Ask the other driver for their details, including their name, address, vehicle details and registration number, together with the details of their insurance company.
Note the name of the road, time of day and the contact details of any witnesses.
It is vitally important that you do not make any comment to the other driver about whose fault the accident was, even if you feel you are fully or partially at fault. Simply make no comment on the cause of the accident.
Jot down your recollection of the accident and draw a diagram of the scene as soon as possible.
It is an offence not to report an accident where injury or property damage is caused. The Police can help by ensuring the other driver produces their insurance documentation and interviewing witnesses.
Contact your insurance company. If you have fully comprehensive insurance, your insurers will deal with the damage. If you are insured third party and the accident is not your fault, you will have to claim the costs through the other person's insurance company.
If you think your vehicle will be written off, get an idea of its value before insurers make you an offer. If their offer is low, you can then prove it should be higher.
If your uninsured losses (such as x, y and z) are high and/or you have been injured, then get some legal advice. If you have legal expense insurance, your insurers will pass you on to their solicitor unless you prefer to choose your own. If you don't know who to use, your local Law Society can give you a list of firms on their approved Law Society Personal Injury Panel. (Or you can simply call Davis Blank Furniss.)
Don't instruct the solicitor who did your house conveyancing without checking that they have substantial personal injury claims experience.
Don't worry about the cost as most solicitors offer Conditional Fee Agreements (which translates as No Win, No Fee arrangements).
If you're going to make a claim, detail your injuries and keep a diary of your symptoms to show how your injuries have affected your daily life.
You should also list any financial losses and keep receipts for prescriptions, painkillers, taxis, recovery and storage charges for your car and your insurance excess, which you can claim back from the other side.
If you need care from members of your family, keep a diary of how much extra trouble they're having to go to.
Finally, provide your solicitor with a regular update on your symptoms and treatment as this helps them monitor your claim.
Excellent experience start to finish – always very responsive to any queries and the turnaround on the property I was buying was very quick, even in the busy time leading up to stamp duty deadline. Jenny was always very helpful and went above and beyond to close on a short timescale.
Ben Armitage
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Nives Feely, JAM Recruitment
“I believe I have been able to establish a professional working relationship with everyone I have come into contact. Importantly, I sense the relationships which have been established give me the confidence that I can make contact with Davis Blank Furniss at any time and on any matter. I would also like to express my thanks to the very impressive “gatekeepers” who work in reception, not only for making me very welcome, but also for their professionalism”
Bill Pryke, CEO, Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors
“Thank you for your efficient and friendly help throughout this process. We have had it easy but your approach has been part of that”.
Robert Amsbury (Conveyancing Client)
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you personally for the ongoing support and assistance the firm has offered to our parents over the years. I hope also that we may be able to call on you if necessary in the future.”
Valerie Fisher (Probate Client)
“Jo always provides great service, understands our needs and delivers on her promises. Our needs are relatively simple but the complexity arises out of the volume of work and short time frames, Jo always delivers.”
Peter Fernandez, Corporate Director at Royal Bank of Scotland
“A big thank you to all who dealt with my wife’s claim… We would not hesitate to recommend Davis Blank Furniss to anyone that may be in a situation like we have been…”
Anon (Personal Injury client)
“Before putting my case in Kirsty (Morbey)’s capable hands I’ve met a couple of other solicitors. None of them listen to me as intently as Kirsty and showed me as much empathy and understanding as she did. Simultaneously she was able to look at my case from legal perspective, explain all the options and follow each of our meetings with written summary of the discussed matters (in timely manner). Her advice was invaluable and led me to successfully ending the case matter (hopeful for good). I’m forever grateful for he work and would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for reliable, knowledgeable and committed solicitor”.