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How To Claim Compensation Against Czech Lorry / HGV Driver? – View Our Guide

Can I Make A Claim If I Was Hit by A Lorry or HGV From the Czech Republic?

Czech hgv accident claim

Czech hgv accident claim

When we go about our daily business, we expect to do so without incident, and this includes walking to work, or driving on our roads. What we don’t expect is to be in an accident with someone who doesn’t hail from our country, but this is of course a risk. Whether you were hit by a Czech HGV while on foot or were in a car accident with a Czech lorry driver, you’re almost certain to have incurred injury, and you might think it would not be possible to make a claim, with the vehicle having been registered in the Czech Republic. However, it is not the case.

A foreign driver in the UK and driving on UK roads can have action taken against them, and Legal Expert can assist in an accident with a foreign vehicle claim, just as we can with UK drivers. 0800 073 8804 will connect you with experts in foreign vehicle road accident claims, but we’ve also prepared some handy information for you should you find yourself in this position, which may answer your questions. If you’d like to know more, read on.

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A Guide to Czech HGV, Truck, And Lorry Accident Compensation Claims

Driving or being a pedestrian on UK roads comes with some risks, and most of us understand these when we step out when crossing a road or buckle our seatbelts for a ride in our car. However, what people don’t always understand is that it isn’t just UK national drivers that can cause accidents on UK roads. With more freight than ever before being moved around the country and indeed around Europe and further afield, there are a lot of foreign drivers on the road and it has been estimated that eighteen thousand accidents every year are caused by these. If you’ve been hit by a Czech HGV, you might be afraid that all legalities when it comes to claiming compensation would be invalid. However, this is not the case in many situations. The answer to ‘Can I make a claim if hit by a foreign driver’ is often yes, depending on the accident, what led you to being hit by a Czech wagon, and whether it is covered under the green card system.

The green card system was established some years ago in an attempt to help the transit of vehicles over international borders, as it proves that the person holding the greencard has acceptable insurance to do so. If there’s insurance to claim against, then you can likely claim compensation for being hit by a Czech lorry, and this is what we can help you to do.

In this guide, we cover more on the green card system as well as explaining what you’ll need to do to make a no win no fee personal injury claim, as well as what amount of hit by Czech HGV compensation you’ll likely receive. We’re always happy to answer questions too, so don’t hesitate to call us if something isn’t as clear as you’d like it to be.

How to Claim Compensation from A Czech HGV Or Lorry Driver

In order to claim hit by Czech lorry compensation, you need to understand that it does not matter whether the driver is from the Czech Republic, or whether the company is registered there. What matters is whether the vehicle is registered in the Czech Republic, and if it is, they should be covered under the green card system, which means you should be able to make a claim against their insurance in case of a foreign vehicle road accident. It is wise to note that if you have been hit by a Czech HGV, there may be a different registration on the cab than on the trailer, so do check both if at all possible.

What Is a Czech HGV Or Lorry?

There are many different classes of vehicle and you may think you’ve been hit by a Czech HGV when in fact it was a light goods vehicle that hit you. Here, we give a brief overview of the different types of vehicle you’ll see on UK roads, hauling freight up and down the country.

LGV – A large goods vehicle, this is often mistaken for a light goods vehicle. LGV covers commercial vehicles with a combination mass (gross) over three and a half tons, or 3500kg.

HGV – A HGV is exactly the same. The difference in terms is that the HGV term has been used for longer, whereas the amendments of LGV from Light to Large only happened in 1992.

Lighter vehicles – Vans and pickups under 3500kg. You can drive these on a car licence.

The types of vehicle that can constitutes HGV or LGV can include Luton vans, tippers, drop sides, refrigerated vehicles, flat beds and ADR vehicles amongst others.

How Does the International Green Card System Apply to These Cases?

The international green card system is in place for just such an eventuality as being hit by a Czech HGV. As we mentioned briefly before, this system was put in place to ensure the validity of insurance for drivers crossing borders in foreign vehicles. Currently, if a vehicle is registered and insured in one of 47 countries, including the EU, EEA, some Middle Eastern Countries and those bordering the Med, as well as Russia, then it should come under the scheme. This map should show the countries involved.

The scheme proves that drivers moving vehicles within the countries mentioned meet the minimum insurance needs of the country they’re moving in. This guarantees that compensation, where due, will be paid and then reclaimed by the country of accident by the country of the vehicle’s registration.

What Should I Do If I Am Involved in A Road Traffic Accident with A Czech Vehicle or Driver?

It is vital that you try and gather as much information as you can directly after the accident where you were hit by a Czech lorry. This information should include but is not restricted to:

Vehicle registration and driver details – Don’t forget, as mentioned before to consider that the can and trailer might have a different registration. If the driver does not speak much English, then pass them a pen and paper and they can write their details down.

Other bystander’s details – Whether other drivers or pedestrians have witnessed your road traffic accident involving a foreign driver, they can act as valuable witnesses. Make sure you get contact details and they could help to prove your claim.

Photos – If possible, try and get pictorial evidence, of the crash site and any injuries. This will help your personal injury solicitor later down the line.

Medical report – you should always seek advice from medics once you’ve been hit by a Czech HGV or in any other road accident involving a foreign vehicle. The medical report will help act as evidence too.

When you have all this information, the green card system and the MIB should cover your claim. If the accident you’ve had does not happen in the UK, or should the driver not have been insured, then it can get a little trickier though.

What Happens If the Motor Insurance Bureau Can Not Confirm the Czech Driver’s Insurance Cover?

There is always the risk that if you’ve been hit by a Czech lorry, the driver might not have had the required insurance. This doesn’t happen often, but it can happen. If this is the case, or if the MIB cannot confirm the cover, then the case will usually be transferred over to the Guarantee Fund, and it will usually be dealt with by way of the Uninsured Drivers Agreement. This is one of the main functions of the MIB, in order to compensate victims of road traffic accidents where the driver is uninsured or can’t be traced.

Accidents Involving Czech Vehicles Leading to Whiplash

While a lot of people consider whiplash to be only a minor injury, it is common in most cases where a vehicle has been hit by a Czech HGV and it is not always as simple and easy to fix as many people believe it to be. When a head is moved backwards and forwards with force, like in a road accident where you shoot forward and back quickly against your seat, the soft tissues in the neck are subject to force and can be sprained. This can cause neck pain as the main symptom, but also other issues such as: headaches, pain in the arms, pins and needles and even muscle spasms.

While most injuries are resolved with time and painkillers, others can lead to complications, and this can mean more treatment and time off work.

I Was Injured in An Accident Caused by An HGV In the Czech Republic Can I Claim Compensation?

If the opposite happens and you are a foreign driver in the Czech Republic, or a pedestrian and are hit by a Czech lorry, then it is important to know whether or not you can claim compensation. If you have booked your holiday as a package, then you could claim under the package holiday 1992 regulations. If you are travelling on business, or have not booked a package, you may still be able to claim. Speak to the experts at Legal Expert and we’ll take some details to see if you could claim.

How Much Compensation Can You Claim After an Accident Involving a Czech Wagon?

Injuries after being hit by a Czech lorry can vary. Obviously, if you are a pedestrian hit by an HGV they are likely to be quite severe, but even if you’re in a car your injuries can be quite complex. Our table illustrates a number of possible injuries and their typical award brackets.

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Injury Type Information Bracket (Typical)
Minor Hand Injuries Scrapes, cuts anddamage to soft tissues £800 to £3,810
Minor Wrist Injuries Rapid healing £3,090 to £4,160
Severe Ankle Injuries Could include where several fractures have occurred and permanent function loss likely £27,450 to £43,900
Minor Neck Injuries Minor sprain, or scrapes and cuts – Quick healing Up to £2,150
More Moderate Injuries (Neck) Injuries that take longer to heal £6,920 to £33,750
More Serious Neck Injury Permanent Damage £39,870 to £130,060

If your injury is not on the list, please ring us and we will give you an idea of the usual types of payouts.

No Win No Fee Czech HGV And Lorry Accident Claims

Claims don’t have to begin with you having to pay out a lot of money. In fact, you won’t have to pay anything whatsoever should your claim not be successful. And, when and if you do receive compensation, your legal fees will be taken out of that at a pre-agreed level. This is what is known as no win no fee. To find out more about how these claims work, speak to our committed, friendly and empathetic team. We like you to be fully informed about how this works before you choose to go ahead.

Contact Legal Expert Today

Want to ask for free legal expert advice? Or are you currently suffering due to an injury caused by being hit by a Czech HGV? If so, we can make the claims process easy and stress free by providing a personal injury solicitor with years of experience. Dialling 0800 073 8804 connects you to a member of the Legal Expert team, who can deal with your query or claim quickly and without fuss. Why not get in touch today?

Useful Links

MIB – How Compensation Works – More information on the MIB and making a claim can be seen here.

Whiplash (Delayed) – We mentioned before that there can be complications from whiplash. This shows more about delayed whiplash and how it can be claimed for.

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    • 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.