What to do if you’re in an accident with a car that’s not registered in Ireland
The personal injury claim can be pursued through the insurance company of the foreign driver. Naturally this may be a longer and more complicated process than dealing with an Irish insurance company, so it’s important to speak to a road traffic accident solicitor as soon as possible.
Once everyone at the scene of the accident has been attended to, it’s important to gather as much evidence as possible to help your claim.
Make sure you take note of the registration numbers of any cars involved, photographs of the damage to cars, photographs of insurance discs, and driver details, including the driver’s name, home address and phone number.
All motor insurance companies in the EU are required to designate a Claims Representative in each member state to handle any liability issues in the language preferred by the claimant.
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) also has a role to play in the process. It operates a green card system to ensure Irish drivers are compensated accordingly for any accidents caused by drivers of foreign registered cars.
The MIBI, in its capacity as Green Card Bureau, covers all personal injury claims caused by vehicles registered outside the State, if the country of origin is a member of the Green Card system.
This system is currently in place in 47 countries, encompassing all European Union member states, countries within the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, various nations in the Middle East, and select North African countries.
There can be complications surrounding cases involving cars insured in foreign countries. At Tracey Solicitors LLP, we always advise clients to consult with us if they have been involved in a road traffic accident.
What to do after a road traffic accident?
Following a road traffic accident, whether as a driver, passenger, pedestrian or cyclist, there are a number of steps you should follow:
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Seek medical attention
Your health is your wealth and should be your first priority. Immediately after a road traffic accident, take a second to assess yourself to determine if you have any injuries. Then check if any passengers or anybody else involved in the accident need medical attention. If you or anyone else involved has sustained a serious injury ensure that you contact an ambulance to attend the scene.
For minor injuries, you must remember that minor injuries where you ‘feel fine’ could progress to a more serious injury in the future. In this case it is always better to be safe than sorry and advisable that you go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) or local GP to be checked out.
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Gather all relevant information at the scene
It is important that you gather all the relevant information in connection with your accident:
- Details of another driver(s)/people involved: name, address, contact information, vehicle registration number and vehicle insurance information. You can also offer your own information to the others involved in the accident.
- Name and contact details of any emergency service workers at the scene – paramedic/Gardaí.
- Take a picture of the scene and damage to all vehicles involved from different angles; this will help your solicitor understand how the accident happened.
- If there are any CCTV recordings of the accident, such as CCTV cameras in a nearby shop, for example, you should try to obtain this footage.
- Dash Cam footage – if you have any.
- Record the time and date of the accident.
- Weather conditions at the time.
- Receipt for repairs of damage to your vehicle.
- If possible, try to collect the contact details of anybody that witnessed the accident. This may be of use if you do decide to pursue a road traffic accident claim.
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Report the incident to the Gardaí
Regardless of how minor or serious the road traffic accident was, it is important that you call the Gardaí to report the accident immediately.
For minor accidents, the Gardaí may tell you that they will not be attending the scene. In this scenario, the appropriate information should be exchanged. In these cases, it is also important that you visit your nearest Garda station to request that they take details of the accident and to take your statement about the accident.
For more serious road traffic accidents, where an ambulance has been called, the Gardaí may arrive at the scene to assess, take statements from the people involved and any witnesses.
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Contact your insurance company
If you are the driver of the vehicle involved in a road traffic accident it is important to inform your own insurance company so they have a record of the accident.
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Speak to a road traffic accident solicitor
If you are considering moving forward with a road traffic accident claim for any personal injuries sustained it is advisable that you speak with a road traffic accident claims solicitor as soon as possible. If you are proceeding with a claim, the first step will be submitting your claim to the Injuries Board for assessment. A road traffic accident solicitor 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. It is also imperative to retain copies of medical reports or Garda reports, where possible as you will need them when making a claim.