• By Daniel smith
• Published 02/10/2012

When a car crash is the fault of a negligent driver, the individuals suffering injuries in the incident have the right to file a claim for compensation. If you were the victim of car crash injury and think that someone else was responsible for it, you need to consider taking the necessary action. When you want to file a claim, you need to have a clear idea about the steps you need to take in this regard.

The first task is to collect as much information about the accident as possible. If possible, you need to get the names, addresses and contact details of the driver(s) involved in the crash. Getting pictures of the accident site and the injuries at the spot are also helpful. This would serve as evidence if there is a disagreement regarding liability for the accident or the compensation amount later.

Your next task is to get medical aid. Sometimes the injuries resulting from a car crash are too serious to ignore. In such circumstances, the emergency medical services are called in. However, the problem arises when you fail to get medical help after an accident because there are no noticeable symptoms. It is better to get in touch with your general practitioner for a medical assessment.

Some injuries may need time to develop symptoms; even if there are no apparent injuries, you need to get a medical check-up. Moreover, the medical reports would serve as part of the evidence if the case reaches court. If the defendant admits guilt, you would be sent for a separate medical assessment by the Injuries Board Ireland before the calculation of damages is done.

Next, you need to inform the Gardai. Even if there are no apparent injuries to anyone, a call to the Gardai may form part of the evidence later. If it is a serious accident, they would attend the crash site and draft a report with essential information like details of the drivers and passengers, statements from witnesses, photographs of the site, and such others.

The thing that you need to do next is get in touch with a solicitor. Whether you are reporting to the Injuries Board Ireland or filing claims for injury compensation, a legal representative can be of help. He would be able to evaluate the conditions and help you understand whether you have a claim. He would have the legal knowledge and experience to approach the matter in the correct manner.

Traffic accidents must be reported to the Injuries Board Ireland first. You would not be able to file a claim at court before this. The task of this authoritative body is to calculate the compensation amount based on the application form submitted by the victim as well as a medical assessment of the victim. However, this Board does not hear cases; if there is any dispute regarding liability or compensation amount, the claim goes to court.

Author Bio

Daniel Smith is a legal advisor. He provides tips and suggestions for individuals injured at work or on the road. If you were victim of such an accident, and suffer any type of injuries, like head injury, neck and back injury or any such others, he suggests you to visit http://www.accidentclaimsdirect.ie/for details of the ensuing claims process.