Polish HGV Accident Injury Claim Specialists

100% No Win, No Fee Claims
Nothing to pay if you lose.

  • Polish HGV accident injury victims get maximum compensation
  • Free legal advice from a friendly solicitor.
  • Specialist solicitors with up to 30 years experience
  • Find out if you can claim compensation Call 0800 073 8804

Start My Claim Online

How To Claim Compensation Against A Polish Lorry / HGV Driver

Can I Claim Compensation If Was Hit By A Polish Lorry Or HGV?

Have you been hit by a Polish lorry or otherwise involved in a road traffic accident with a HGV, lorry, or truck from Poland? If so, find out how much compensation you could be entitled to claim for any injuries sustained in our comprehensive guide below as well as how to make a no win no fee compensation claim.

Hit by a Polish HGV Today it can be difficult to travel around the major roads in the UK, whether motorways or ‘A’ roads, without encountering haulage vehicles (trucks, HGV’s, and lorries) from outside the UK. If you are injured as a result of an accident with a foreign vehicle which was not your fault, would you know what steps you should take, and whether you would be able to make a compensation claim? It should be noted for the purposes of this guide that the nationality or residence of the driver does not matter in this claim, it is the country of registration for the vehicle which does.

In this guide we will look at whether and how you can make a compensation claim after being hit by a Polish HGV, as well as how much compensation you could be able to claim.

Select A Section

A Guide To Compensation Claims Against Polish Lorries Or HGV’s

Everyday non-UK registered lorries, trucks, and heavy good vehicles transport goods into and out of the UK. Statistics show that in 2015 a total of more than 35 million tonnes of goods were transported into and out of the UK by HGV’s and lorries registered outside the UK. the largest number of foreign registered goods vehicles operating in the UK by tonnage of goods transported are registered in Poland. These vehicles transported over eight million tonnes of goods in 2015.

With so many foreign registered HGV’s, lorries, and trucks driving on the UK’s road network there is a reasonable chance that if you are involved in a crash with a HGV, that it is registered in or from outside of the UK. Previous reports have shown that each year as many as 18,000 road traffic accidents are caused by drivers or vehicles from outside the UK. Differing speed limits, road conditions, and attitudes to driving could all contribute towards this figure. Constant changes in the way a driver needs to act can especially affect those in haulage.

How To Claim Compensation Against A Polish Lorry / HGV Driver

If you are involved in an accident with a foreign vehicle, such as being hit by a Polish lorry, you could very well worry about whether or not they will have insurance in place and if you can claim compensation for any injuries. If you have been hit by a Polish HGV you should act in the same way you would if the vehicle was registered in the UK. All vehicles on the road in the UK should be insured. If you were involved in a hit and run accident with a Polish lorry, we can still help you to claim compensation. Wherever the driver or vehicle which you were involved in an accident with came from, we could help you to make a personal injury claim.

What Is A Polish HGV/Lorry?

Put simply these are any type of large or heavy good vehicle such as a lorry, truck, HGV which is registered in Poland. These might include large goods vehicles (LGV) and heavy goods vehicles (HGV’s). These vehicles are defined under both UK and EU law, requiring specific license to drive them. Any commercial vehicle which has a gross tonnage of 3,500kg or more falls into the category. As such, your foreign vehicle road accident could have been with a box van, refrigerated truck, flat bed truck, or any other type of large goods vehicle.

If you have been involved in an accident with a Polish lorry or wagon, please contact us today.

Explaining Foreign Registered Vehicle Insurance And the International Green Card System?

The issue of proving vehicle insurance when crossing borders dates back to just after World War two. The International Green Card system was set up to help better facilitate the process of vehicles crossing international borders. Today the United Nations system is recognised in 47 countries around the world, including right across Europe. The purpose of the system if to help vehicles (such as good vehicles) easily move across international borders. It is also designed to help anyone involved in an accident with a foreign vehicle, such as people who have been hit by a Polish driver or vehicle registered in Poland.

Neither the Green Card nor the Green Card System offers vehicle insurance. However, it does function as proof that the vehicle and driver have met any legally required minimum insurance standards, such as having third party insurance in place. This can be essential in making a compensation claims.

If you are hit by a Polish HGV or lorry, it should be covered by the Green Card system. This means that you can make a compensation claim for any losses you have suffered as well as harm caused to you. You can find further information on this scheme at the Motor Insurance Bureau website.

What Steps You Should Take After Having An Accident With Polish Lorry Or HGV

Immediately after your accident with a Polish HGV or lorry, you should get as many details about the driver and vehicle as possible. Take down the registration number, the name and contact details of the driver and those of the truck operator, as well as any other relevant information you can think of. If the driver does not speak very good English, try to obtain what information you can. You should also ask for the contact information of any witnesses to your accident. Their statements could be important later when making a claim.

If you can, photograph the scene of the accident, and damage to bothe vehicles. Note down the time and location of the accident. This can also be useful to the solicitor later.

If the driver does not stop, or if some details are missing it may also be necessary to contact the Motor Insurance Bureau to confirm the vehicles insurance policy is in place and that you can make a claim against this.

What Will Happen If The Polish Drivers Insurance Can Not Be Confirmed By The Motor Insurance Bureau?

In some cases the Motor Insurance Bureau will either not be able to confirm the relevant insurance provider, or they will not be able to confirm the vehicles cover. In foreign vehicle road accident cases where the vehicle or driver can not be identified the case will be transferred to the Guarantee Fund and payments will be made from there.

If you have been in a crash with a Polish lorry and the MIB can not confirm the vehicles insurance provider, or their representatives in the UK, it is not recommended that you pursue a case through the County Court. Doing so will mean increasing your costs and bringing a claim outside the courts jurisdiction. Instead claims can be made through the MIB or the Uninsured Drivers Agreement

Whiplash From An Accident With A Polish Registered Vehicle

Whilst an impact from a lorry could cause a variety of different types of damage to your vehicle and injury to you, whiplash is one of the most common of these which we see people make personal injury claims for. Whiplash can present with several different types of symptom, but the main one is pain through the neck caused by the muscles being strained to move beyond their usual range of motion.

If you have suffered whiplash as a result of a road traffic accident involving a foreign vehicle, namely a Polish HGV, we can help you to claim compensation.

I Was injured In a Vehicle Crash With A Lorry In Poland Can I Claim Compensation?

Whilst being involved in road traffic accident involving a foreign driver, i.e. a lorry or HGV driver in Poland is unfortunate, if you are visiting Poland you could be involved in an accident with a Polish HGV. If you have been hit by a Polish HGV whilst in Poland we can help you to claim compensation for any resulting injuries. You will need to report the accident to the Polish police in the area where it happened, as well as following all of the usual steps that you should follow after being injured in an accident. Remember to keep the receipts for any medical costs you have had to pay for.

Foreign Vehicle Accident Compensation Calculator

In the table below we have included examples of some of the most common injuries which people suffer if hit by a Polish lorry, or similar road traffic accidents involving a foreign vehicle. Please note that the amounts of compensation listed are just examples taken from the Judicial College Guidelines and the amount of compensation you could receive may differ.

Edit
Settlement Awarded for Settlement amount Notes:
Minor back injuries Upto £9,500 Factors which might affect how much your compensation payout will be include the symptoms you have and how they are affecting you, as well as how painful the injury is. Claims at the lower end will be for injuries which you can recover from in a shorter amount of time.
Moderate back injuries £9,500 to £29,475 Injuries which fall into the upper end of this settlement bracket involve lower levels of disability. Those at the bottom end will be for injuries to the muscles and the ligaments. Injuries might include general soft tissue injuries leading to backaches.
Severe back injuries £53,000 to £122,350 Injuries at the top end of this bracket could include damage to the spine and nerves. These can come in varying levels of severities. At the bottom end of this classification, injuries include those to the soft tissues of the back and could lead to you suffering a chronic back condition after.
Minor neck injuries Upto £6,000 Whiplash could fall into this, or the other levels of neck injury. Factors affecting the level of compensation will include the level of damage to the soft tissues of the neck, shoulders and upper back. The more intense the pain and symptoms, the higher the payment.
Moderate neck injuries £6,000 to £19,000 At the bottom of the settlement bracket the claimant might find an existing neck condition or injury becomes worse. Towards the top end, injuries might include dislocation injuries or fractures and breaks..
Severe neck injuries £34,575 to £112,750 Severe injuries to the neck could result in you suffering from paraplegia or similarly severe injuries. Such cases will attract more compensation. At the bottom end, you may be claiming for fractures, dislocations or injuries to the soft tissues.
Mental anguish Upto £3,550 Mental anguish includes people expecting the end of their life or fearing death.
General suffering and pain £1,000 to £200,000 How much compensation you could be awarded will be calculated from the amount of pain you have suffered.
Anticipated loss of future earnings £10,000 to £400,000 Settlements are calculated from what you are currently earning and what you are anticipated to earn in the future.
Anticipated loss of any benefits £5,000 to £500,000 This might include benefits that you are currently in receipt of but which you will lose due to your injuries.

There will be other types of compensation, such as that for medical expenses, property damage, or loss of income which may also be included in your final settlement.

No Win No Fee Polish Lorry Or HGV Accident Claims

No win no fee agreements are also sometimes known as conditional fee agreements. They are a way for those without the funds to do so to take legal action to get the compensation they deserve after being injured in an accident, such as being involved in a car accident with foreign driver or vehicle. They enable people to still get the legal advice that they need, and to make a claim, without their financial situation being a barrier.

Not having to pay a solicitor until your claim has been settled, means that you take on no financial risks. These are all assumed by the solicitor working on your claim. This means that you do no need to worry about starting your claim. You will only need to pay the solicitor if you are successful and have received a settlement to do so.

Contact Legal Expert Today

When you are ready to make a compensation claim you can begin the process by contacting our specialist road traffic accident claims team. You can call us on 0800 073 8804 or put the details of your claim in an email sent to info@legalexpert.co.uk.

However you get in contact with Legal Expert please do so today, our team are waiting to answer your call.

Useful Links

Holiday Accident Claims In Poland

Have you been injured whilst travelling to Poland for a holiday or for work? If so, you could make a compensation claim for any injuries suffered.

Foreign Vehicle Accident Claims

Have you been hurt in a road traffic accident involving a foreign vehicle, such as being hit by a Polish car? If so, you can find further information here.

Other Guides You Can Check Out

    Contact Us

    Fill in your details below for a free callback

    Trustpilot

    Meet The Team

    • Patrick Mallon

      Patrick is a Grade A solicitor having qualified in 2005. He's an an expert in accident at work and public liability claims and is currently our head of the EL/PL department. Get in touch today for free to see how we can help you.

      View all posts

    Our Top Legal Guides