Calderwood House, Montpellier Parade, Cheltenham GL50 1UA
Our personal injury solicitors provide clear legal advice and representation for people who may have suffered injury in a road traffic accident. We can advise on claims involving drivers, passengers, cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians, including injuries such as whiplash, fractures, serious injuries and other harm arising from a road traffic accident.
Road Accident Claim Advice
A road accident claim should account for more than the injury recorded on the day. Treatment, time away from work, vehicle disruption, care, travel and symptoms that develop later may all matter. our solicitors investigate responsibility, secures appropriate medical evidence and calculates the full financial effect before advising on settlement. Our personal injury lawyers deal with insurers and procedural deadlines, giving you a clear view of the claim while you concentrate on treatment and recovery.
Our road accident solicitors check the police and insurance position, preserve photographs or video and arrange independent medical evidence for every material injury. We also calculate earnings, treatment, travel, care and vehicle-related losses before recommending any offer. If responsibility is disputed or the other driver cannot be traced, we identify the insurer, Motor Insurers' Bureau route or court procedure that applies and explain the likely legal costs from the beginning.
A claim may arise after a collision caused wholly or partly by another road user. Drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians can all be injured in road accidents, but the correct claims route depends on who was involved, the value and type of injury, and if the responsible vehicle can be identified and insured.
Compensation requires evidence of negligence, injury and loss. Liability can still be divided where more than one person contributed to the collision. A reduced award may be appropriate rather than no claim at all.
Some lower-value claims by adult vehicle occupants under the applicable procedure use the Official Injury Claim service. Road traffic injury claims valued above the relevant limits, cases involving vulnerable road users, children and more complex injuries follow different procedures. Whiplash injuries lasting up to two years are subject to a statutory tariff, while other injuries are valued using medical evidence and comparable court awards.
A solicitor checks that every injury is included, obtains an independent medical report and avoids settlement before the prognosis is sufficiently clear. More serious cases may require evidence from several experts, rehabilitation planning and interim payments.
A claim can be weakened by delayed medical attendance, missing photographs or witness details, inconsistent descriptions, disposing of the vehicle before inspection, or accepting an early insurer offer without understanding the prognosis. Insurers may also allege speeding, distraction, failure to wear a seat belt or another form of contributory negligence.
Court proceedings for personal injury normally need to begin within three years of the accident, although different rules apply to children and people lacking mental capacity. Contacting a solicitor early gives time to obtain evidence and identify the correct defendant.
Eligible road accident claims may be handled under a conditional fee agreement, commonly called no win no fee. The agreement should explain the success fee, disbursements, insurance and any deductions from compensation. In personal injury cases, the success fee is subject to a statutory cap of 25% of specified damages, excluding damages for future care and future financial loss.
Court fees depend on the value of any proceedings and are separate from legal fees. our legal team will explain the proposed funding arrangement and likely deductions before you decide to proceed.
Our legal team advises injured road users from Calderwood House, Montpellier Parade, Cheltenham, GL50 1UA. We also assist clients in Cheltenham and the surrounding Gloucestershire area.
Road Accident Claim Advice FAQs
Answers about eligibility, shared responsibility, medical evidence, time limits, compensation and legal costs.
Yes. Compensation can be reduced to reflect contributory negligence rather than the claim failing completely. We test that position against the documents, witness evidence and the legal duty instead of treating the first allegation as conclusive.
Independent medical evidence is normally required to prove the injury, treatment, prognosis and connection with the accident. The expert must address diagnosis, causation, treatment and prognosis rather than relying only on the first medical attendance.
Obtain advice first. An early offer may not include later symptoms, future treatment, earnings loss or care needs, and settlement is usually final.
Court proceedings normally need to begin within three years, subject to important exceptions. Early advice protects evidence as well as the deadline.
It can include pain and suffering, lost earnings, treatment, travel, care, equipment and other reasonable accident-related losses. The final figure depends on independent medical evidence and documents proving each past and future financial loss.
Many eligible claims can. The written agreement will explain the success fee, insurance, disbursements and any deduction from compensation. We provide the proposed funding terms in writing, including the success fee, insurance, expenses and possible deductions, before substantive work begins.
A passenger may claim against the driver or another responsible road user if negligence caused injury. The correct insurer and any relationship between the people involved should be identified, but travelling with the driver does not by itself prevent a claim.
The Motor Insurers' Bureau may compensate eligible victims of uninsured or untraced drivers. Police reporting, efforts to identify the vehicle and the applicable agreement all matter, so keep the incident reference and obtain legal advice promptly.
Reasonable treatment expenses and past or future earnings loss can be claimed when supported by medical and financial evidence. Payslips, tax records, invoices and an explanation from the employer help establish the amount and its connection with the accident.
Timescales depend on responsibility, injury recovery and the evidence needed. A straightforward claim may resolve after a medical report and negotiation; a serious or disputed case takes longer because prognosis, future needs or court directions must be established before settlement.
Contact us to discuss the collision, injuries, available evidence and next steps.
Arrange a telephone call or visit our Cheltenham office by appointment. We assist clients in Cheltenham and the surrounding Gloucestershire area. We will explain the scope of work, funding terms and likely legal costs before proceeding.
Call 0330 900 0377, email info@pembridgesolicitors.co.uk or request a consultation.
Pembridge Solicitors
Calderwood House, Montpellier Parade
Cheltenham GL50 1UA
Office visits by appointment.