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Original poster

Car accident and compensation

30 replies

HEIHEI23 · 07/02/2025 21:30

At the start of last year I was in an accident whilst 30 weeks pregnant. I was stopped at traffic lights and someone went into the back of me whilst trying to move lanes. This was caught on camera from a shops CCTV and a police report also confirmed it. I went to get checked at A and E and was asked to come back for a scan a week later. I attended two further times due to pain in my pelvis and concern about the baby. Luckily baby was absolutely fine which is what I'm most grateful for. I attended a doctors appointment as requested by insurance who put injuries down as strong anxiety following incident and abdominal soft tissue Injury (non whiplash). I spent the rest of my pregnancy worrying about whether baby was going to be ok!
I've not had any word from the other insurer apart from accepting liability a few weeks after the crash. Is this normal? I was hoping for some compensation to put into savings for the baby as that was what I was most concerned about. How much would you expect to get? My car is still awaiting being fixed as the part they need is on back order 🙄

OP posts:
AlphaApple · 07/02/2025 21:33

IANAL but if you weren't injured and suffered no financial loss you don't normally get compensation? I appreciate it was upsetting and inconvenient but I don't think that merits compensation from the insurer's point of view.

I hope you get your car fixed soon.

Original poster
HEIHEI23 · 07/02/2025 21:35

I was injured? I had severe abdominal pain that lasted a while and required me to have a further scan of the baby to check that the placenta etc was all ok. This was put down as soft tissue injury (non whiplash) as well as severe anxiety caused solely by the accident.

OP posts:
iremembersnappedandfarted · 07/02/2025 21:36

I wouldn't pin any hopes on a personal injury payment. You haven't been materially disadvantaged. Sorry.

savoycabbage · 07/02/2025 21:38

Someone went into the back of me at only ten miles an hour and my entire bumper had to be replaced. It took months as it was a new car and the colour was so new that it took forever to get the part.

I was bringing my child home from a hospital appointment at the time.

It didn't cross my mind to try and get compensation. It was an accident. I was pleased that everyone was OK and that my car was fixed.

SirChenjins · 07/02/2025 21:39

Did it affect your ability to work? Were you detrimentally affected financially?

redphonecase · 07/02/2025 21:40

HEIHEI23 · 07/02/2025 21:35

I was injured? I had severe abdominal pain that lasted a while and required me to have a further scan of the baby to check that the placenta etc was all ok. This was put down as soft tissue injury (non whiplash) as well as severe anxiety caused solely by the accident.

But it's resolved now? Doubt you'd get much if anything

InfoSecInTheCity · 07/02/2025 21:41

I think you do need to limit your expectations for compensation.

Just for a reference point, 10 years ago i got £1k for an accident where the driver of the taxi I was in decided he wanted to get past the car in front and did it by driving into the car in front. Very very clear fault on his part, I had my 8 week old baby with me, thankfully in her car seat and I had bad whiplash. Since then they've cracked down massively on paying out for injury claims.

Any compensation offered will be limited, it will also likely take months to agree as one of the things they need to understand is exactly how long any damage lasted and whether recovery was full or only partial.

1234567890qwerty · 07/02/2025 21:41

As the pp said, unless you had a financial loss you are unlikely to get any compensation. As for how long it takes, someone made a claim against my insurance (and backed out last minute as they had no valis claim) it took 22 months to resolve.

Original poster
HEIHEI23 · 07/02/2025 21:42

SirChenjins · 07/02/2025 21:39

Did it affect your ability to work? Were you detrimentally affected financially?

I'm not sure how to reply 🙈 yes I was off work for two days then on restricted duties for a while. I was also unable to drive due to the anxiety of it for a few months and still get anxious now when in a busy area.

OP posts:
Original poster
HEIHEI23 · 07/02/2025 21:44

Maybe I've misunderstood the meaning of compensation. I always assumed it was for the injuries and inconvenience caused by the accident but I must have been wrong! I'll just wait for my car to be fixed then. Like I said, I was just very grateful the baby was ok but it did take the shine off a big chunk of my pregnancy as I was so worried about them.

OP posts:
ClearHoldBuild · 07/02/2025 21:44

Where there’s blame, there’s a claim eh?
It was a slight injury collision. Which you have recovered from with no lasting ill effects . What exactly do you need compensation for, was the scan/dr etc that you saw private? Have you been disadvantaged financially?

Pebbles16 · 07/02/2025 21:51

I was compensated for a crash many years ago but I sustained serious injuries which impacted my ability to work and generally function for several months (the amount of metal in one of my legs is quite awesome).
I think the days of claiming for "inconvenience" are over.

Rosecoffeecup · 07/02/2025 21:51

Ignore PPs, you can claim for pain and suffering irrespective of whether you suffered a financial loss (if you did, you'd be able to claim for that too)

Who organised the medical exam, your insurer or the other side?

1234567890qwerty · 07/02/2025 21:54

You can get compensation but you need to be able to put a monetary value on it. You missed 2 days of work and was on restricted duties, did this result in any financial loss? You can claim for that. As for the anxiety, you could try to claim for any therapy you had to pay for but it's unlikely you'd get anything as therapy is available for free on the NHS and it wasn't a very significant crash.

SirChenjins · 07/02/2025 21:55

HEIHEI23 · 07/02/2025 21:42

I'm not sure how to reply 🙈 yes I was off work for two days then on restricted duties for a while. I was also unable to drive due to the anxiety of it for a few months and still get anxious now when in a busy area.

Show quote history

Yes, but did you lose any income as a result? Have there been any long term physical or mental effects which impact your ability to earn a living? Did you have to leave your job? Etc etc.

JSMill · 07/02/2025 21:56

I think you should take legal advice. Even when things are clear cut, it can take a long time to sort out.

Original poster
HEIHEI23 · 07/02/2025 21:59

Rosecoffeecup · 07/02/2025 21:51

Ignore PPs, you can claim for pain and suffering irrespective of whether you suffered a financial loss (if you did, you'd be able to claim for that too)

Who organised the medical exam, your insurer or the other side?

Edited

It was my insurer that sent me for one. I've also got my hospital notes from the 3 visits plus scan that I had.

Like I said, I must have misunderstood the meaning of compensation! I just wanted something to make up for the stress it caused me because someone couldn't be bothered to wait a few minutes for a light to change to green 🙈 the driver drove off in the accident and I was left to deal with it on my own on a dual carriageway whilst 30 weeks pregnant so it was very stressful!

OP posts:
1234567890qwerty · 07/02/2025 22:04

HEIHEI23 · 07/02/2025 21:59

It was my insurer that sent me for one. I've also got my hospital notes from the 3 visits plus scan that I had.

Like I said, I must have misunderstood the meaning of compensation! I just wanted something to make up for the stress it caused me because someone couldn't be bothered to wait a few minutes for a light to change to green 🙈 the driver drove off in the accident and I was left to deal with it on my own on a dual carriageway whilst 30 weeks pregnant so it was very stressful!

Show quote history

That does sound awful, poor you. What a terrible time to go through something like that. Not that there's a good time. You may be able to get a couple of hundred pounds but generally you are compensated for your losses. You lose £100, you get £100 back.

Gymmum82 · 07/02/2025 22:06

A friend of mine was rear ended she had some whiplash and went to ongoing physio appointments as suffered pain in her back. She eventually got about £1500 around 2-3 years after the accident. I guess I wouldn’t expect a big pay out and I would expect it to take a very long time if you do get anything

2chocolateoranges · 07/02/2025 22:06

I’d personally just be thankful that my baby and I were both ok.

Redburnett · 07/02/2025 22:07

You need to make a personal injury claim, you may have legal cover with your car insurance to take this forward.

MrsCrabOrange · 07/02/2025 22:11

AlphaApple · 07/02/2025 21:33

IANAL but if you weren't injured and suffered no financial loss you don't normally get compensation? I appreciate it was upsetting and inconvenient but I don't think that merits compensation from the insurer's point of view.

I hope you get your car fixed soon.

OP I am a lawyer, and from the brief facts you've given I think you may have a claim. Soft tissue injury, and anxiety are very much injuries. It doesn't have to be a financial loss either.

I would never leave this in the hands of insurers, I would contact a solicitor to take over the claim. If they have accepted liability and you are willing to take whatever they offer and run, it shouldn't run on for years either.

Original poster
HEIHEI23 · 07/02/2025 22:11

2chocolateoranges · 07/02/2025 22:06

I’d personally just be thankful that my baby and I were both ok.

I've said that several times in my post that I was very grateful that they were ok!

OP posts:
SirChenjins · 07/02/2025 22:13

I can imagine how scared and upset you were - being in an accident is awful and even worse when you’re pregnant. Certainly speak to a personal injury specialist but unless you’ve lost income the compensation is not likely to be very much.

Original poster
HEIHEI23 · 07/02/2025 22:14

@MrsCrabOrange thank you for your reply. My insurers have passed it onto a law firm when the accident happened. Is that the same as solicitors? Sorry I'm not clear in how it all works

OP posts: