If you have a child under the age of eighteen, they will require a Litigation Friend to represent them for the claim; this is usually a parent or guardian who will act on behalf of the child with their best interests in mind. A person under the age of eighteen usually doesn’t have the necessary skills or abilities to deal with such circumstances, so the litigation friend is able to make the claim on their behalf. For any settlement sum that is recovered for the child, it will be stored in a trust fund held by the court until the victim reaches the age of 18.
If there other passengers injured in the accident, they can also make a claim too. The other passengers may also be valuable witnesses during the claims process.
No matter what sum is claimed for compensation, it can never remove the experience you have had; but at least you know you will have some financial stability, especially if the accident has prevented you from working.
Take down the full details of the Taxi and driver i.e. vehicle registration, taxi company name, taxi drivers name, telephone numbers and address etc. This will be very useful for when your solicitors need to contact the driver for their insurance details. If you can obtain the name of the taxi firm’s insurance company, this will be even better!
Whatever the circumstances of the accident, always try to record as much detail as possible. Write down exactly what happened when it is fresh in your mind. Did anyone see what happened? If so, you may want to take their details, as their statement could support your claim for compensation. If you have had to pay out for anything as a result of the accident, try to keep all receipts as they can be included as proof of loss and can be claimed back as part of your claim for compensation. The same goes for any loss of earning you might have incurred.
When it comes to choosing the best solicitor for you, always try to go with an independent firm of solicitors; you will have the peace of mind in knowing that you claim will never have been bought from an insurer or claims management company; which usually guarantees you will receive maximum compensation. Always pay particular attention to any contractual agreements to make sure you aren’t signing to something you don’t agree to. There should be no reason for you to have to pay any legal expenses under the “no win, no fee” agreements. Also, never be tempted to place your claim with the insurance company who insure the person at fault – more often than not the insurance company will try and settle your claim at the lowest sum they possibly can. Speak to an expert in the field – a personal injury solicitor – who will be able to help and advise you of the best routes to take.