Croatia Car Accident Claims Guide – How To Claim Compensation For A Car Crash In Croatia
If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Croatia which was caused by somebody else, then this guide will explain how you can claim compensation for your injuries including any psychological damage caused because of the accident.
Car accident claims Croatia
Legal Expert are specialist personal injury solicitors that can help with accidents in Croatia and any other country, and we can help claim for injuries to you and any passengers all using our no win no fee service.
We offer a free initial consultation, and if we agree that you’ve got a good chance of compensation we’ll provide the legal team you need to make your claim.
If you’re ready to begin your claim with Legal Expert then please call 0800 073 8804 today but if you’d like to know more then please keep reading.
Select A Section
- A Guide To Claiming Compensation For A Car Accident In Croatia
- Emergency Telephone Numbers In Croatia
- Accessing Healthcare In Croatia As A Tourist
- Steps To Take After A Car Crash In Croatia
- What Should I Do If Injured In an Accident Abroad?
- Do You Need To Report The Accident To The Police?
- Whiplash Caused By A Foreign Car Crash
- What Can My Compensation Claim Seek Damages For?
- Calculating Compensation For A Car Crash In Croatia
- No Win No Fee Claims For A Car Accident In Croatia
- Why Make A Claim With Legal Expert?
- How To Contact Our Team
- Where To Find More Information Or Help
A Guide To Claiming Compensation For A Car Accident In Croatia
Driving in Croatia is generally very safe, but accidents do happen. Before covering how a car accident claim works it’s also important to understand the driving requirements in Croatia as the police can hand out fines if any of them are breached:
- You must carry your documents (drivers license, passport, insurance documents and V5 proof of ownership).
- It is mandatory to use headlamp beam deflectors (either stickers or adjusting the beam yourself depending on your car).
- You must carry a first aid kit, warning triangle, reflective jacket and spare bulbs (except for Xenon or LED bulbs if your car has them).
- Motorcyclists and their passengers must wear helmets.
To be able to claim for compensation for a car accident in Croatia you must be able to prove that the accident was another person’s fault, whether they were another driver or somebody else. We cover how to do this in another section later in this guide.
With any type of accident claim there is always a time limit which must be adhered to when making a claim. The table below shows time limits for compensation claims in Croatia:
| Accident, Injury or Illness sustained in Croatian car crash | Time Limit |
|---|---|
| If the holiday was booked by a UK Tour operator | 3 years |
| If the trip was booked privately | Varies |
It is best advised to give your solicitor as much time as possible to prepare your case so that they can gather as much evidence to support your claim.
Emergency Telephone Numbers In Croatia
If you do have an accident in Croatia and need to contact the emergency services, then the numbers you need are listed below:
- Ambulance: dial 94
- Fire brigade: 93
- Police: 92
Or, if you forget these and need help urgently you can dial the European emergency number of 112 which will get you through to an operator similar to the UK where they will put you in touch with the right service.
The British Embassy can help British passport holders in very serious emergencies, such as assault, robbery or fatalities. We’ve included their contact details at the very end of this article. You may contact them yourself or the police may make contact with them if they believe the accident warrants it.
Accessing Healthcare In Croatia As A Tourist
While we’re still a part of Europe, any British tourist that requires medical treatment (and has an EHIC card) can obtain free healthcare at GP surgeries or hospitals. The care is not as good, generally, as the NHS but is free for EHIC card holders.
If you’ve taken out travel insurance, which includes private healthcare, then you could be eligible to use a private hospital in Croatia so check with your insurance provider before attending the hospital and remember to keep your documents with you as evidence of cover.
Only pay for care if your insurer confirms that they will cover the cost and always show your insurance documentation to the staff at any medical facility to ensure they understand that your treatment will be paid for by the insurer prior to you being admitted for care.
Steps To Take After A Car Crash In Croatia
Following a car accident in Croatia there are a number of steps you should take to ensure you are compliant with local laws and policies:
- Pull over to the side of the road, if it is possible to do so.
- Use your warning triangles to highlight the accident to other motorists and remember to wear your reflective jacket at all times.
- Contact the emergency services on 112 to ensure that the incident is reported, and any treatment is provided for any injured parties.
- Do not, under any circumstances, apologise to the other driver, admit guilt or sign any documentation that they provide.
- Try to photograph the scene of the accident, only if it is safe to do so.
- Ensure you obtain the other drivers contact details, insurance company details and number plate of their vehicle.
- Do the same for any witnesses that have stopped at the scene of the accident.
These guidelines ensure that you do not get in to trouble with the Croatian authorities for not complying with safety regulations and also help to prepare the way for making a compensation claim when you return to the UK
What Should I Do If Injured In an Accident Abroad?
When involved in an accident abroad you need to do two things: ensure that everybody is safe (and receives treatment where necessary) and begin to gather evidence to help with any claim when returning to the UK.
Once everybody has been treated for their injuries, taking the following steps can really help to make claims easier:
- Try to photograph the scene of the accident and include the cause of the accident in the photo.
- Obtain witness details: name, address, email and telephone numbers. If they’re willing to do so then ask them to write down what they saw.
- If somebody else was to blame, then get their contact details.
- Report the accident as this will create a report which can be used as supporting evidence.
- If you do seek medical treatment, then ask the doctor for a copy of the medical records. This can be requested later but it makes things easier if you’ve already obtained them.
- Make a note of the location of the accident as, when you’ve returned to the UK, it is easy to forget exactly where it occurred.
You may not feel like spending more of your holiday or trip to Croatia gathering evidence, but it really will help you if you do decide to make a compensation claim at a later date.
Do You Need To Report The Accident To The Police?
The best advice for this is that if you’re involved in a car crash in Croatia you should contact the police on their normal number to report the crash or 112 if somebody is hurt.
This will cover you both for your car hire company (if you’ve hired your car) as they will want a police report and also it will create an official police record which can be used to prove that the accident happened when making your claim.
If in any doubt, call the police for advice. You will not get into trouble for contacting them, but it may be best to avoid the emergency number in non-serious accidents.
Whiplash Caused By A Foreign Car Crash
Whiplash is a very common injury sustained during car crashes as it is a neck injury caused by a sudden jerk or movement of the head. Whiplash can cause pain for a couple of days or more long term in serious accidents.
Symptoms of whiplash include:
- Pain in the shoulders and/or arms
- Neck pain, bruising and tenderness
- Pain or stiffness when moving your head
- Headaches
- Muscle spasms
If you are showing any of the symptoms above it’s important to see a doctor for initial treatment and for the level of injury to be recorded on a medical record.
A further assessment may be conducted when you return to the UK, usually organised as part of a compensation claim to assess how long the injury caused pain for.
For more information on whiplash injuries please read this guide to whiplash by the NHS.
What Can My Compensation Claim Seek Damages For?
Personal injury claims, including car accident claims, are made up or a number of different elements. Each of these is put into your claim by your solicitor and evidence is provided to demonstrate the financial impact on you as well as the pain caused. The elements usually claimed for are:
- General damages: This is the pain and suffering caused by the accident. Each type of injury has a different amount associated with it (see the table in the next section for examples of compensation amounts)
- Treatment costs: Covering any hospital, doctor or other treatment costs as well as the costs of prescriptions
- Travel costs: If you need to travel for treatment, assessment or therapy following your car crash then you can claim these costs (receipts would be useful to support this element of your claim)
- Care costs: If you need to be helped for any period following your car crash then the cost of the carer can be added to your claim
- Personal property damage: If any item of personal property was damaged during your car accident then you can claim for the repair or replacement costs.
A personal injury lawyer will gather evidence to support each element and then send the whole claim to the other driver’s insurance company. It is important that any future losses (such as loss of earnings) are included as, once the claim is settled, it can not be added to later on.
Calculating Compensation For A Car Crash In Croatia
If you’re wondering how much compensation you are likely to get following an accident in Croatia, then the table below shows the range of compensation for different injuries:
| Injury sustained in car accident | Settlement Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minor back injury | Up to £9,500 | Things affecting the amount of compensation paid out may include variations in the nature and severity of symptoms. |
| Severe back injury | £53,000 – £122,350 | Higher amounts may be paid for injury to the spinal cord. Severe forms of injury may lead to a disability on a varying scale and the compensation will be adjusted accordingly. |
| Minor neck injury | Compensation up to £6,000 | Whiplash and similar forms of bruising to the neck and surrounding body parts. |
| Moderate neck injury | £6,000 – £19,000 | Payouts may be for existing injuries made worse, or for simple fractures. May also include dislocation injuries. |
| Severe neck injury | £34,575 – £112,750 | Severe injury might result in paralysis. Such injuries will often get a higher settlement amount. |
| Psychological pain and/ or anguish | Compensation up to £3,550 | Can be paid for situations when someone fears for their death and long term anguish. |
| General pain and suffering | £1,000 – £200,000 | Compensation for pain and suffering is calculated based on your actual experience. |
| Expected loss of income | £10,000 – £400,000 | Compensation can be what you have already lost and are predicted to lose. |
| Expected loss of benefits | £5,000 – £500,000 | Compensation includes what you have already lost and are predicted to lose. |
This is the ‘general damages’ element of the claim and other elements will be assessed by your solicitor prior to submitting your claim.
No Win No Fee Claims For A Car Accident In Croatia
No win no fee claims are the most stress free way of making a claim for an car accident in Croatia as you don’t have to pay anything if your claim is unsuccessful, you don’t pay anything up front and if your solicitor does win your case then they keep an agreed percentage of the compensation and send you the rest.
This means that you never actually have to send your solicitor any payment, even if you win.
Why Make A Claim With Legal Expert?
Legal Expert are a specialist personal injury solicitor’s firm who have made numerous car accident claims successfully for our clients.
We offer a no win no fee service for all claims that we take on and have a team of specialists who are available to answer any questions that you have throughout the process of making a claim.
We always begin with a free, no obligation, consultation where we listen to the details of your accident and give you advice on the chances of success in claiming. We are always honest and open with you as to whether we believe we can win compensation for you or not.
Top 10 Biggest Cities in Croatia
Here is a list of the largest cities in Croatia for your reference:
- Zagreb
- Split
- Rijeka
- Osijek
- Zadar
- Velika Gorica
- Slavonski Brod
- Pula
- Karlovac
- Sisak
How To Contact Our Team
If, now that you’ve read our guide to accident claims in Croatia, you’re ready to begin your claim with Legal Expert then there are a number of ways to get in touch:
- Telephone: Call us free on 0800 073 8804
- Email: Send us a message to info@legalexpert.co.uk and we’ll get back to you
- Live Chat: Our fully trained advisers are available 7 days a week
- Online Form: Use our easy claim form to begin your claim online
However you choose to contact us, we’ll start with a free consultation and then begin to help you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Where To Find More Information Or Help
Here are some important organisations that you may need to contact in emergencies in Croatia:
British Embassy Zagreb
Ivana Lucica 4
10000 Zagreb
Croatia
Tel: +385 (1) 6009 100
Web: https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-zagreb
British Consulate Split
Obala Hrvatskog Narondnog Preporoda
10/111
21000 Split
Croatia
Tel: +385 (1) 6009 100
Web: https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-consulate-split
Here are some more resources that you may find helpful with regards accidents in Croatia:
Holiday Accidents in Croatia – A guide about all types of accidents in Croatia, not just car accidents.
Hotel Accidents in Croatia – A guide about how to claim if you’re injured while staying in a hotel in Croatia.
