Is it possible to claim ambulance accident compensation for a whiplash injury even when the ambulance was on an emergency journey to the hospital?
Eoin P. Campbell, LL.B., Solicitor
Editor in Chief
You may pursue a claim for ambulance accident compensation if it is found that the ambulance driver was responsible for the accident. Despite the exceptions to normal traffic rules that are given to emergency vehicles, they should still acknowledge other road users. For example, if the driver neglected to observe a signal you made to show that you could not move to the other side of the carriageway or if they were driving on the wrong side of the road you would have feasible claim for compensation.
If you were found to have been partially responsible for the cause of the accident or the severity of your injuries – by your failure to wear a seatbelt, for example – you would still be able to pursue an ambulance accident compensation claim, however, the final value of what you should have been entitled to would be reduced to reflect your contributory negligence.
Your first priority should always be your health and you should have sought immediate medical treatment following the accident. Whiplash symptoms are known for being slow to manifest but it is highly important that you made an emergency appointment with your GP or that you visited your nearest Accident and Emergency department so that it can be noted in your medical history that you were examined as close to the date of the accident as possible. Not only is this vital to ensure that you do not exacerbate your injury, the record can be used to support your claim.
Your ambulance accident compensation claim could be further corroborated by collecting the details of any witnesses to the accident and if you had taken pictures of the scene by using the camera function of your mobile phone.
You would be well advised to contact a solicitor if you feel that you have viable claim for ambulance accident compensation. In the initial consultation – which most solicitors offer without charge – any questions you may have regarding your individual case can be answered and your solicitor can use the time to determine whether or not you have a claim worth pursuing.