Commonly, we’re looking at two potential viewpoints on this one – you’re a pedestrian who is hit by a vehicle with a driver that is too cowardly to stick around and do the right thing to help you out; or you are in an accident due to a pedestrian causing you to have an accident.
If you are the pedestrian then there is still the chance to make a claim. Make sure that the matter is reported to the policy straight away and make sure you have medical attention straight away as well. By straight away I’d suggest within 24 – 48 hours. If the police track down whoever decided to leave you injured and unaided at the scene of the accident, we can pursue the claim against them. But if we never find them, there is another way.
The Motor Insurers Bureau was set up as a not for profit organisation with an agreement with the government to investigate and pay out for untraced or uninsured drivers. As long as the matter has been duly reported as I said above, they should be able to pay out for the claim. The level of compensation awards is the same as pursuing an insurer; the major difference is that it can take longer to settle a claim as its difficult to hold a not for profit organisation to any legal deadlines for responses. They work to considerable backlogs, but hey – be grateful there is a way of making a claim!
If you are injured due to a pedestrian, this can be a tricky situation. Say a drunk runs out in front of you, causing you to do the decent thing and instinctively swerve and crash your car, what happens then? Well, if the pedestrian runs off and you can’t get their details, it will be tough to get any form of compensation. The Motor Insurers Bureau pay out where a vehicle is involved because contributions are made from insurance policies toward funding the scheme.
Even if you managed to get the details of the pedestrian who caused you’re accident, it can be difficult in getting any recompense. Unless they happen to be well off and able to satisfy a sum that will equate to thousands of pounds for your payout and the legal fees, how will you get any money from them? It’s not about whether they are liable or not; it’s about whether they can afford to pay any compensation to you.
Unfortunately it’s a tricky situation to be in…
