Roughly 5 people die on the roads in Great Britain every single day with the number of fatalities remaining constant for several years.
There is a lot of work being done to combat this with a plan to half road fatalities and serious injuries by 2030 and a long-term strategy for zero fatalities by 2050, but this is ambitious and statistics show that there is a lot more work that needs to be done.
It is hoped that you never have to use the information but it is important that you know what to do if someone that you know is involved in a road fatality.
These are, obviously, incredibly traumatic and upsetting times so it is helpful to have knowledge of what to do in this situation so that you know how to react.
Contact a Specialist Law Firm
If a loved one is involved in a road fatality then it is important to contact a specialist fatal car accident law firm, such as Boyes Turner Claims.
Experts like this know how to handle these cases which allows you to focus your efforts on grieving and managing day-to-day life.
Losses
Every claim is different but a dependent can recover a number of losses as the result of a fatality for a family member who was in employment. This might include:
- Loss of income/pension to dependents
- Loss of services
- Funeral expenses
- Bereavement award
- Pain and suffering for the deceased
Challenges
The key to winning these claims is overcoming challenges that include liability, causation and proof of expectation of financial support.
Proving that the deceased died as the result of a wrongful act is vital and can normally be achieved through evidence such as witness statements, CCTV footage and dash cam footage.
If the driver at fault dies then the coroner will hold an inquest which will determine the outcome of the case.
Documentation
You will need to provide a range of documentation for the case, including:
- Marriage certificate
- Birth certificate of children
- Birth and death certificate of deceased
- Probate
- Earnings information (P60, tax returns etc)
- Surviving spouse information
- Funeral expense receipts
- Deceased’s GP records
- Third-party details
Hopefully, you will never have to use this information but it is helpful to know what you need to do if a loved one is ever involved in a road fatality.
Statistics have not fallen at a high enough rate in recent years which means that strong action is now being taken but there is a lot of work that needs to be done to bring the numbers down.
