Car Accident Claims When The Driver Fails To Provide Information
20th March 2014
If there’s anything worse than being in a motor vehicle accident, it’s being in an accident with a driver who refuses to provide you with information. When being in an accident, drivers are legally required to provide their name, their address and their registration number to anyone else involved in the accident, and to provide insurance documents to the police if required.
When drivers fail to do this, they could find themselves facing legal repercussions, and could be charged with failing to stop at the scene of an accident or a similar offence.
However, if a driver does not provide this information at the scene of an accident, or provides false information, it is still possible to trace them. This could help the other party make a car accident compensation claim against the responsible driver, or could enable the police to locate them.
So how can you trace an unknown driver?
Simply record their registration number and pass it on to the relevant authorities.
Try to memorise their registration number and jot it down immediately while it is still fresh in your head. Although the responsible driver may be in a stolen car or in a car they do not own, a registration number can help the police to trace the vehicle’s owner and their insurance company.
It is possible that the police will refuse to provide this information to you, although they should be helpful should you be planning to make a road accident compensation claim. Speak to personal injury solicitors if the police refuse to help you out.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) can also help you trace a driver who does not stop if the car is registered in England, Scotland or Wales. Contact them by calling 0300 790 6801. Drivers in Northern Ireland should speak to the Driver and Vehicle Agency at 0845 402 4000. The DVLA can enable you to trace the registered owner of any vehicle, provided that the person looking for the owner has a good reason for needing this information, with this reason relating to the vehicle’s use on the road or the vehicle itself.
You will need to pay £2.50 to unlock this information. However, the overall value of a car accident compensation claim will undoubtedly surpass this £2.50, and the cash could be considered part of your damages when calculating the value of a claim.
Cases involving uninsured drivers
In many instances, drivers fail to provide their information to other involved motorists in motor vehicle accidents because they are driving illegally. This could be because they do not have insurance, or other relevant documentation such as tax, a driving license or an MOT certificate.
Fortunately, it is still possible for people to make a car accident compensation claim in these circumstances. The Motor Insurers’ Bureau, which was set up to pay out in incidents involving uninsured drivers, should cover the cost of these claims.
A driver who is behaving unlawfully when behind the wheel will almost always be unable to make a claim for compensation or take any legal action against other drivers. This is even the case if they were not to blame for the accident.
Using solicitors to support claims against uninsured or untraced drivers
Tracing drivers and making compensation claims against them can be a frustrating, prolonged experience, and people who’ve suffered personal injuries are frequently unable to do so. Solicitors can help them find the responsible party and make a claim against them.
Insurance companies and the Motor Insurers’ Bureau frequently do not offer claimants as much money as they deserve for their personal injuries and their losses. Solicitors, however, can help people come up with a reasonable compensation sum that should cover any financial losses they have experienced, as well as some compensation for their personal injuries.
Drivers can fail to respond to claim letters asking for damages following motor vehicle accidents, which can make it hard for people to succeed in their case. While the vast majority of motorists would feel guilty about ignoring claim letters, there are a lot of people out there who will happily leave others out-of-pocket by refusing to accept motor vehicle accident compensation claims.
Solicitors can help claimants pursue these cases and receive all the money they deserve. Suing the liable person will ensure innocent parties do not lose their no-claims bonus and receive every penny they deserve for their pain and suffering.