Tag: rta

  • Winter Driving Advice

    Winter Driving Advice

    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.
  • Cyclist RTA case win for our Oldham personal injury solicitor

    Cyclist RTA case win for our Oldham personal injury solicitor

    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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  • Slip roads: a common road traffic accident spot

    Slip roads: a common road traffic accident spot

    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.

  • Your rights as a pedestrian

    Your rights as a pedestrian

    In a recent case, our client, a pedestrian, was crushed between two moving vehicles. This caused serious damage to both knees – an incredibly painful and debilitating injury.

    We successfully recovered £75,000 for our client.

    We often take both public and personal transport so much for granted that we forget the severe accidents that can occur when people don’t pay attention on the roads. The injuries that occur when drivers do not fulfil their ‘duty of care’ to those on foot can be incredibly serious and sometimes life-threatening. Approximately 30,000 pedestrians are injured per year due to a collision with a driver – of which our client was one.  The injuries they sustained due to a collision with two vehicles were not only exceptionally painful, but also placed a great strain on their lifestyle. Sustaining serious injuries to both knees prevented our client from working to their full capacity and the time it took to heal caused great emotional distress.

    While there are many things that you as a pedestrian can do to prevent injuries such as these – for example staying on the pavement, wearing reflective clothing when walking at night and ensuring you are fully alert when crossing the road – the responsibility ultimately lies with the driver. Operating a dangerous and heavy vehicle, drivers must always be on red alert, and have a duty to prevent any unnecessary injury to those not on the roads. Accidents can be caused by driving too fast, driving while intoxicated, distracted driving or irresponsible driving. In these situations, a collision with a pedestrian is no fault of the person on foot.

    Despite its severity, in many ways a road accident compensation claim is no different to any other personal injury claim. As a pedestrian, there are several things that you can do to ensure your case has the maximum success. Taking names and addresses of witnesses, taking photographs of the injury or scene of the accident, and retaining receipts from any drugs or medical treatment can all help your case. However, the best thing that you can do is hire an experienced and trusted personal injury lawyer.

    If you have been injured on the road as a pedestrian, get in touch with Wrigley Claydon today. Call us on 161 785 3534 or use our contact form and we can review your case.
  • Traffic Accident Compensation

    Traffic Accident CompensationPrime Minister, David Cameron says that he wants to reduce car insurance premiums by putting an end to the traffic accident compensation culture.

    Consultation was launched last year after figures revealed a 60 per cent increase in the number of personal injury claims related to road accidents since 2006. Whiplash claims in 2010 are estimated to have cost £2 billion, or £90 per car insurance policy.

    Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said,

    “The UK’s growing traffic accident compensation culture has been pushing up the cost of insurance, making it more costly to drive a car or organise events. It’s time the whole system was rebalanced.”

    Wrigley Claydon Partner, Vijay Srivastava heads up the Litigation team where he has worked for over 20 years, amassing a wealth of experience. Many years ago, Vijay was appointed to the Law Society Personal Injury Solicitor Panel as a specialist in injury claims.

    His Comment on Traffic Accident Compensation:-

    As a car driver himself, Vijay accepts that car insurance premiums have risen considerably and he welcomes anything that can be done by the insurance companies to reduce those premiums.  However if you were involved in a car accident and for example fractured your leg, just consider whether you would be able to walk, bathe, drive, work, shop, dress, cook, look after your family, play sport or sleep comfortably.  The reality is that you would struggle to do all of these things.  In those circumstances isn’t it right that the innocent party is compensated for the pain and suffering that has been caused by the negligence of another party and in those circumstances is it not right that an Insurance Company that has collected premiums from the negligent party should pay out an appropriate amount of money to reflect the pain and suffering you have undergone?

    For more information about traffic accident claims or to speak to our team about a possible claim please call us on 0161 785 3534.

    Team: Vijay Srivastava and Shalish Mehta