This week’s Myth of the Week focuses around road traffic accidents and some of the myths perpetuated by insurance companies.
“I can’t make a claim because my insurance company settled on a 50:50 basis with the other driver’s insurers”
This is simply not true. If your insurer settles on a 50:50 basis with the other driver’s insurers, you are still entitled to 50% of the value of your claim (if you agree that you are 50% at fault).
Insurers will often agree to settle claims on a 50:50 basis because it is the easiest option and insurers are inherently lazy in trying to resolve matters as soon as possible with the least possible fuss. That means that we are often presented with cases which, on the face of it, should not be settled on a 50:50 basis but are done so by insurance companies regardless. Thompsons’ experienced Road Traffic Team have had countless successes on full liability in such cases.
“I can’t claim because I never sought medical attention from my GP or the hospital”
Again, this is simply untrue. It is not a prerequisite that you have to seek medical attention in order to pursue a claim. In fact, probably around half of pursuers have not sought formal medical attention and have, instead, self-medicated because of NHS waiting times at hospital or GP surgeries.
“I can’t claim because the other driver did not stop and drove off”
Again, this is incorrect. Whilst it is always preferable that details are exchanged at the scene of an accident, inevitably there are occasions when drivers will simply flee the scene. Unfortunately, the number of “hit and run” accidents is on the rise and reached a three year high in 2014 of 16,667 hit and run accidents in 2014 which rose from 15,662 in 2012. If you’ve been involved in a hit and run accident, you may be entitled to pursue a claim against the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). The MIB is an organisation which is established to deal with accidents involving uninsured or untraced drivers and they operate in much the same way as an insurer would in that situation.
If you’ve been injured in a road traffic accident but unsure if you have a valid claim for compensation, our lawyers are here to help and advise you. Talk to Thompsons today on 0800 0891 331.
Blog by Ross Waddell
