident as soon as possible to the local Garda and your car insurance company. The Gardaí may or may not attend the scene of the crash . This will depend on how serious the accident was. In cases where the Gardaí decide not to attend the scene of the crash, it is important that you visit your local Gardaí station as soon as possible . In order to give a full statement of the accident.
Do not make admit any liability at the scene of the accident to the Gardaí or to the other parties involved in the accident.
2. Document the incident
Once you have phoned the Gardaí and reported the accident, it is important that you gather as much information as possible there and then . Here is a list of the important information that you will need to collect and do when involved in a car accident:
- Details of the driver’s car registration number and also the insurance company and policy number
- Name of the Gardaí and station you spoke with
- Record details such as street names . The vehicle’s location on the road and the direction of the traffic at the point of collision.
- Name, address, telephone number of the other driver
- Name, address, telephone number of any witnesses to the accident
- Make a sketch or drawing of the accident
- Take photographs using a camera or your smartphone
It is important that you do not leave the scene of the accident until you have gathered all the important information and until you have gathered the insurance details from the other driver. If you or anybody else involved in the car accident has suffered a personal injury make sure you stay at the scene until the Gardaí/police have arrived.
3. Contact Us
Following a car accident, if you are considering moving forward with a car accident claim for any personal injuries or material damages sustained it is advisable that you speak with a car accident claims expert as soon as you can. If proceeding with a claim the first step will be submitting your claim to the Injuries Board for assessment. A car accident expert can help you in preparing your application to the Injuries Board and ensure that you follow the process in the correct format, meaning that you can move forward with your claim quickly without unnecessary delays.
It is important to remember to keep copies of any expenses that you have incurred as a result of the accident and also to retain copies of medical reports or Garda reports, where possible as you will need them when making a claim.