Have you suffered an injury caused by a road traffic accident on a one way road? Are you wondering whether you could make a personal injury claim?
The Highway Code, which works in conjunction with the Road Traffic Act 1988 (RTA), establishes the duty of care that road users owe one another. Together they state that all road users must conduct themselves in a manner that does not put themselves or other road users at risk of injury. Failure to do so would constitute negligence.
This guide will explore the rules surrounding one-way streets and how accidents may occur. As well as the different types of injuries that could be sustained if involved in a road traffic accident.
We will also explore the personal injury claims process, including how long you have to begin your claim and how much compensation you may be awarded if your case is won. In addition, how a personal injury solicitor from our team can assist you with your claim.
An advisor from our team can offer you a free consultation 24/7 with no obligation to claim afterwards. To get in contact:
- Call us on 0800 073 8801
- Claim online via our website
- Speak with a member of our team using the live chat
Select A Section
- What Is An Accident On A One-Way Road?
- How Could You Be Injured In An Accident On A One-Way Road?
- Who Can Make A Road Traffic Accident Claim?
- How Soon Should I Start My Claim?
- Settlements For An Accident On A One-Way Road
- Talk To Our Team
What Is An Accident On A One-Way Road?
A one-way road or street can only be used by vehicles travelling in the same direction. If there are two lanes, you must be in the lane of the direction you are turning in. For example, if you are turning left, you must be in the left lane.
If another vehicle is travelling the wrong way down a one way road, they could cause a head-on collision. Additionally, if they are positioned in a different lane to which they are turning, this could also cause a vehicle collision.
Please contact our advisors if you’ve been involved in an accident on a one-way road and would like to find out whether you can make a personal injury claim for the harm you have suffered.
Road Traffic Accident Statistics
We have drafted statistics from the government’s reported road casualties in Great Britain, annual report: 2020. There were an estimated:
- 1,460 reported road deaths in 2020
- 23,529 killed or seriously injured casualties
- 115,584 casualties of varying severities
If you would like to see if you are eligible to seek compensation, please contact a member of our team.
How Could You Be Injured In An Accident On A One-Way Road?
You could suffer many injuries if you are involved in an accident on the road. Examples of injuries that you may endure include:
- A break or fracture
- A sprain
- Whiplash
- Nerve damage
- A dislocation
- Head or brain injuries
This could have many physical, emotional and even monetary impacts on your life, which will be explored in greater detail later in this guide.
If you would like to find out whether you can make a personal injury claim for the impacts an accident on a one-way road has had, please speak with an advisor from our team.
Who Can Make A Road Traffic Accident Claim?
If you are a passenger in a vehicle accident on a one way road, you can claim for the injuries sustained. Passengers are rarely at fault for a road accident, so generally do not need to prove liability. If a cyclist, pedestrian, driver or motorbike user is involved in a road traffic accident, in order to be eligible to make a personal injury claim, they will need to prove that another party was liable for the accident.
As per the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code, all road users owe themselves and others a duty of care not to cause an accident on the roads. If this duty of care is breached by a road user, they can become liable for the damage and injury caused should an accident take place.
It may be useful to provide evidence of the accident, such as CCTV footage, pictures of the scene and/ or your injuries, and any medical records generated by treatment received to strengthen your case and enhance your chances of being awarded a settlement.
It must also be stated that personal injury claims generally need to be started within a 3-year time period, which will be explored in greater depth in the following section.
How Soon Should I Start My Claim?
The 3-year time limitation previously mentioned is put in place by the Limitation Act 1980. It could begin from the date of the accident when you realised you were injured or connected your injuries to negligence.
Some exceptions to this time limit can help people under certain circumstances. For instance, the injured person might be under the age of 18 when the accident occurred, or they may lack the legal capacity to claim.
If this is the case, they will be afforded 3 -years from when they turn 18 or the legal capacity to claim is regained. Furthermore, they could have a litigation friend claim on their behalf in the meantime.
If you would like to find out what may constitute a litigation friend, please contact an advisor from our team.
Settlements For An Accident On A One-Way Road
The compensation for a successful road traffic accident claim may include two heads of claim. These are called general damages and special damages.
General damages seek to reimburse you for any physical or emotional pain and suffering that you might endure due to your injury. For example, you might be compensated for a neck injury.
We have drafted a table including compensation figures taken from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This is a document that legal professionals use to assist them when valuing claims.
However, these figures are not guaranteed, and the figures shown below should only be taken as guidance.
Body Part | Severity | Compensation Bracket | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Head | Moderately severe | £219,070 to £282,010 | The injured party will be significantly dependant on others as a result. |
Head | Moderate (i) | £150,110 to £219,070 | Cases that result in a moderate to severe intellectual deficit. |
Chest | B – Traumatic injury | £65,740 to £100,670 | A traumatic injury to the chest, lungs or heart resulting in permanent damage. |
Back | Severe (i) | £91,090 to £160,980 | The most severe of injuries including damage to the spinal cord and nerve roots that cause major consequences not often found in back injury cases. |
Neck | Severe (i) | In the region of £148,330 | Associated with incomplete paraplegia or resulting in permanent spastic quadriparesis. |
Foot | Amputation | £83,960 to £109,650 | The amputation of one foot which includes the loss of the ankle joint. |
Wrist | A – Loss of function | £47,620 to £59,860 | Injuries that result in a complete loss of function. |
Shoulder | Severe | £19,200 to £48,030 | Commonly connected with neck injuries and includes damage to the brachial plexus. |
Whiplash | More than 15 months, but not more than 18 months | £3,005 to £3,100 | Soft tissue injury – soft tissue injury with minor psychological injuries. |
Whiplash | More than 18 months, but not more than 24 months | £4,215 to £4,345 | Soft tissue injury – soft tissue injury with minor psychological injuries. |
Moreover, you could receive special damages for any monetary losses incurred as a result of the injury. For instance, a severe leg injury could leave you unable to work for an extended period of time. The loss of earnings that may be endured may be reimbursed by special damages.
It could also cover:
- Home adaptations
- Care costs
- Medical expenses
- Travel costs
Gathering proof of your losses can strengthen the chances of you being reimbursed for them. Our advisors can provide more details on how to do this if you get in touch.
The Whiplash Reform Programme
The Whiplash Reform Programme has changed the way in which whiplash claims are made. Now, if you’ve suffered whiplash in a road accident and your injuries are judged to be £5,000 or less, your claim must be made via the government’s Official Injury Claims portal.
This means that your claim will be valued by the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021, which is used to value whiplash and other soft tissue injuries. You will find 2 examples in the table above.
If you have suffered an accident on a one-way road and would like to know more in regard to the Whiplash Reform Programme, please contact our team.
Talk To Our Team
You can speak with an advisor from our team who can tell you whether you have an eligible claim. If you do, they may connect you with a personal injury solicitor from our team.
Generally, they work under a No Win No Fee agreement, which means there are no fees to be paid upfront or while your case is ongoing.
In addition, you only have to pay your road traffic accident solicitor if your case is won. Therefore, you won’t have to pay for their services if your case is lost.
If your accident on a one-way road claim is a success, you will have to pay your solicitor a legally capped success fee. This will be deducted from the compensation you are awarded.
As previously mentioned, our advisors are on call 24/7 to aid you with any queries you may have. To get in contact:
- Call 0800 073 8801
- Claim online via our website
- Speak with a member of our team using the live chat
Related Road Accident Claim Guides
We have included some of our own guides that could be helpful when looking to make a personal injury claim:
- Report a car accident
- Pedestrian accident claims
- Cyclist hit by a car pulling out from a driveway
- Learn about the whiplash recovery time and how to claim with our informative article.
Moreover, we have provided you with further reading that could be of benefit to you:
- NHS – First Aid
- Think! – Education Resources
Thank you for reading this guide on the steps you can take if you have had an accident on a one-way road due to negligence.