HGV Accident Claims for Compensation

HGV Accidents

Due to the size and weight of lorries and heavy goods vehicles (HGV), accidents involving these types of vehicles can be serious, with devastating impacts for those involved. Injuries sustained in lorry and HGV accidents can be severe, and many may be life-changing or even fatal. Road users and pedestrians who have been injured in accidents involving lorries or HGVs may be entitled to make HGV accident claims for compensation.

Common HGV Accident Claims

There are many different types of accidents which can involve HGV drivers and other road users. Some HGV accidents may be caused by the negligence of the lorry driver; others may be the result of other factors. The most common type of HGV accident claims which we have dealt with include:

• Collisions that involved a lorry and other vehicles on the road. This may be due to the driver not paying enough attention, losing concentration or driving whilst tired. In some cases, the driver of the other vehicle may be at fault for the accident.
• Accidents between HGVs and pedestrians or cyclists. Injuries suffered in this type of accident may be severe or fatal.
• Accidents caused by poorly maintained or badly loaded vehicles.
• Accidents caused by poorly maintained roads.
• Accidents caused by poor weather conditions and poor visibility.
• Accidents caused by alcohol or drugs

Regardless of the cause, if you have been injured in an accident involving a HGV, you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim. Get in touch with us today, and we will let you know if we think you have grounds to make a lorry accident claim.

I Have Been Involved in a HGV Accident, What Should I Do?

Not everyone knows exactly what they should do after they have been involved in a road accident. If you have been involved in an accident with a HGV, or as the driver of a HGV, you should always stop and get out of your vehicle and swap contact details with the other driver.

You should note the registration number of the other vehicles involved and take photographs of the scene. Make sure you note the exact location and date of the accident and obtain witness statements if possible.

You should attend your GP or hospital to have your injuries assessed and treated. Keep receipts for any treatment, parking, or travel expenses to and from your appointments. Contact your insurance company to make them aware of the accident and any damage to your vehicle. If you pay for any repairs to your vehicle following the accident, make sure you keep all receipts and invoices for this.

If you were involved in a hit and run accident or by an uninsured driver, you should contact the police to inform them of the accident.

The HGV Accident Claims Process

The process of making a road traffic accident compensation claim or HGV accident claim is pretty straightforward for the vast majority of cases. There are, however, cases which are more complicated and require additional evidence, thus making the claim take longer to settle.

The first step in making a claim after a HGV accident is for you to contact us to start your claim. We will have a telephone call in which we will discuss the circumstances of the accident, the severity of your injuries suffered and the damage to your vehicle.

We will also provide you with all the information required for you to make a decision on whether or not you wish to make a personal injury claim. For claimants who are under the age of 18 or those who the lack mental capacity to make a claim, a litigation friend will be required to act on their behalf.

Following a telephone discussion, we will send you some paperwork in the post to fill in before starting your claim. We may also require photographs and witness statements to be able to bring a claim against the HGV driver or other responsible party. When we have all the information we need, we will send a Claims Notification Form to the other driver or their insurance company (Defendant), listing the allegations of the claim.

The next step for us is to establish liability with the Defendant. In some cases, this will be straightforward, and the other side will admit liability. There are some cases where a Court Hearing will be required to establish liability, and you may be required to attend Court; however, we will always provide you with all the information you need if this were to happen.

As soon as liability has been established, we can proceed to settle your claim.

How Much Compensation Will I Receive?

The amount of lorry accident compensation you receive will be largely based on your pain, suffering and loss of amenity; therefore, to understand the extent of your injuries, we may need to obtain your medical records and/or arrange a medical examination to have the extent of your injuries assessed.

We will then negotiate a settlement of your claim based on our valuation of your claim.

The amount of compensation awarded for your pain, suffering and loss of amenity in a personal injury claim will vary depending on the severity of your injuries. Levels of compensation awarded for non-serious injuries which recover quickly will be lower than those for the most serious, long-lasting/permanent injuries, which will attract higher levels of compensation.

When making a valuation of your injuries, we use recent case law, as well as guidelines set out by the Judicial College. We will then negotiate a settlement with the other side to ensure you receive the best level of compensation for your injuries.

As well as claiming general damages (compensation for your injuries), you will be entitled to recover Special damages. Special damages refer to any additional losses. These losses may include:

• Costs of repairs for damage to your vehicle.
• Loss of Earnings if you have had to take time off work as a result of your injuries.
• Medical Expenses for any treatment received as a result of the accident.
• Compensation for care and assistance if you needed help around the home due to your injuries.
• Travel expenses for any costs incurred travelling to and from appointments relating to the case or accident.
• Costs of any adjustments you have been required to make at home as a result of your injury

It would help if you kept all receipts and invoices for your additional losses as these will be required to prove your losses.

Time Limits for Making HGV Accident Claims

There is a three-year time limit for all Road Traffic Accidents, Employers Liability and Occupiers/Public Liability personal injury claims. Your claim will become statute-barred, and you will lose the entitlement to make a claim for compensation if you do not conclude your claim within three years of the accident date (or from the date on which you became aware that your injury was caused by the HGV accident)

We would recommend starting your claim as soon as possible as the deadline relates to the settlement of the case, not the initiation of the case. If the case takes longer than expected to settle, the Court may allow for an extension past the three-year deadline.

For Claimants under the age of 18, the clock will not start until they have reached this age, and they will have until their 21st birthday to conclude their case.

Why Choose Beacon Law Assist with Your HGV Accident Claims?

Beacon Law are specialist, professional Personal Injury and Road Traffic Accident Solicitors with a wealth of experience in dealing with all types of Road Traffic Accident Claims, including HGV accidents and those which involve catastrophic injuries. If you have been injured in a lorry accident, you could be eligible to pursue a no win, no fee claim.

Our specialist personal injury solicitors are highly experienced in handling HGV accident claims. We have recovered substantial damages for client’s injured on the road. To find out more about how to claim compensation for a lorry accident on a no-win, no fee basis, take a look at the funding section on our website.

For a free, no-obligation assessment of your claim call one of our specialist personal injury lawyers today on 0330 1332 857 or complete our online enquiry form, and one of our experts will call you back.

Beacon Law is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with our registered office in Cheadle, Greater Manchester.