My boyfriend suffered face lacerations when he was involved in a traffic accident; can he claim for scooter crash compensation?
Eoin P. Campbell, LL.B., Solicitor
Editor in Chief
Your boyfriend would be entitled to claim for scooter crash compensation for his facial injuries if the accident he was involved in was caused by the negligence of another party. A number of factors determine the value of compensation he could receive and it would be in his best interests to engage with the services of a solicitor to help determine the correct path to take if his claim is worth pursuing.
Assuming that your boyfriend’s injuries were not serious enough to warrant the summoning of the Gardai or an ambulance, he should still have sought immediate medical attention from a professional – at the nearest Accident and Emergency department or with his GP – in order to have his injury examined professionally and have it reported in his Medical History. He should also have exchanged personal and insurance details with the negligent party. If it was possible, taking pictures of the scene and of his injuries would also have been advantageous. Even if the Gardai did not attend the scene, he should have reported the accident to the local Garda station.
If the negligent party admits liability their insurance company may approach your boyfriend directly with an early offer of scooter crash compensation. Should this happen, their offer should be referred to a solicitor as soon as possible, who can recommend whether or not it is a fair and accurate reflection of your boyfriend’s injuries and the effect they may have had on his quality of life. As mentioned above, numerous factors should be included when establishing the value of compensation he should be entitled to, and unsolicited offers from insurance companies frequently neglect to include them all.
If your boyfriend has not carried out all of the procedures previously mentioned, or if he has not received an offer of scooter crash compensation from the negligent party’s insurers, he would still be well advised to contact a solicitor as soon as possible. Most solicitors offer a free initial consultation where they can answer any questions your boyfriend may have regarding the details of his accident and injuries.