How Much Compensation For A Death Caused By Dangerous Driving Car Crash?
By Michael Patrick. Last Updated 21st January 2021. Welcome to our guide where we shall discuss how to pursue a claim after negligent third party caused death by dangerous driving.
There is no doubt that the death of a loved one after a car crash is a devastating event. It is one of the most painful periods of a family member’s life. It is challenging to deal with the loss of a loved one in a road accident, but it is even more challenging to deal with the loss when another person’s action causes it.
When a negligent third party is at fault, a compensation claim could be a suitable course of action. However, the truth is, no amount of compensation can bring back a life, but it could hold the liable party accountable and help bring some closure to the situation.
It is essential to make death by dangerous driving claim and allow it to be professionally dealt with. This fatal accident car crash claims guide is written to help people in this situation understand their rights under the law and get the compensation they deserve.
The guide will answer most of the questions that generally are asked when talking about dangerous driving accidents and compensation claims. It is very comprehensive, and we want it to be beneficial for you. You are free to contact us if you need further questions answered. Our contact details can be found at the bottom of the guide.
Select a section:
- A guide to claiming for a death caused by dangerous driving.
- Dangerous driving due to speeding.
- Death by dangerous driving due to intoxication.
- Death by dangerous driving due to texting.
- Other common causes of death due to dangerous driving.
- Claiming for a death by dangerous driving at work.
- Claiming for a death caused by dangerous driving on public roads.
- Facts and statistics.
- Who can claim for a death caused by dangerous driving?
- What to do if a loved one has been killed due to dangerous driving.
- What can be claimed for after a death caused by dangerous driving.
- No win no fee death by dangerous driving claims.
- How much can I claim for a death caused by dangerous driving?
- How to start a car crash claim for a death caused by dangerous driving.
- Why choose us as your claims service for a death by dangerous driving claim?
- Call for free advice and to start a claim.
A Guide to Claiming for a Death Caused by Dangerous Driving
The issue of dangerous driving is very serious and should never be taken lightly. There is no doubt that this guide will help you with your car crash claim, so you have more information on what to do next.
The guide is divided into sections, with each section answering a specific question about dangerous driving compensation claims. In this guide, you will start to understand the different causes of death by dangerous driving, including speeding, intoxication, and texting. You will also get some useful information about making claims at work or for fatal accidents on public roads.
In this guide, we have included valuable information on the different aspects of what
to do if your loved one has died due to dangerous driving. It is also sensible to
understand that not everything can be claimed for in this situation. For this reason,
we have made a list of what is claimable and how much compensation for death you could receive. In fact, you will find a paytable highlighting the ranges of compensation that is possible for the claimants further on in this guide.
Towards the end of this guide, you will read about our No Win No Fee arrangement which is one of the initiatives we have taken to help those who may be in need of our service but cannot afford it. So, nobody is left out. Even though it is not our desire for you to lose your loved ones, we want to make sure that the pain and suffering you are experiencing will be well compensated.
You can get in touch with us using any of the contact channels suitable for you. You can find our contact details in the last section of this guide.
Death by Dangerous Driving Due to Speeding
Speeding is one of the most common causes of death on our roads across the UK.
Unfortunately, there are too many drivers in a rush, breaking the law by not paying attention to
Death By Dangerous Driving
speed limits. When speed becomes excessive, there is a greater chance of an accident which could claim lives. For example, a car which is driving too fast could veer off the road, hit pedestrians, hit a stationary object or even summersault as the driver loses control of the vehicle, causing total devastation and destruction to many people’s lives.
It is within your right to make a compensation claim if your loved one’s life is lost as a result of speeding on the road. Your solicitor will analyse the situation and check the validity of your claim. You can contact us for professional, free advice if needed.
Death by Dangerous Driving Due to Intoxication
Intoxication has been found to be a significant cause of death by dangerous driving. People get intoxicated when they drink excessively before driving. For example, it is not uncommon these days to see people driving away from nightclubs, bars and pubs, in a drunken state. Unfortunately, the end result for this behaviour is dangerous driving which could lead to death.
You can claim compensation for the death of your loved one if the death is caused by dangerous driving due to intoxication. If the case of intoxication is established, a compensation claim can be taken against the drunk driver. We can assist you to build up a solid case in this regard. Contact us for free advice regarding this section of the guide or any other that you and your loved ones have suffered from.
Death by Dangerous Driving Due to Texting
Death by dangerous driving due to texting and messaging started increasing with the rise of social media all over the world. It is no longer uncommon to see young drivers texting and chatting even as they drive on public roads. This will cause a distraction to the driver, and the end result is a loss of concentration which could lead to a fatal accident.
However, claiming compensation for death due to texting could be tricky as it will require concrete proof. If the investigation reveals that this is the case, a compensation claim can be taken against the driver that caused the victim’s death. Your solicitor will be there to help build a viable case after investigations have finished.
Other Common Causes of Death Due to Dangerous Driving
In an ideal world, death due to dangerous driving should never ever happen, but, unfortunately, it does from time to time, and there are other common causes apart from the ones listed above. These include:
- Dangerous Overtaking: Some drivers do not know when to overtake and when not to. Illegal overtaking is a form of dangerous driving which could lead to death.
- Driving Vehicles Not Fit for the Road: Some vehicles are not roadworthy or have serious issues. Such as brake problems, steering problems, headlight issues etc.
- Ignoring Traffic Warnings and Lights: Vehicles not stopping when required to stop could cause a head-on collision.
- Aggressive Driving: This is a dangerous driving that is a threat to other road users. It could easily lead to death.
- Intoxication: Effects of illegal drug consumption on the driver.
There are just too many causes of death due to dangerous driving to mention in this guide. However, it is within your right to make a compensation claim for the death of a loved one as a result of dangerous driving. Your solicitor will help you build a strong case. You can contact us for assistance with this at any time.
Claiming for a Death by Dangerous Driving at Work
It is well within your rights to a car crash claim for your loved ones’ death, as a result of dangerous driving at work. For example, if a family member was to get crushed to death by a driver who works with a bus company, you can claim.
The employer must ensure safety for its employees and visitors. For example, a transport company has a duty to train their drivers to drive safely and avoid dangerous driving. Therefore, if there is a death due to negligence
at work, you can make a death by dangerous driving, car crash compensation claim. We are here to help you pursue your compensation claim case, you can contact us for free advice on what to do in this situation.
Claiming for a Death Caused by Dangerous Driving on Public Roads
There is no doubt that public places should be safe for everyone. When we talk of public places, we often visit places like clubs, malls, stadiums and even hospitals. If there is an issue of dangerous driving that leads to death in a public place, the liability falls on the owner of the place or the operator. It is important to note that any public place operators must ensure safety for everyone in the facility. Your solicitor will check to see the validity of your car crash claim and take it up on your behalf.
Fatal Pedestrian Accident Death Caused By Dangerous Driving
Dangerous drivers have caused accidents resulting in death many times when their car or vehicle has hit the pedestrian as pedestrians have no protection. If this type of accident has happened to a family member or loved one contact us today and we will give you free legal advice as you could claim compensation for many different things that you might not know about.
Facts and Statistics
The Reported road casualties in Great Britain: 2019 annual report highlights how there were 25,945 serious injuries caused by road traffic accidents. The report also outlined how there were 15,158 casualties of all severities, and 1725 people were killed due to a road traffic accident.
When looking at road traffic accidents in greater detail, it is made clear with the annual report that:
- 739 fatalities in 2019 were in relation to a car occupant.
- 470 fatalities in 2019 were in relation to a pedestrian.
- 336 fatalities in 2019 were in relation to a motorcyclist.
- 100 fatalities in 2019 were in relation to pedal cyclists.
- 110 fatalities in 2019 were in relation to other factors.
If you can provide evidence that shows how a negligent third party was the direct cause of a road traffic accident, then you could have grounds to make a claim on behalf of a loved one. Contact our team today to learn more about how we could assist you.
Who Can Claim for a Death Caused by Dangerous Driving?
When it has to do with another person’s death like a loved one, not everyone is entitled to make a compensation claim. The following list is the people that can claim.
- The Dependents: There is a possibility that the deceased may have some dependents. By this, we mean people like the spouse, children, partner and any other person that depends on the deceased financially.
- Immediate Family: The immediate family members are those people related to the deceased but not really dependent on the deceased financially. They are the ones who also share in the pain and emotional suffering from the loss.
- Estate of Deceased: By this, we mean those businesses that may have suffered some losses due to the deceased’s demise who is the owner.
Depending on the circumstances, any of the above people who fall within this bracket can make a compensation claim for a person’s death due to dangerous driving. Your solicitor will look at the situation and advise on the way forward.
What to do if a Loved One has been Killed due to Dangerous Driving
If your loved one has been killed due to dangerous driving, it is essential to immediately take some steps. Please note that the amount of compensation for a loved one’s death will largely depend on how well your case is established. Building up a good case will also depend on the steps you have taken when the incident happened. The following are the steps you should take:
- Report the Accident: Ensure that the local police are aware of the incident.
- Collect Evidence: Do this by getting the vehicle’s registration number, you can take some photographs of the accident scene and get some eyewitness accounts if possible.
- Get a Medical Report: A medical report gives an opinion on the final cause of death and determines the kind of compensation to be claimed.
- Document Losses: It is essential to document all losses as a result of the incident. Loses include funeral costs, medical expenses, and other costs incurred that would help your case.
Taking the right steps after the unfortunate incident will go a long way to help your case. If in doubt of any issue pertaining to these steps, you can contact us through our contact details for some free advice.
What can be Claimed for After a Death Caused by Dangerous Driving
Compensation paid for death by dangerous driving will comprise of one or more of these types of damages:
- General Damages: When we talk about general damages, we mean compensation for the pains, anguish and sufferings you have endured as a result of the death of your loved one.
- Medical Expenses: This refers to the medical expenses that were incurred prior to
the death of the victim - Funeral Expenses: Whatever cost incurred for the funeral can also be claimed
- Special Damages: These include the estate of the person that has died, for things like business and companies run by the deceased, that have suffered. They can also cover things like pre-booked holidays that can no longer be taken or weddings that have had to be cancelled.
You can contact your solicitor for advice on what you can claim. We are available to give you some free advice if you call us now.
No Win No Fee Claims
When we talk about No Win No Fee death by dangerous driving claims, we mean
an arrangement where we offer you legal representation at no charge. It is a Conditional Fee Agreement deal, which will see you pay us our fees only when
your case becomes successful. In this case, we will take out legal fees directly from your compensation amount while you take the balance.
If your case is unsuccessful; you do not pay us anything. Therefore, we take all the risk on your behalf while you are going through this harrowing time.
This arrangement is beneficial, especially for those who have a valid case but may not have the funds to pay the needed legal fees for solicitors to pursue their car crash claims. However, if you are in this category of people, you can always take advantage of the No Win No Fee arrangement and get your desired compensation.
How Much Can I Claim for a Death Caused by Dangerous Driving?
To be clear, each compensation car crash claim case is treated differently and as such, quoting the exact figure may be difficult at this time. However, you must not fail to understand that the compensation for death by careless driving will depend on several factors that include the situation or circumstances in the build-up to the eventual death. We have drawn up a paytable based on the judicial guidelines from the compensation calculation. It will give you a fair indication of what to expect.
| Reason for Compensation | Typical Compensation Amount | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Death with financial losses | Over £500,000 | Compensation awards can exceed this level if they include dependency costs like loss of earnings. |
| Death (unconsciousness following a brief period of awareness) | £8,000 – £10,650 | Severe injuries but this time followed by unconsciousness after just 3 hours with death coming in 2 weeks after the incident. (other damages will also apply) |
| Death (unconscious death within six weeks) | £6,400 | Accident causes injury followed immediate unconsciousness with death coming after six weeks. (other damages will also apply) |
| Death (unconscious death within one week) | £1,050 – £2,125 | Here, unconsciousness happens immediately after the accident with death occurring in just one week. (other damages will also apply) |
| Death (full awareness) | £15,950 – £18,100 | Severe injuries followed by full awareness for a short period. There is also a kind of fluctuating consciousness between four or five weeks before passing away. (other damages will also apply) |
| Mental anguish | £3,550 | Psychological trauma and suffering caused by fear of impending death. (other damages will also apply) |
| Funeral costs | £3,000 – £10,000 | Can be more |
| Punitive damages | £1,000 – £275,000 | Can be more |
| Pain and suffering | £1,000 – £200,000 | Can be more |
| Loss of benefits | £5,000 – £500,000 | Can be more |
| Loss of anticipated earnings | £10,000 – £400,000 | Can be more |
| Loss of care, protection and companionship for family members. | £2,000 – £100,000 | Can be more |
If you want to have a more accurate figure, you can contact us through our details at the bottom of this guide.
How to Start a Claim for a Death Caused by Dangerous Driving
Dangerous driving death
Starting a claim for compensation for family member death may look complicated if you do not have the required information. However, with the right information and solicitor, starting a car crash claim becomes easy. To start a claim, you can call us for a free legal consultation where we will check the viability of your car crash claim.
On finding the facts and getting the full details, we can offer you free advice on
what to do next, how to proceed and probably how much compensation you will likely receive. If a medical opinion is needed, we can also arrange a local medical
examination for you.
With us, everything is easy. You need to contact us through our contact details at the bottom of this guide, and we take up your case immediately.
Why Choose us as your Claims Service for a Claim?
It is important to note that apart from having a viable case, you also need the best solicitors to pursue your case. A good solicitor will work to get the best possible compensation amount on your behalf.
Our claim service remains one of the best in the country because we know and experience getting compensation claims for our clients. We have handled a lot of successful cases for our clients over the years, and we believe your case will also be successful when we work for you.
We have one of the best customer services because we believe that you are the reason why we are in business. This is why we put your interest first before any other thing and also why we embrace a No Win No fee arrangement to ensure you do not lose in any way.
We will work to get the best possible compensation for you, and this means we will not leave any stone unturned in our quest to deliver the best outcome for you.
Call for Free Advice and to Start a Car Crash Claim
Having read this guide from the beginning and having understood the issue surrounding compensation for death in a car accident, it is now time to make a move. First of all, you can call right away for free advice on your situation and start a car crash claim.
You can contact us in three ways. Call by telephone on 0800 073 8804, use our web chat function or use our contact form. Be rest assured that we will get back to you immediately.
Helpful Links
Death and Fatal Accident Compensation Amounts – Find out How Much You Can Claim?
Find out the full amounts of death compensation you can claim for as there are many different areas for death compensation.
The NHS Link has helpful information on coping with bereavement as losing a family member can be devastating.
What to do after a death from a car crash – Citizens Advice.
The Citizens Advice on what to do after a death.
Car Crash Accident Claims and Compensation Amounts
Car Accident claims and advice compensation for passengers and drivers
Motorcycle Accident Car Crash Claims
Has a family member had a fatal motorcycle accident find out how much compensation you can claim for.
Cycle Accident Claims Find out How To Claim
Death caused by a cycling accident hit by a car or another vehicle.
CPS Road Traffic Offences – Guidance on Charging Offences and Dangerous Driving
If a driver has been found guilty of dangerous driving, they could get a custodial sentence.
Pedestrian Car Accident Claims
Pedestrians can be very vulnerable if hit by a car and many pedestrian accidents are fatal, contact us for free legal advice.
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