• Recognised experts in road traffic accident claims
• Securing maximum compensation for injured passengers since 1993
• Free initial legal advice with no obligation
• Affordable and totally independent legal representation
• Simple, stress-free claim process

There are around 4,700 road traffic collisions in Northern Ireland each year, but more than 7,000 people are injured as a result. That is because all too often passengers in the vehicles involved also sustain physical and psychological injuries. We understand that being injured in a car accident you were powerless to prevent is an enormously vulnerable position to be in.

If you were travelling in a car that was involved in a collision, you are entitled to claim for the pain and suffering you’ve endured as a result. We’ve helped many people making passenger car accident claims in Northern Ireland and secure the maximum compensation they deserve.

Passengers can sustain a wide variety of injuries in car accidents, ranging from minor bumps and bruises to serious and life-changing injuries. Some common passenger accident injuries include:

• Whiplash – This is regularly caused by the violent jolting motion your body is subjected to in an accident.
• Bruises, Cuts and Burns – Impact with parts of the car or external objects, broken glass and fires caused by fuel spills often causes injuries like these.
• Broken Bones – Fractured limbs and other broken bones can be sustained during impact.
• Head Injury – Impact with the car interior or other objects can result in concussion and other head injuries.
• Facial Injury – Airbags, broken windows and shards of metal can all inflict injuries to your face.
• Loss of Limbs – Serious crush injuries and broken limbs sometimes result in passengers requiring amputation.
• Spinal Injury and Paralysis – Some of the most serious injuries suffered by car passengers may result in spinal injuries and, in some cases, paralysis.
• Fatal Injury – Unfortunately, some passengers involved in road traffic accidents lose their lives.
• PTSD – The vulnerability of having no control of the car and the trauma of an accident can often cause psychological injuries.

Anyone injured in a car accident while travelling as a passenger is entitled to claim compensation. Indeed, passengers can never be liable for an accident and have more compensation rights than drivers. This remains the case even if you were travelling in the car that caused the accident, and even if you knew the driver was under the influence of drink or drugs, using a mobile phone or deliberately ignoring road safety advice.

That is because the driver has a duty of care to passengers. The obligation is on the driver to drive carefully, safely and in accordance with the law, not on their passengers to enforce that.

Claiming for Yourself – No matter what the circumstances of the accident, if you were a passenger in the vehicle and you suffered an injury then you are eligible for compensation.

Claiming on Behalf of Someone Else – If a loved one was injured as a passenger in a road traffic accident and is unable to claim for any reason, you can claim on their behalf.

We understand that being injured as a passenger in a car accident is a hugely traumatic experience. With that in mind, we’ve created a claim process that is stress-free and helps you to get the compensation that is rightfully yours without further disruption to your life. Here is what you can expect when you choose us as your solicitors.

Step 1: Contact Reid Black
Get in touch for a no-obligation consultation to discuss your claim. You will get free legal advice from an experienced solicitor.

Step 2: Gathering Information
Once you decide to proceed, we will start to collect as much information as we can to support your claim. This might include medical notes, police reports and dashcam footage.

Step 3: Medical Assessment
We will then arrange for you to see an independent medical professional for an assessment. You can only claim once, so we need to make sure we know the full extent of your injuries before making a claim.

Step 4: Compensation Negotiations
Once we fully understand the long-term impact of the crash on your life, we will handle the compensation negotiations on your behalf to secure the maximum payout to which you’re entitled. We will usually negotiate with the driver’s insurance company.

Step 5: Compensation Payout
Once a settlement is agreed, we will oversee the payout and ensure it reaches your bank account without delay.

You usually have three years to claim after being injured in an accident.

• If you were over 18 at the time of the accident you must claim within three years of the date of the accident.
• If you were under 18 at the time of the accident, you must make a passenger accident claim before your 21st birthday.

Sometimes mitigating circumstances are applied to these deadlines. For example, you might be able to claim outside the three-year period if your injuries prevented you from doing so within that time frame. The best approach is to get in touch to start your claim as soon as possible after the accident.

The amount of compensation you receive will depend on the nature of your injuries. This includes the pain you experienced and any lasting physical or psychological impact on your life. The more serious the injury and the greater its impact on your life, the larger the payout will be. Your claim may include:

General damages relating to the pain and suffering you experienced as a direct result of the accident.

Special damages relating to the financial impact of the accident, such as medical bills, travel costs and loss of earnings.

We’ve been helping car accident passengers in Northern Ireland get the compensation they deserve since 1993. In that time, we’ve built a strong reputation as experts in road accident injury claims. We have no ties to insurance companies, so you will always get affordable, 100% independent legal advice — starting with your free initial meeting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get in touch today to start the journey towards getting the payout you deserve. Our personal injury solicitors are here to support you every step of the way.