A road traffic collision of any variety is a serious and potentially life-changing incident. But what should you do after a car accident with a foreign vehicle? Will their insurance cover this? Can you still make a personal injury claim?
This guide addresses all those questions. We provide information on the eligibility to claim road traffic accident compensation, with some example scenarios, before explaining the green card system and how it enables you to claim if your crash involved a foreign registered vehicle.
You will also see information on how compensation is calculated, as well the No Win No Fee agreement the expert car accident solicitors on our panel can offer their services under.
Our advisors are on hand to provide more information on how to claim for road traffic accident claims, as well as a free consultation regarding your claim’s validity. You can reach us via:
- Calling on 0800 408 7825.
- Using our online contact us form.
- Opening the live chat window to ask a question.
Browse Our Guide
- Can You Claim For A Car Accident With A Foreign Vehicle?
- What Is The Green Card System?
- What Can Help You Claim For A Car Accident With A Foreign Vehicle?
- How Much Car Accident Compensation Could You Receive?
- Can You Claim For A Foreign Vehicle Accident With A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
- More Information About Claiming For A Road Traffic Accident
Can You Claim For A Car Accident With A Foreign Vehicle?
All road users have a duty of care to each other. This means that anyone who uses the roads within the UK must do everything in their power to avoid causing harm. This also includes foreign drivers who are using the roads within the UK. To maintain their duty of care, all road users must abide by the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code.
If the driver of a car from another country fails to uphold this duty whilst driving in the UK and causes an accident in which you were injured, you could be eligible to claim compensation.
Examples of drivers failing to navigate the roads in a safe manner and causing accidents could include:
- A driver under the influence of alcohol runs through a red light and collides with your vehicle. This causes you to suffer multiple injuries, including a serious head injury and a back injury.
- A driver fails to adequately observe all around their vehicle before pulling out of a junction, causing them to crash into the side of your car and you suffer an arm injury.
- A vehicle travelled in the wrong direction on a one-way street, resulting in a head-on collision with your car. This causes you to suffer a neck injury and a chest injury.
If you have any questions about claiming compensation for a car accident with a foreign vehicle, our advisors can help. The team can also provide a free consultation regarding your eligibility to claim. Use the contact information provided above to get in touch today.
What Is The Green Card System?
Typically, after a road accident, you will exchange insurance details with the other driver and any other necessary information. However, if you are involved in a car accident with a foreign vehicle, your claim goes through the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) because of the green card system.
A green card enables drivers to do a number of things:
- Bring their foreign registered vehicles across international borders (however, this is only for the countries that participate in the green card system).
- Provide proof of the minimum compulsory insurance cover required by the law of the country the driver is visiting.
- Claim compensation through the MIB if involved in a road accident with a green card carrier.
Certain member states, such as the UK and most of Europe, are part of the Green Card Free Circulation Area (GCFCA), meaning a physical green card is not necessary. This system means you do not need to navigate various foreign insurers when making your claim.
Does The Whiplash Reform Programme Apply To Accidents with Foreign Vehicles?
Following the introduction of the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021 (WRP), the way in which low-value claims for road traffic accidents in England and Wales were handled changed.
Due to the introduction of the WRP, if you suffered whiplash injuries as a passenger or a driver valued at less than £5,000 and are aged 18 or over, your claim will be made via a different avenue.
However, these regulations don’t apply when claiming for an accident with a foreign vehicle. This is because the vehicle is registered outside the UK.
Talk to our advisors to learn more about how the green card system applies to foreign vehicle accident claims or to check the eligibility of your case.
What Can Help You Claim For A Car Accident With A Foreign Vehicle?
Having explained when and how you could claim compensation for a car accident with a foreign vehicle, you’ll also need to know how you can prove the other driver was responsible for the accident. As well as demonstrating fault, the evidence you collect will also be used to show the impact the crash had on you.
Some examples of evidence that you could use to support your case when making a personal injury claim against a foreign-registered vehicle include:
- Getting medical attention after a road traffic collision, even a minor car accident, is of considerable importance due to the potential for serious injuries to occur. While your health is the first priority, the medical records that will be created after this visit will be very useful evidence for showing what injuries you sustained and their severity.
- CCTV or dash cam footage of how the accident occurred.
- Photographs of your injuries, the vehicles involved and the immediate scene of the accident.
- Take the contact details of potential witnesses so they can provide a statement at a later date.
Can You Claim For A Road Traffic Accident Abroad?
Claiming compensation if involved in a road accident abroad is certainly possible. However, the process can vary greatly depending on the regulations of the country you are in. Our advisory team can provide more information.
It may be beneficial to work with one of the specialist road traffic accident solicitors from our expert panel. A trained legal representative could ensure the evidence you collect is substantial enough, and ensure your claim is brought within the correct time limit.
Contact our advisors for a free assessment of your eligibility today.
How Much Car Accident Compensation Could You Receive?
Compensation in successful personal injury claims can be awarded under two different heads of loss. These are:
- General Damages: compensation for your physical and psychological harm. This is awarded in all successful claims.
- Special Damages: compensation for monetary losses caused by your injuries. We will discuss this in more depth further down in this guide.
Those responsible for calculating your general damages could use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) along with your provided medical documents. Additionally, if you are working with a solicitor, they may organise for you to attend an independent medical assessment. The report generated from this assessment could be used as evidence in your claim.
The JCG publication contains guideline compensation brackets for various different injuries. We have some of these, apart from the first entry, in our table here.
Compensation Table
The figures in this table have been provided for guidance purposes only.
| Injury | Severity | Guideline Value |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Very Serious Injuries as well as Significant Special Damages Payments | Very Serious | Up to £1,000,000 + |
| Injuries Involving Paralysis | Tetraplegia (a) | £396,140 to £493,000 |
| Brain Damage | Moderate (c)(i) | £181,190 to £267,340 |
| Neck Injuries | Severe (a) (i) | In the region of £181,020 |
| Leg Injuries | Severe (b) (ii) Very Serious | £66,920 to £109,290 |
| Digestive System | Damage From Traumatic Injury (a) | £52,490 to £75,550 |
| Arm injuries | Substantial Permanent Disablement (b) | £47,810 to £73,050 |
| Elbow Injuries | Severe Disablement (a) | £47,810 TO £66,920 |
| Deafness | Total Hearing Loss In One Ear (c) | £38,210 to £55,570 |
| Wrist Injuries | Less Severe Injuries (c) | £15,370 to £29,900 |
Special Damages In A Car Accident With A Foreign Vehicle Claim
Special damages payments can be claimed for financial losses resulting from your injuries. As well as immediate losses, this compensation can also be awarded for long-term expenditure and future costs.
Examples include:
- Loss of earnings.
- Medical bills.
- Care costs.
- Transport expenses.
- Home modifications
Just like when you are claiming for your physical and psychological injuries, monetary losses will require supporting evidence. Be sure to hold onto copies of your payslips, invoices, travel tickets and other documentation that shows you experienced financial loss due to your injuries.
For a detailed estimate of the potential value of your claim, talk to our advisors for a free assessment today.
Can You Claim For A Foreign Vehicle Accident With A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
To find out if you could claim for a car accident with a foreign vehicle, you should talk to advisors. If the team decide you have valid grounds to make a claim for compensation, they could connect you with a solicitor on our panel.
You could be offered a Conditional Fee Agreement by one of the solicitors from our panel if they agree to take on your case. This No Win No Fee contract gives claimants notable benefits, including:
- No upfront fee to the solicitor to start working on the claim, in most cases.
- Similarly, you will not pay for that work during the claim.
- Finally, there’s no service fee to pay for a failed claim.
You will receive personal injury compensation should the solicitor win your case. They will take some of this compensation as their success fee. Since the law limits the maximum percentage that can be taken as this fee, you will receive the most of the awarded payout.
Our advisors are on hand to provide more information on road traffic accident claims, as well as a free consultation regarding your claim’s validity. You can reach us via:
- Calling on 0800 408 7825.
- Using our online contact us form.
- Opening the live chat window to ask a question.
More Information About Claiming For A Road Traffic Accident With A Foreign Vehicle
You can some more of our road traffic accident claims guides here:
- Read this guide on public transport accidents and how to claim compensation
- Find out what happens when a car accident is 50/50 with this guide.
- Learn more about claiming compensation for nerve damage following a car accident.
Browse these external resources for additional guidance:
- Read the guidance on what to do if you’re in an accident on this Government page
- The administering of first aid can be life saving following a car crash. Learn more on the NHS website.
- Review the road safety laws with this resource from THINK!
Thank you for reading our guide on making a claim for a car accident with a foreign vehicle. Get in touch with our advisory team to ask any questions, or to find out if you could make a claim.