Many traffic accidents happen every day. Especially when the weather is good, many people cycle to work or cycle recreationally. Things often go well, but the number of cycling accidents is increasing significantly, especially due to the rise of the electric bicycle. But the number of rear-end and frontal collisions is also high. After corona, people are also going to work again, resulting in the risk of a traffic accident.
Hiring a personal injury lawyer after an accident
To recover compensation for personal injury after a bicycle accident, scooter accident or car accident, you can of course engage a personal injury lawyer (Dutch: letselschade advocaat). This person will do everything possible to recover your personal injury. He or she will hold the other party liable, demand an advance on compensation after acknowledgment of liability and ensure that your personal injury is reimbursed by the liable person or his or her damage insurance.
In some countries a personal injury lawyer is free, such as in the Netherlands. For example, if you have a traffic accident in Amsterdam, you can hire a personal injury lawyer in Amsterdam (letselschade advocaat Amsterdam) free of charge. In other countries, part of the lawyer’s costs are paid, but in some countries the costs of a personal injury lawyer are borne by the traffic victim himself.
If you have to pay for a personal injury lawyer yourself, it may be worthwhile to do as much as possible to help your personal injury lawyer. But even if, as in the Netherlands, the costs of the personal injury lawyer are reimbursed, it can be wise to take action yourself after a traffic accident. But what can you do if you are the victim of a car accident or if you are hit as a cyclist?
What you can do yourself in the event of a collision
Have you been hit by a car? With a number of simple actions you can do a lot yourself to recover your personal injury. Your personal injury lawyer will then have fewer problems successfully recovering your personal injury damages.
Complete the damage form
Perhaps the most important thing is to complete a collision damage form. In Europe there is a European damage form, so it is the same in every European country that is a member of the European Union.
You can provide important information on a collision damage form. If you complete the claim form and the other party also does this, you will help your personal injury lawyer and the chance of successfully recovering personal injury is greater than if you complete the claim form.
You can, among other things, state the circumstances of the accident on a claim form. This can even be signed on the accident damage form. By stating the circumstances of the collision, you help the lawyer in the sense that he can demonstrate what exactly happened. For this it is necessary that both parties sign the claim form. The contents of the accident form are then agreed between the parties. A personal injury lawyer can use this to prove the circumstances to the court if necessary.
Other information that you can include on the claim form is the details of the parties and the damage you suffer as a result of an accident, both material damage such as bicycle damage or car damage and your injuries.
Ask witnesses for an explanation
Sometimes an opponent denies that he or she is at fault in a collision. It is important that you have witnesses who can confirm the circumstances of the accident. Therefore, always ask witnesses of a traffic accident for contact details and request that they prepare a witness statement.
You can therefore help a personal injury lawyer by completing the claim form and asking witnesses to make a statement. The damage can then be recovered quickly.
