I’m sure most of you reading this have gathered we are getting hit my the inevitable; I’ve always felt that after the incredible snow storms we weathered through in 2010 that it was only a matter of time we would see the worst of the seasons weather return.
The weather is dangerous – and accidents are likely.
Friday was when the midlands (or at least where I live!) was hit by the snow, and it laid very fast. I’d say there has been a good four or five settled inches which has largely survived the weekend of trampling footsteps and flattening car wheels. But waking up this morning to news of travel chaos and problems all across Britain’s travel infrastructure as planes are grounded at Heathrow, and motorists being urged to take extra care on the roads, is far too reminiscent of that insane November in 2010.
Reports of hundreds of vehicles stranded on the M40 and M25 have come in from the BBC this morning, and a Facebook status from a friend of mine stated that it was “madness” as he literally watched cars just crash in to each other, with ditched recovery trucks even fallible enough to be unable to survive the harsh conditions.
Claims For Compensation
So, as you can imagine, we get extra busy around these times in the seasons as we are inundated with calls from people all wanting to know whether they have a claim for compensation. First thing I will say is that it’s always best to speak to an injury lawyer direct to find out over the phone whether you have a good chance of making a claim or not. If you speak to one of those claims companies or accident help lines, or call centre law firms, they will probably schedule a call back in a few hours or even days for an answer.
Give us a call now – we can normally tell you over the phone in minutes whether you have a claim or not.
Another thing I will say is that, although it’s highly annoying to get caught out on a patch of black ice, or a deep bit of snow, claiming against the council is a difficult job to do if it was the weather that caused your accident. The duty the highways authorities have is to reasonably grit where and when possible, and it’s normally based on a priority scale; but this is not an absolute duty.
However, if you’re involved in an accident with another vehicle, you should be able to make a claim for compensation so long as you weren’t 100% at fault. If someone else loses control of their vehicle due to the weather and crashes in to your car, you have a good chance of making a successful claim against them.
Sadly, with conditions as slippery as they are, impacts can be pretty brutal. In many rear end collisions, for example, the car at fault at least tries to slam their brakes on and reduces their speed to some degree. But in ice, the instinct to slam the brakes on is the worst thing a driver can do; they’ll probably lock, and the car will smash at considerable speed in to any vehicle in its path. This can leave the accident victim with some nasty injuries.
If you must head out and about, make sure you take extra care and prepare yourself and your vehicle to suit the conditions outdoors. It’s really only best to venture out if you simply have to do so, and only if it is safe to do so. Travel at a speed suitable for the conditions, and leave larger gaps between you and the vehicle in front to increase your stopping distance. If you do end up in an accident, given the weather conditions, I’d call the police and see if they need to assist. Ensure you take the full names and addresses, and vehicle registration numbers, or all persons involved.
If you have been involved in an accident caused by someone else, speak to us today about making an injury claim – we can also assist with all of your vehicle hire and repair needs as well, so don’t worry about sorting it yourself; we are a one stop claims shop who can take care of every need you have.
If we can help you out on our Genuine No Win, No Fee, you can fully expect to receive all 100% of your compensation payout. We can also help you out with any medical care needs that you may have as well.
Call our free claims helpline on 0800 634 75 75 and speak to an advisor today about your accident claim. Like I said before, we can tell you over the phone, normally within minutes, if you have a claim, and we can set your case up on a same day basis as well. We are an actual law firm of specialist personal injury lawyers; so our advice is the finest, and your claim is in the best of hands!
