What You Should Do Before Making a UK Road Accident Claim For Compensation

Discover the practical steps you should take before making a road accident claim for compensation, including:

1. How to ensure you received the correct medical treatment for your traffic accident injuries
2. How to correctly inform your UK motor insurer of your road accident
3. How to provide as much evidence as possible to support your RTA claim for compensation

What should you do immediately following a road accident to help your compensation claim?

As soon as you are aware that you have been involved in a UK road traffic accident you should:

1. Call an ambulance and the police

If you or anyone else involved in the road traffic accident has suffered a personal injury it is important both the police and the ambulance attend at the accident scene.

2. Take the details of the driver at fault for your collision

The details should include the driver's name, address, telephone number, insurance details along with his vehicle registration and car make.

3.  Take photographs of the accident scene and vehicle damage to use in evidence for your road accident claim

If you can, take a photograph of the accident scene including the resting positions of the vehicles and the damage caused.

4. Go back to the scene to obtain further evidence to support your UK road accident claim

If you didn’t have a camera with you at the time of your RTA - go back to the scene as soon as you can to take photos: there may still be visible skid marks on the road that could prove to be important evidence in your road accident claim.

5. Take the names and contact details of any witnesses

These witnesses may be needed to give evidence which can prove your road accident claim if there is a dispute as to how your collision occurred.

6. Attend at hospital or your GP to have your injuries treated

A record will be made of any trauma you complain of even if no treatment is necessary, so it is important you tell the doctor all of your injuries no matter how small.

7. Some of your accident injuries, such as whiplash, may go unnoticed initially due to shock

As soon as any symptoms present themselves - however small - see your GP.  This is quite common if you suffer a minor whiplash injury.

8. Notify your UK motor insurance company that you have been involved in a road traffic accident

Check with your motor insurer if your policy will pay your legal costs - should you decide to make a motor accident claim.

9. Keep a diary of all you physical symptoms following your accident

You should keep a detailed record of all the symptoms you suffer with corresponding dates.  Remember any psychological symptoms including shock, sleepless nights, fear of driving can form part of your compensation claim so should also be recorded.

10. Keep a record, as well as any receipts, for all the expenses you have as a result of your incident 

These rcords and receipts should include: the repair costs to your vehicle, towing expenses, storage expenses, absence from work, prescription expenses, travel expenses to and from the hospital or your GP, etc.  These expenses can all form part of your road accident claim.

UK Road Accident Claim Expenses
Click this link for a full list of all the expenses you can include as part of your compensation

These steps may be the last things on your mind following an accident, but they could prove very important to your both winning your claim and receiving the maximum compensation.


You have seen the important steps you should take immediately following a road accident to ensure you receive the best treatment for your injuries and gather as much evidence as possible to support your road accident claim for compensation in the United Kingdom.

Car accidents tend to be quite straight forward, whereas collisions involving motorcycles are often more complicated resulting in uncertainty as to how the accident actually happened.  Before you can show that a driver is responsible I recommend you:

Click here to learn the ways of showing how your accident happened so you can make a road accident claim


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