The compensation paid in road traffic accidents of this kind can cover the injuries you’ve received and compensate for any expenses which arise as a direct result of your injuries.

You can make a claim as another road user or as a pedestrian, even if the other party involved is uninsured or fails to stop at the scene of the accident.

Road traffic accident claims of this kind are processed by the Motor Insurer’s Bureau (MIB), a body set up specifically to process and pay for compensation claims involving uninsured drivers.

If you’ve been involved in an uninsured driver accident then contact Beacon Law to enquire about making a claim. If we think that you’ve been injured because an uninsured driver was negligent we’ll explain how the claims process works and set about claiming the compensation we think you’re entitled to.

What to do immediately following an uninsured driver accident

In the immediate aftermath of an uninsured driver accident in which you have been injured you should do the following:

• Report the accident to the police, including the details of the other driver involved if possible
• If it is safe to do so you should take photographs of the scene of the accident, including the positions of any vehicles involved
• You should also note the make, model and registration number of any other vehicle involved and, if the other driver doesn’t flee the scene, their name and contact information
• You should seek immediate medical attention. As well as increasing the likelihood of making a full recovery, prompt medical treatment will help to create an official record of the accident and the injuries received.
• Take the names and contact details of anyone who witnessed the uninsured driver accident

If you’ve been injured in the accident and think it was caused by the negligence of an uninsured driver you should contact Beacon Law for a free, no obligation 30 minute consultation

What is an uninsured driver?

An uninsured driver is anyone who drives on the UK roads without being covered by insurance to pay for any damage or personal injury they cause if they are responsible for an accident. According to the MIB, there are 300,000 uninsured vehicles on the UK roads every single day and more than 1 million across the whole of a year.

Being involved in a road traffic accident of any kind is a highly stressful experience, but is likely to be even more so if you discover that the person responsible for your injuries through their negligence isn’t insured. By working with

Beacon Law you can still claim compensation for an accident of this kind to help with the process of recovering and putting your life back on track.

What is the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB)?

The MIB is a body which was set up to fund compensation for drivers involved in accidents which are caused by drivers who are uninsured or who can’t be traced. Every UK motor insurer has to be a member of the MIB and pay into the fund.

The existence of the MIB makes it possible to claim compensation for personal injuries even if the other party isn’t insured, as well as money to cover costs such as repairing or replacing a vehicle damaged in the accident. Despite this, the process of building a claim and gathering the evidence needed to prove negligence and highlight the nature and impact of your injuries is still highly complex.

The experts at Beacon Law know exactly what it takes to prove negligence in an uninsured driver accident claim, and what expenses and costs you are able to claim compensation for.

Are motorists always required to have insurance?

Yes, motorists in the UK are legally required to take out insurance if they are driving on a public road. Driving on a public road without being covered by insurance is against the law, but if you are involved in a road traffic accident caused by the negligence of a driver who is breaking the law in this way you can still make a claim for compensation on the grounds of the injuries you received.

How much compensation could I receive for an uninsured driver accident claim?

The amount of compensation you might receive for a successful uninsured driver accident claim will vary from a few thousand pounds or minor injuries from which a full and quick recovery is expected, up to hundreds of thousands if your injuries are life-changing and leave you with permanent disabilities.

When we make an uninsured driver accident claim on your behalf we will estimate the amount of compensation we think you are entitled to on the basis of the following:

• The nature and severity of the injuries you received
• The ways in which those injuries have impacted on your ability to do things like pursue hobbies, interests and family life
• The financial impact the injuries have had on you

If your claim is successful then the compensation you receive will be made up of general damages and special damages.

General Damages

General damages are meant to reflect the injuries received and the pain and distress they have caused you. The figure will be decided with the help of the Judicial College Guidelines.

The JCG sets out a range of guide payments for specific types of injury. Examples in the latest edition which could apply in an uninsured driver accident claim include:

• Severe back injury with spinal cord damage – £85,470 to £151,070
• Moderately severe brain injury – £186,890 to £240,590
• An injury to the hip or pelvis which requires surgery – £33,430 to £44,790
• Minor permanent damage to vision in one or both eyes – £7,780 to £17,900

General damages will also reflect the degree to which your injuries have stopped you enjoying family life and pursuing hobbies or interests in the way you previously did.

Special Damages

Special damages are paid to compensate for the financial impact of your injuries. They are intended to make sure that you are returned to the financial position you would have been in if the uninsured driver accident had never happened.

The calculation will include an amount to cover any earnings or pension lost because your injuries affected your ability to work for a living, as well as reimbursing any expenses which are directly linked to your injuries. The expenses covered by special damages could include the following:

• The amount spent on medical bills now and in the future
• The amount spent on care costs now and in the future
• An amount intended to cover the value of care provided free of charge by friends and family
• The amount spent on special equipment needed because of your injuries, such as mobility aids
• The amount spent on adapting your home or vehicle to take account of the long term impact of your injuries, or on having to move to a new home
• The amount spent on travelling to and from medical appointments related to your injuries
• The amount spent on any therapy or counselling needed to cope with your injuries
• The amount spent repairing the damage to any vehicle damaged in the uninsured driver accident

When we handle an uninsured driver accident claim for you we will advise on the financial records you need to keep, documenting the impact of your injuries.

What evidence will I need for my uninsured driver accident claim?

Once we start work on an uninsured driver accident claim for you we will get to work gathering evidence alongside any which you bring to us when you first get in touch. The evidence needed to make the strongest possible claim will include the following:

• A detailed statement from you explaining how the accident happened, how you were injured and the physical and psychological impact your injuries have had
• A detailed medical report produced on the basis of an independent expert evaluation which we arrange for you. This report will set out a detailed picture of your injuries, the prognosis for any recovery and the likelihood of you needing medical treatment or care in the future
• Your medical records, with particular reference to the treatment you have needed since the uninsured driver accident happened
• Copies of any police report into the uninsured driver accident
• Statements from any witnesses to the uninsured driver accident
• Photographs of the scene of the accident, including the position of any vehicles in the immediate aftermath of the accident if possible
• Any available dash cam footage of the accident which is available
• Any available CCTV footage of the accident taking place
• Any correspondence between you and your insurance company
• Documentary evidence of the financial impact of your injuries, such as bank statements, wage slips, medical bills and invoices
• A detailed account from you setting out the process of recovering from your injuries, including pain, stress, anxiety, depression, discomfort and any other difficulties directly caused by those injuries.

Are there any time limits on an uninsured driver accident claim?

Yes, there are strict time limits in place if you want to make a personal injury claim following an uninsured driver accident. In the majority of cases the claim needs to be started within 3 years of the date of the accident itself.
Exceptions to the 3 year limit include the following:

• If you were under 18 at the time of the uninsured driver accident then the 3 year period will run from your 18th birthday to your 21st
• If you are mentally incapacitated and unable to start a claim within 3 years then the limit will run from the date on which you regain the capacity needed to make a claim

Despite the 3 year limit being in place, we always recommend starting an uninsured driver accident claim as soon after the accident itself as possible. The sooner you start a claim the sooner you’ll get any compensation you’re entitled to, and the details of how the accident happened will still be fresh in your mind.

Why choose Beacon Law for your uninsured driver accident claim?

You should choose Beacon Law for your uninsured driver accident claim because we can call on more than 200 years of combined legal experience when we set about claiming on your behalf. Our track record of success speaks for itself and underlines the fact that we know what it takes to prove negligence and how much compensation should be paid.

As well as providing expert legal assistance we’ll treat you as an individual going through a stressful experience, and not just another case number, offering tailored one to one support and clear, jargon-free advice. We’ll guide you through the process in an empathetic and supportive manner, working on a no win no fee basis, which means you don’t even have to think about legal fees, costs or charges.

We work to take the stress out of the process of making a claim so that you can concentrate on your recovery and coming to terms with what’s happened, and we never settle for less than 100% of the compensation we think you deserve.

If you’ve been injured in an uninsured driver accident then contact Beacon Law today. If we think you’ve got the grounds to make a compensation claim then we’ll work on your behalf to make it happen.