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

Can I Make A Claim If Hit By A German Lorry / HGV Driver?

On this page, you will find a guide to making a compensation claim if you are injured in an accident when hit by a German lorry. It contains information, tips and advice that will help you to come to understand the legal process your solicitor will follow, when helping you make a claim. If you have any questions once you reach the end of this guide, then please call Legal Expert on 0800 073 8804, and we will get you the answers you need.

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A Guide To German Lorry / HGV’s Accident Compensation Claims

German hgv accident claims

German hgv accident claims

You may believe, that if you are hit by a German wagon and injured, then the chances of you claiming compensation are slim, as the driver is insured and licensed overseas. This is not true; there is a process in place for claiming against foreign drivers. This is the Green Card system. A multi-national agreement that encompasses 47 countries, and enables people who are injured by foreign drivers, to claim compensation. In the UK the Green Card system is administered and overseen by the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). This is the organisation that your solicitor would approach, when they start to process your personal injury claim.

The MIB has two specific responsibilities with regards to claiming compensation against overseas drivers. The first of these, is as the handling bureau, responsible for keeping track of, and managing claims against foreign drivers. The second, is as the bureau that guarantees compensation payments, in the case of claims made against UK drivers while overseas.

As you can see, claiming against a foreign driver for injuries caused by an accident they were responsible for, is a little more complex than claiming for an accident involving a local driver. Legal Expert can explain the way the process works, if you give us a call on the number at the end of this page.

How To Claim Compensation Against German Lorry / HGV Driver

If you are hit by a German lorry, and need to make an insurance claim under the Green Card system, then your solicitor will need the following information from you:

  • The name of the foreign driver’s insurance company.
  • The foreign driver’s name (as well as the policy holder’s name if it is a company policy).
  • The driver’s postal address.
  • The vehicle registration number of the German lorry (including the cab number if it is an articulated lorry).
  • The number of the driver’s Green Card.
  • The date the accident took place, as well as the location.
  • Full details of how the accident happened.

In some cases, you might not be able to find all of this information. Legal Expert can help with this. Call us on the number at the end of this page to find out how.

What is a German HGV/Lorry?

When your personal injury solicitor processes a claim for an accident in which you were hit by a German HGV, the type of vehicle involved is an important consideration. In the UK we grade vehicles onto HGV and LGV categories slightly differently, thus:

  • Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) – can be driven on an LGV C+E driving license. Generally pertaining to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes.
  • Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) – can be driven on an LGV Class 1 driving license. Generally pertaining to vehicles under 3.5 tonnes.

If you are confused by this, call Legal Expert on the number at the end of this page, and we can talk you through it.

What Is The International Green Card System?

The Green Card system is intended to help UK drivers who are involved in a road traffic accident involving a foreign driver. In most cases, the green card system assists in claiming compensation from a foreign insurer. However, in some cases, if there is no foreign insurer to pursue for compensation, the governing body responsible for managing the Green Card system in the home country of the foreign driver, would pay compensation.

The system covers 47 countries, including every country in Europe. In most countries, a Green Card is a legal requirement for foreign drivers wishing to enter a country in their own vehicle.

Legal Expert can advise you on the process of making a Green Card compensation claim, call us on the number at the end of this page to find out how.

What Should I Do If Involved In A Road Traffic Accident With A German Driver?

If you are involved in a road traffic accident involving a foreign vehicle, or are hit by a German driver, the steps below will help you to make sure you have the best chance of making a claim:

  1. Get the driver’s name and contact details including address.
  2. Get the insurer’s name.
  3. Get the number of the driver’s Green Card.
  4. Get the licence number of the lorry.
  5. Take photographs of the scene of the accident.
  6. Ensure the police have been notified.
  7. Get proper medical attention for your injuries.
  8. Contact Legal Expert to process a claim on your behalf.

What Happens If The MIB Can Not Confirm The German Drivers Insurance Cover?

German hgv accident statistics

German hgv accident statistics

The graph above, shows the most common types of accidents that younger drivers are victims of in the UK. If any of these accidents involved a foreign driver, the Green Card system would have come in to play. To answer the question, can I make a claim if hit by a foreign driver? then the answer would be yes, you can. If you are involved in a foreign vehicle road accident, and the driver of the foreign vehicle has a Green Card, making a claim follows a simple process. You simply claim against the foreign insurance company.

However, in some cases, you may not know the foreign insurer, or even the name of the driver and their contact details. In these cases, you would pursue the authority responsible for managing the Green Card system in the country the driver is a resident of.

Legal Expert can assist with this complex claims process, call us on the number at the bottom of this page to find out how.

Whiplash Caused By An Accident With A German Driver

Over £2 billion is made in whiplash claims in the UK every year. It is the single most prolific injury claimed across any type of compensation case. Whiplash is very easily caused, yet very hard to treat. Even a minor case can take many weak to clear up completely. Legal Expert recommends that anyone who is considering making a whiplash claim, gets themselves an expert, impartial medical examination to prove the extent of their injuries. We can help with this, we can arrange for a free local medical examination in your area, as part of our national claims service.

I Was Injured In A Road Traffic Accident By A HGV In Germany Can I Claim Compensation?

If you are driving overseas, and you are injured in an accident involving a German driver, then you should be able to claim compensation. The way you do this will depend upon whether you know the insurance company the German driver uses. If you do, then a claim can be pursued against the insurer. If not, then a claim would be pursed from the MIB, who would pay the compensation as the managing authority of the Green Card system in the UK.

Foreign Lorry Accident Compensation Calculator

How much compensation you receive when involved in a car accident with foreign driver, depends on the circumstances of your accident and the injuries it caused. The table below shows typical amounts paid for a range of injuries:

Edit
Injury Type How Severe? Information Compensation
Neck injury Minor to severe From bruises, cuts and sprains, through vertebrae and nerve damage, up to entire paralysis of the neck. Up to £130,073
Back injury Minor to severe From bruises, cuts and sprains, through vertebrae and nerve damage, up to entire paralysis of the back. Up to £141,163
Hand injury Minor to serious From cuts, bruises, dislocation and nerve damaged, through fractured bones to total amputation of one or both hands. Up to £54,293
Wrist injury Minor to severe From bruises, cuts and sprains through bone fractures and damaged nerves, to complete loss of function of the wrist. Up to £4,173
Arm injury Moderate to severe From bruising, lacerations and other soft tissue injuries, through sprains, breaks and paralysis or amputation of one or both arms. Up to £114,823
Finger injury Minor to severe From cuts and bruises, through dislocation, nerve damage and fractures, to complete amputation of one or more fingers. Up to £21,933
An injured thumb Minor to severe From cuts and bruises, through dislocation, nerve damage and fractures, to complete amputation of one or both thumbs. Up to £48,033
Toe injury Moderate to severe From cuts and bruises, through dislocation, nerve damage and fractures, to complete amputation of one or more toes. Up to £49,133
Ankle injury Minor to severe From bruises, cuts and sprains through bone fractures and damaged nerves, to complete loss of function of the ankle. Up to £61,133
Foot injury Minor to very severe From cuts, bruises, dislocation and nerve damaged, through fractured bones to total amputation of one or both feet. Up to £96,133
Leg injury Minor to severe From bruising, lacerations and other soft tissue injuries, through sprains, breaks and paralysis or amputation of one or both legs. Up to £119,233

For a personalised estimate of how much you might claim, call Legal Expert on the number at the bottom of this guide so that we can assist you in this.

No Win No Fee Foreign Driver Accident Claims

Legal Expert operates a national claims service under a full No Win No Fee agreement. We offer this as the best way to process a compensation claim against a foreign driver using the Green Card system. You pay zero when we take your claim on board, zero as we process your claim no matter how long it takes, and zero if we should fail to win you any compensation. The only time we charge anything, is when we receive a settlement for you. At this stage, we will deduct our fee and give you the remainder.

Contact Legal Expert Today

Are you ready to begin making a compensation claim for injuries you sustained in an accident with a foreign vehicle? If you are, then call Legal Expert on 0800 073 8804 today. One of our team will spend some time talking you through our new claims onboarding process, and we can get started on your claim right away.

Useful Links

At the link below, you will find a guide to claiming compensation for a whiplash injury:

A guide to claiming for a whiplash injury

At the link below, you will find a guide to claiming compensation for a back injury:

A guide to claiming for a back injury

If you need extra information about how the MIB deals with the Green Card system, visit this link:

MIB and the Green Card system

The UK Government has published useful information about insurance and driving abroad at this link:

UK Government info on insurance and driving overseas

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    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.