Road Traffic Accidents are amongst the most common causes of personal injury, and their particular circumstances can differ greatly. The types of injuries suffered depend on a number of factors, including the attributes and speed of the vehicle(s) involved in the collision, the comparative location of the parties, and a certain amount of chance.
WHAT TO DO AFTER AN ACCIDENT?
If you have suffered injuries in a road traffic accident, there are a number of things you can do which will be helpful if you later decide to make a claim. Here are a few examples:
- Try to get the details of the other party involved in the accident – if you are injured then police should attend and will normally take details for both parties.
- If you can, get details of any witnesses to the accident too.
- If you have a camera with you, or even your mobile phone, try to get some photos of the vehicles involved and the road conditions, if they are relevant (for example, if it’s snowing or wet)
- Get medical attention for your injuries – you’ll need to provide a copy of your medical report detailing your treatment in order to make a claim.
- Take photos of your injuries, if possible.
WHAT INJURIES MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED?
The types of injuries suffered in an accident on the road will largely depend on how your accident happened, how fast you were travelling and whether you were in a vehicle, on a bike or motorbike or crossing the road as a pedestrian. Injuries to pedestrians can range from minor cuts and bruises to life-changing head and spinal injuries, if you are knocked over by a vehicle travelling at speed. Here are a few examples of the most common types of injuries that you could suffer:
Cuts, bruises or broken bones
Serious lacerations and grazes, or loss of limbs
Crush injuries such as fractured ribs or a punctured lung
Spinal and back injuries, which could include vertebral fractures
Head injuries including a brain injury, fractured skull or concussion
Whiplash or any facial injuries
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
If you are considering making a personal injury claim after your road traffic accident contact us. You can call us at any time for confidential help after your accident, and there is no obligation to go ahead with a claim.
You might be ready to make a personal injury claim, but equally it may be that you just want to find out a bit more about the claims process and see if you’re eligible to make a claim, and that’s okay too. It’s our job to offer help and we will never pressure you into making a claim. Just remember that there’s a three-year time limit in place for most claims, and this can only be exceeded in very rare cases.
