How solicitors can assist you following a road traffic accident?
11 August 2022
Taylor Bracewell
Being involved in a road traffic accident can be a daunting and uncertain time for both yourself and those around you. These incidents cannot be predicted but there are steps you can take to reduce the impact on those around you.
Here at Taylor Bracewell, we want to make things go as smoothly as possible for you. Here are 3 things you can do now to protect yourself from future unseen events such as a road traffic accident:
Making a Will
The first and most important step is to have a Will in place. A Will is a legal document that expresses a person’s wishes as to how their estate and assets are distributed upon their death.
We understand that this may seem a bit extreme, but unfortunately in 2021, it was estimated that 42,915 people died in a motor vehicle crash. Having a Will will not benefit you directly or prevent the accident however in the circumstance that the accident was severe enough to lead to death, then having a Will will allow those around you to better understand your wishes. This will reduce family stress, anxiety & uncertainty.
It’s important to have a Will as the unexpected could happen at any time, it does not just apply to a road traffic accident.
If you do not have a Will then the court will decide on what happens with your estate, therefore this may not necessarily be what you want.
Having a Power of Attorney in place
The second most important step is to have a registered Power of Attorney. A Power of Attorney is a written authorization which allows another person to make decisions on your behalf. There are different types of Power of Attorney which are used for different circumstances.
The main Power of Attorney we would recommend to protect you in the event of a car accident is a Health & Welfare Power of Attorney. This allows for your attorney to make decisions about your health and welfare, if you lack the mental capacity to do so following the car accident.
Other Power of Attorneys include:
Power of Attorney for Property & Financial Affairs – This POA allows for your attorney to deal with your property & finances if you are unable to.
Business Powers of Attorney – This POA allows for your attorney to make decisions on your business if you are unable to.
The type of Power of Attorney you require will depend on your own circumstances but we would at least recommend putting in place a Health & Welfare Power of Attorney.
Make a Personal Injury Claim
If you have been injured in a road traffic accident, either as a driver, passenger, pedestrian or cyclist, we can help.
Even if you are found to be partly to blame for the accident, it doesn’t mean you aren’t entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Therefore, we would always recommend making an enquiry with our Personal Injury expert as we can get you the maximum compensation you deserve, if you’ve been injured in a road traffic accident.
Here are 4 other articles/videos which we would recommend reading in case you are involved in a road traffic accident:
