Road accidents caused by potholes not only result in damaged cars, vans, motorbikes and bicycles, they can leave drivers, bikers and cyclists with serious injuries. If your road accident was because of a pothole that your Council was aware of, but failed to fix, they could be held accountable for the injuries and damages you have suffered.
If you’ve been injured in a pothole accident, get in touch with our Personal Injury Solicitors for free legal advice – ask if we can deal with your pothole claim on a No Win, No Fee basis.
We're rated‘Excellent’In order to boost your chances of making a successful pothole claim, or securing the full amount of compensation that you’re entitled to, there are several steps you should take following your accident.
Even if you believe you’ve only suffered a minor injury, being examined by a healthcare professional could help identify any bigger problems which may arise at a later date. At the very least, you’ll have documentary evidence proving the extent of the injuries you received.
Since a pothole could be filled in any time after your accident, it’s vital to take photographs of it straight away if it is safe to do so. If possible, include a date mark on each image, as that can prove when the pothole hazard was present on the road. Include a tape measure or ruler on your photographs, so the dimensions of the pothole can be clearly seen.
If anyone witnessed your pothole accident, taking their contact details could support your claim as they’ll be able to back up your version of events if necessary. People living and working in the area might also have strong views on the local pothole problem or that particular pothole, so it’s worth gathering opinion from them as well.
Report the pothole to the Council, Local Authority or Highways England. The gov.uk website allows you to report a pothole in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
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We offer a free consultation to victims of pothole accidents. Simply provide us with the details of where the pothole is located, when the accident occurred, details of the damage to your car or bike, and details of your injuries.
We can then provide you a free initial assessment of your pothole claim, and the likelihood of you being awarded compensation.
At this point we may be able to advise you if we can deal with your claim on a No Win, No Fee basis, although in some cases we need to wait until a Personal Injury Solicitor that specialises in road traffic accident claims has reviewed the evidence you provide.
For a free consultation get in touch with our Personal Injury Solicitors.
According to a recent Freedom of Information request by Confused.com, the number of potholes reported to Councils rose from 887,351 in 2016-17 to 905,172 a year later. That’s a year-on-year increase of 2% and means an average of almost 2,500 potholes were reported to Local Authorities every day.
It also means new and seemingly harmless hazards are popping up on more and more roads, with unsuspecting motorists, bikers, cyclists and pedestrians not being able to see a dangerous pothole until it’s too late.
According to Warranty Direct, potholes are responsible for 1 in 10 car failures on UK roads and cost vehicle owners £730 million each year. Potholes often cause damage to the car's suspension, steering, or tyres and the average costs of repair sits at £247.
In addition to having a place where you can report potholes in your area, your Council is obliged to have a system in place to inspect and repair potholes. This can include things such as:
Councils must also have a system that allows people who have spotted potholes to report them.
Yes, you can claim compensation on behalf of your child if they have been hit by a car. Even if the driver hasn’t been prosecuted or can’t be traced, it’s still possible to make a claim, so your child can get any care, support and rehabilitation they may need.
Most car accident claims are settled out of Court, often because the evidence of fault (liability) is clear or it’s not in the other party’s interests to dispute a claim.
One of the difficulties in claiming compensation for car accident is that you may be partly responsible for what’s happened and the outcome. For example, you may not have been wearing a seatbelt when you were injured in a car crash that wasn’t your fault.
Fill in the form below to get in touch with one of our dedicated team members, or call our team today on: 0808 239 6443
