How To Claim For A Road Traffic Accident On Public Transport
In this article, we explain when you could make a personal injury claim for compensation following a road traffic accident on public transport.
Initially, we’ll explain the criteria that must be met to make a personal injury claim. Then we’ll review the types of road traffic accidents that could lead to a public transport accident claim.
After that, you’ll read about what types of evidence could be used to solidify your case and how compensation payouts are calculated.
Lastly, our guide will explain how one of our solicitors could represent you on a No Win No Fee basis if you have a valid claim.
You can get a better understanding of your options by speaking with one of our specialists. To arrange a free initial consultation to discuss your case, you can:
- Call 0151 375 9916.
- Use our “Contact Us” page.
- Connect to our online chat service.
Please continue reading for more on claiming for an accident on public transport or get in touch with any questions that arise.
Browse Our Guide
- Can You Claim For A Road Traffic Accident On Public Transport?
- How Could A Road Traffic Accident On Public Transport Be Caused By Negligence?
- How Much Compensation Could You Receive From Taxi Or Bus Crashes?
- Evidence That Could Help You Claim For Injuries After A Road Traffic Accident
- Make A Public Transport Road Accident Claim On A No Win No Fee Basis
- Read More About Claiming Public Transport Injury Compensation
Can You Claim For A Road Traffic Accident On Public Transport?
While you’re on the road, all road users (including those operating public transport vehicles) owe each other a duty of care to navigate the roads in a way that prevents injury and damage to themselves and others. To comply with this duty of care, road users must abide by the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code.
As a passenger on public transport, the driver of the vehicle as well as other road users, owe you this duty. If a road user were to breach the duty of care they owe, and it caused an accident in which you were injured, you could be eligible to pursue personal injury compensation.
You may be entitled to begin a personal injury claim following a road traffic accident on public transport when:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care when the accident occurred.
- The accident happened because the defendant breached that duty; and
- As a direct consequence of the accident, you were injured.
Therefore, if you were injured on a bus, injured in a taxi or injured in any other type of public transport accident and believe you have valid grounds to seek compensation, why not speak to one of our advisors today?
How Could A Road Traffic Accident On Public Transport Be Caused By Negligence?
Some examples of when you might be able to claim for a road traffic accident on public transport include:
- A bus driver fails to indicate or look when pulling out of a bus stop; the bus crashes into a car, causing you to be thrown from your seat on the bus resulting in you suffering a head injury.
- When taking a taxi, you suffer a leg and arm injury because the taxi driver was distracted by their phone and crashed into an oncoming vehicle.
- You sustained multiple injuries when the bus you were travelling on was hit from the side because the driver of another vehicle failed to obey a stop sign.
- If you sustained serious injuries after a bus driver collided with a bridge that was too low to pass under.
- If you were a passenger in a taxi and were injured because the driver went into the back of another vehicle.
Many other scenarios could allow you to claim for public transport injuries. We are happy to review your claim on a no-obligation basis so why not call our team today?
How Much Compensation Could You Receive From Taxi Or Bus Crashes?
Personal injury claims are all unique to the individual; no two are ever completely the same. In this section, we look at how compensation is calculated for successful personal injury claims. If your claim after a road traffic accident on public transport is successful, you will be awarded a settlement made up of up to two Heads of Loss:
- General damages: for physical or mental pain and suffering.
- Special damages: for costs linked to any injuries, such as medical expenses, care costs and lost income.
If your claim is accepted by one of our solicitors, they’ll arrange for a medical assessment to be carried out by an independent specialist. This is a requirement when claimants are making an injury claim after a road traffic accident.
When valuing injuries in personal injury claims, very often, legal professionals will use the report from the independent medical assessment along with the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The JCG contains a list of injuries along with specified guideline brackets to help legal professionals determine an appropriate level of compensation.
Our compensation calculator and the table below contain data from the JCG. However, these figures are for guidance only at this stage because compensation payouts can vary drastically from case to case.
Compensation Table
| Injury | Category | Compensation Guidelines | Detail Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg | Amputation (iii) | £104,830 to £137,470 | An above the knee amputation of one leg. |
| Severe (ii) | £54,830 to £87,890 | E.g. Where there are permanent problems (mobility, pain etc.) because of multiple leg fractures. | |
| Arm | Injuries Resulting in Permanent and Substantial Disablement (B) | £39,170 to £59,860 | Significant permanent disability because of serious fractures to one or both arms |
| Less Severe (C) | £19,200 to £39,170 | Initial significant disabilities but a good level of recovery will have occurred. | |
| Pelvis | Severe (iii) | £39,170 to £52,500 | E.g. leg instability because of a fractured acetabulum. |
| Facial Disfigurement | Very Severe (A) | £29,780 to £97,330 | Where there is very severe facial scarring which causes a severe psychological reaction. |
| Hand | Serious (E) | £29,000 to £61,910 | The claimant will be left with around 50% capacity of hand usage because of serious injuries such as where fingers have been amputated and rejoined to the hand. |
| Ankle | Moderate | £13,740 to £26,590 | Where less serious disabilities result because of ligament tears or ankle fractures. |
| Whiplash | Regulation 2(1)(a) | £4,215 | One or more whiplash injuries for a duration of more than 18 months, but not more than 24 months. |
| Regulation 2(1)(b) | £4,345 | one or more whiplash injuries and one or more minor psychological injuries for a duration of more than 18 months, but not more than 24 months. |
Will My Claim After A Public Transport Road Traffic Accident Be Subject To The Whiplash Reforms
The figures in the final two rows of the table above come from the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021. In recent years the way some claimants make a personal injury claim after a road traffic accident has changed. For drivers and passengers aged 18 or over who suffer injuries valued at £5,000 or less, they will now make their personal injury claim through a different avenue. The changes also brought about a whiplash tariff that has been written into law. Amounts for whiplash injuries are now fixed and can be found in the legislation linked to above.
If your injuries are valued over £5,000, then you would make your personal injury claim in the same manner as before, but the tariffs for whiplash injuries would still stand.
Seeking legal advice may help you to determine which way you would need to make your claim. Speak to a member of our team.
Evidence That Could Help You Claim For Injuries After A Road Traffic Accident
To strengthen your claim as much as possible, it’s a good idea to collect evidence to show:
- How the accident occurred; and
- Who caused it; and
- How you have suffered as a result.
Therefore, if you’ve been injured in a road traffic accident on public transport, the following evidence might be helpful:
- Details of all vehicles involved in the accident (number plate, make, model colour etc).
- Details of all drivers involved in the accident.
- Information about the date, time and location of the accident.
- Copies of any dashcam or CCTV footage, if available.
- Contact information for any witnesses to the accident (including other passengers).
- Information about any hospital treatment you’ve received and how your injuries have affected your daily life and work.
If your claim proceeds, your solicitor will provide a number of services for you. This might include gathering witness statements or medical records to support your case further.
Make A Public Transport Road Accident Claim On A No Win No Fee Basis
Hiring a No Win No Fee solicitor to work for you when making a claim following a road traffic accident on public transport under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) will ensure these benefits:
- You don’t need to cover the cost of your solicitor’s services in advance or while the claim is proceeding.
- There won’t be any fees to pay for your solicitor’s work if the claim is lost.
- If your claim is won, a percentage of your compensation will be deducted as a success fee by your solicitor.
The success fee percentage is capped by law, which means you’ll still retain the majority of any settlement you are awarded.
To see if you could use a No Win No Fee solicitor from our team, you can:
- Phone us on 0151 375 9916.
- Chat online with a specialist advisor.
- Complete our “Contact Us” page.
Read More About Claiming Public Transport Injury Compensation
Finally, here is a list of more of our guides which you may wish to read:
- How to claim for accidents at work.
- Advice on claiming for accidents in public places such as shops or gyms.
- Information about how medical negligence claims work.
Also, please feel free to read any of the external resources listed below:
- Advice on how to travel safely on public transport.
- Details on when to administer first aid after an accident.
- Information about the current rate of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
If you have any questions about claiming for a road traffic accident on public transport, please feel free to call.