Tag: road traffic accidents

We need to adapt the way we drive during the winter and be prepared for journeys that may take us through very varied weather, road and traffic conditions to avoid road accidents.

Winter driving advice

When we have prolonged periods of snow, as we have experienced over the past few years, we tend to see a fall in the overall number of road casualties because fewer people take to the roads. However, as would be expected, we also see more people being killed and injured in road accidents when weather conditions are snowy or icy.

Figures from the Department for Transport (DfT) show that across Great Britain in 2011, 32 people were killed and 3,912 people were injured in reported road accidents when there was snow or ice on the road surface. DfT figures also show that 6 people were killed and 672 were injured when it was snowing at the time.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) offer winter driving advice and tips about preparing your vehicle, yourself and your journey and driving in snow or ice, rain, fog, strong winds and low sunshine.

Knowing the weather forecasts and how to read road conditions will help you decided if, when and how journeys can be undertaken. Listen to local radio weather and traffic reports.

RoSPA supports the use of salt and grit on road surfaces as part of a pro-active and re-active winter maintenance programme if and when the temperature drops, or is expected to drop, below freezing point. However, it is recognised that it may prove impossible for all local authorities with highway responsibilities to ensure that all roads are salted and/or gritted on each occasion.

You can find out which routes your local council will be gritting and even send them gritting requests via the gov.uk website.

If however, despite your best preparations, you find yourself involved in a road traffic accident this winter and need some expert legal advice and support, Wrigely Claydon is here to help you.

With 30 years experience helping people claim their accident compensation we are waiting to help you, please call us on 0161 785 3534.

Our client was a cyclist who unfortunately was struck by a lorry sustaining serious injuries to the foot, toes, ankle, ribs, upper arm and shoulder.

We recovered £60,000 for our client.

Road traffic accidents are the most common claims that our Oldham personal injury solicitors are asked to handle. With more and more drivers on the roads in Britain, more car crashes are to be expected.

You can pursue a claim following a traffic accident, whether you are a driver or a passenger, as long as we are able to verify that the other driver caused the car crash because they were driving their vehicle negligently.

Negligence can occur on the road in any number of ways, commonly, for example, if the other driver was driving too fast, if they changed lane recklessly or without indication or if they failed to stop at a give way junction.

Liability is sometimes contested following a traffic accident; however the Highway Code together with previously decided court cases lays out guidelines to assist in determining liability before the law as well as the appropriate level of compensation owed for any damages or injury sustained.

You can also claim if you were a pedestrian in the incident and have been injured because of the way in which the vehicle was drove. For example if they mounted the kerb and ran over your foot or if they did not stop while you were stepping out onto a zebra crossing.

It’s not always strangers who cause the traffic accident. If you were a passenger in a vehicle that was driven by your friend, relative or colleague and they acted negligently causing you injury, you can still claim against them should you wish to. Their insurance company will settle your claim if appropriate.

Even if the driver who caused the accident is not insured or they have disappeared from the scene of the accident, you can still claim.

If you think you have grounds to claim after an accident, get in touch with us, your Oldham personal injury solicitor, on 0161 785 3534 and we can review the details of your case.

Let us help you claim your accident compensation now.

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In a recent case, our client was doing what thousands of us do every day – joining a dual carriage way from a slip road. Unfortunately on this day, an accident occurred that initially may have appeared to have been our client’s fault. However as we outline below, just because you are the one joining the road, it doesn’t mean you are automatically at fault if a road traffic accident occurs.

An outline of this personal injury case

As our client drove down the slip road, the lane they were merging into on the dual carriageway appeared to be clear although they could see some vehicle headlights in the distance.

Our client’s car joined the main carriageway only to be struck violently by another vehicle. This collision caused extensive damage to both their vehicle as well as injuring our client.

The defendants claimed that our client had joined the dual carriage way when it was unsafe to do so. However using various investigative procedures, we managed to persuade the defendants and the court that the other vehicle was travelling at excessive speed and was therefore responsible for the collision. In turn this meant that the claimant (our client) had joined the dual carriage way safely and wasn’t at fault.

Because of this we were able to recover compensation both for the damage to our client’s vehicle and for our client’s personal injuries.

What you should do

If someone is trying to force the blame on you after a road traffic accident – don’t let them. Consult Wrigley Claydon and we will be able to help decide if you have grounds to claim after an accident. Call us on 0161 785 3534 and we can review the details of your case.

Let us help you claim your personal injury compensation now.