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A road accident, whether it involves a car, van, motorbike, bike or pedestrian is a traumatic experience.

If it does happen to you, it can be difficult to know what to do and very easy to miss out on some important steps.

Solicitor Elaine Hickey has successfully handled a large number of road traffic accident claims over the years. Elaine says that in many of the cases she worked on, people were too shocked to think straight or they simply didn’t know what to do.

“People are not typically trained on what to do after a traffic collision,” she explains. “On top of that, someone who is involved in an accident might be in shock or even injured, so it can be difficult to think clearly about actions to take.”

However, if you are injured and need to seek compensation for your injuries down the line, having clear evidence and information is vital.

Here are our steps of what to do if you’re in an accident.

1. Seek medical attention

Number one priority is always your health and the welfare of anyone else involved in an accident. This means calling an ambulance if necessary and helping anyone who needs it at the scene.

Even if your injuries are minor, it’s important that you are medically assessed. Some injuries present after the accident and can progress into something more serious if they are not treated properly.

Seeking medical attention promptly also creates an official medical record of your injuries and how they were caused by the accident.

2. Gather evidence at the scene

If you are able to, and it is safe to do so, try to get as much information from the other parties involved as you can.

A simple way to do this is to take photographs of:

• the registration plates,
• the insurance discs of any other vehicles involved,
• the scene of the accident, including weather conditions, all vehicles involved and anything that may have contributed to the accident,
• any CCTV cameras that might have captured the incident,
• your injuries and any damage to the vehicles.

You should also get the contact details of anyone who was involved or who witnessed the accident. If any emergency personnel attended the scene, take note of their details too, including the Pulse ID number of any Gardaí who attended.

3. Report the accident

It is vital that you report the accident to:

• Gardaí,
• your insurance company.

The sooner you do this the better. By law, all road accidents must be reported to the Gardaí as soon as is practical.

You must always inform your insurance company if you are in a road accident, even if the accident was not your fault or if it was a minor incident. This is a legal obligation as part of your insurance contract. If you do not report it, your insurer could refuse to provide cover if another party makes a claim for the accident.

4. Document everything

It is important to note down your recollection of events as soon as possible after the accident, while it is still fresh in your mind.

Document the time, date and details of what happened. But also take note of events after the accident, including:

• how your injuries are progressing,
• the impact the accident has had on your life, for example if you are unable to sleep, work or do normal activities,
• your medical appointments and their associated costs,
• receipts of anything related to the accident,
• interactions with the other parties involved, insurance companies, witnesses etc.

Put simply, keep a record of absolutely everything, as you never know what might be useful down the line if you need to seek compensation. The more evidence you have, the better.

5. Seek legal advice as soon as possible

There is a limited time in which it is possible to make a claim for compensation of your injuries. In most cases (with a few exceptions) this is two years, minus one day, from the date of the accident or date of knowledge of your injuries.

However, it takes time to compile all the evidence for your case, and to process the application with the Personal Injuries Resolution Board (Injuries Board), so the sooner you act, the better your chances of a successful case.

While it is possible to make a claim for compensation on your own through the Injuries Board, many people find this is more complex than expected.

Read our case studies to see real life examples of how we were able to secure a higher compensation amount for our clients than the original Injuries Board offer.

Elaine says a specialist personal injury solicitor knows how to accurately quantify your injuries, expenses, damages and future care needs and is best placed to advise you on the claims process.

“We always recommend speaking to a specialist personal injury law firm to find out how they may be able to help with your claim for compensation,” she explains. “A phone call costs nothing, but the absence of legal advice can be very costly.”

Contact us

If you were injured in a road accident, tell us about your case today to find out if we can help.