By Jo Martinez. Last Updated 16th February 2024. One of the most common road traffic accidents that occur is roundabout car accidents.
Approaching and driving around a roundabout requires a good awareness of not only your positioning but also the positioning of other drivers.
Accidents on a roundabout are often due to drivers getting in the wrong lane for the exit that they want and so can end up cutting across or bumping into other drivers causing an accident.
If you have been involved in a roundabout accident and you have suffered an injury as a result, read further on in our guide to find out more about roundabout accident compensation claims.
Select A Section:
- Am I Eligible To Claim For A Roundabout Car Accident?
- Steps To Take If Injured In a Roundabout Car Accident
- If Someone Cuts Across You On A Roundabout, Whose Fault Is It?
- How Is Compensation For Injuries From A Roundabout Accident Calculated?
- No Win No Fee Solicitors
- Call For Free Advice And To Start A Claim
Am I Eligible To Claim For A Roundabout Car Accident?
If you’ve been injured in a roundabout accident, you may like to know about the eligibility criteria you need to meet to make a claim for compensation. To make a personal injury claim for a road traffic accident, you must be able to prove that:
- Another road user owed you a duty of care.
- This duty was breached.
- Due to this breach, you suffered injuries.
The duty of care that road users owe to each other is set by the Road Traffic Act 1988. It states that drivers must navigate the roads in a way that prevents injury and damage to themselves and others. As part of this duty, road users are expected to adhere to the relevant rules and regulations found in the Highway Code.
Rules 184-190 of the Highway Code set some general rules about using a car on a roundabout. Should another driver fail to follow these rules, they may have broken their duty of care. If this causes a car accident on a roundabout and you are injured, you could be entitled to compensation.
If you have any questions about making a personal injury claim following a road traffic accident, please contact one of the advisors from our team.
Steps To Take If Injured In A Roundabout Car Accident
What a person can or should do after an accident may depend on the severity of the accident. However, everyone in the UK has a legal responsibility to stop their car after a collision. In some cases, it can be difficult or unsafe to stop a car on a roundabout, so you should only stop your car if and when it is fairly safe to do so.
After you have stopped your car, you could then contact any necessary emergency services – whether this is the police or medical services. If you have been injured, receiving treatment should always be your first priority. Additionally, medical or police reports could be useful evidence for a claim. You are also required to exchange insurance and contact details with any other involved parties.
In order to make a claim, you will need evidence of whose fault the accident may have been, and of your injuries. You could be able to collect this in the form of:
- Pictures taken at the roundabout where the accident took place
- Contact details of witnesses to the accident
- Dashcam footage
- Notes and medical records of your injury’s progression
- Personal notes on how your injury has affected your day-to-day life
As said, this can all depend on the severity and type of accident you were in. If you would like to learn more about what you could collect for your car roundabout accident claim, then please reach out to one of our advisers.
If Someone Cuts Across You On A Roundabout, Whose Fault Is It?
Fault for an accident will be placed on the party that failed to observe traffic laws or the guidance set out in the Highway Code (relevant to England, Wales & Scotland).
In a situation where someone cuts across you on a roundabout, fault could be placed on them if they failed to proper actions to avoid a collision, for example, if they:
- Failed to signal
- Did not wait for you to give them room to cut across
- Failed to ensure there was a safe amount of space between them and the car ahead
If you were the party trying to merge across, and the car behind you had unexpectedly sped then they could be found at fault for the roundabout accident.
Any supporting evidence you can provide (whether witnesses, CCTV, or dashcam footage) will be important in helping you prove fault.
Please reach out to a member of our team for any help you may need with proving fault in car accident claims.
How Is Compensation For Injuries From A Roundabout Accident Calculated?
If you make a successful claim for injuries suffered in a roundabout car accident, your settlement could consist of two parts. These are general and special damages.
Successful claimants are compensated for the physical and mental injuries sustained in the accident under general damages. To help arrive at a figure for this part of a roundabout accident claim, those responsible for valuing general damages may refer to the guideline compensation brackets found in the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This document is often used to help calculate this head of claim, as it provides guideline brackets for different and provided them alongside whiplash tariffs
As all roundabout accident claims are different, this table is only provided for guidance. Please note that the top entry has not been taken from the JCG.
Injury Details Of Injury Description Compensation Bracket
Multiple serious injuries plus special damages Serious Your car accident claim may cover multiple serious injuries as well as any special damages you can claim, such as loss of earnings. Up to £1,000,000+
Injuries involving paralysis (a) Tetraplegia/Quadriplegia The injured party needs help with bodily functions. The final payment will depend on factors including how much pain the victim feels, how much awareness they have of their surroundings and whether their life expectancy has been reduced. £324,600 to £403,990
Injuries involving paralysis (b) Paraplegia The exact compensation amount awarded within this bracket will depend on various factors. These include the amount of pain the patient feels and how much their injury has impacted on things such as their independence, mental health and life expectancy. £219,070 to £284,260
Brain and head injury (a) Very severe Injuries covered by this bracket will leave the victim with little to no language function and there will be little evidence (if any at all) of meaningful response to the surrounding environment. The victim will require full-time nursing care. £282,010 to £403,990
Severe leg injuries (b) Very serious (ii) Leg injuries that lead to permanent problems with mobility. The victim may need crutches or mobility aids for the rest of their life. £54,830 to £87,890
Severe leg injuries (c) Serious (iii) Injuries that fall under this bracket may include damage to joints or ligaments resulting in instability or serious compound or comminuted fractures. £39,200 to £54,830
Severe leg injuries (b) Moderate (iv) Injuries under this bracket may include complicated or multiple fractures, usually to a single limb. £27,760 to £39,200
Hand injury (e) Serious hand injuries The injury may have led to amputation of some fingers. Or several fingers may have been amputated and later rejoined, leaving the fingers clawed, clumsy, and unsightly. The injured hand's capacity may have reduced to about 50 per cent. £29,000 to £61,910
One Or More Whiplash Injuries Injuries lasting 18-24 months £4,215
One Or More Whiplash Injuries With Accompanying Psychological Injuries Injuries lasting 18-24 months £4,345
Do The Whiplash Reforms Affect Roundabout Accident Claims?
Certain roundabout accident claims may be affected by the Whiplash Reform Programme. This is because the reform programme changed how some road traffic accident claims are made in England and Wales. The reforms apply to those who are aged 18 or older, who sustained injuries valued at £5,000 or less as a driver or passenger. This includes claims made for minor soft tissue damage and whiplash injuries.
Whiplash injuries are subject to fixed tariffs found in the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021, as demonstrated in the table above. Other injuries will be valued in the traditional manner.
Car Accident Compensation Examples UK – Special Damages
As a result of injuries sustained in an accident at the roundabout, you could experience financial losses. If so, it could be that you’re eligible to receive special damages in your payout. This figure is calculated to compensate you for the monetary losses caused by your injuries. You will need evidence to support these expenditures.
Some examples may include:
- Loss of earnings
- Repair costs to personal property
- Additional care at home
- Medical expenses
Get in touch today for more examples of what you could be compensated for following an injury. For further guidance on compensation or UK roundabout rules, get in touch with our advisors at any time.
No Win No Fee Solicitors
If you suffered injuries in a road traffic accident on a roundabout, one of the solicitors on our panel could support your claim. The solicitors from our panel usually offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis. They may offer you a type of No Win No Fee arrangement known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
Generally, when working with a No Win No Fee solicitor, they don’t charge upfront for their services or ask for you to cover ongoing fees. If your solicitor is successful with your claim, they will take a legally limited success fee from your compensation award. However, if your claim does not succeed, your No Win No Fee solicitor won’t charge for their services.
To discuss your claim for injuries suffered in an accident in a roundabout in the UK, get in touch with our advisors. Our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with free advice for those who suffered injuries in the UK. Roundabout accident claimants that seem eligible for compensation could be passed onto one of the solicitors from our panel.
To get in touch with an advisor:
- Contact us
- Call 0161 696 9685
- Use our live chat
Call For Free Advice And To Start A Claim
If you are a victim of a roundabout car accident and you want to make a claim or have any unanswered questions, all you need to do is call us on 0161 696 9685. One of our advisors assist you in any way that they can. They will answer any questions you may have and can talk you through the claiming process. You can alternatively contact our team online through the contact page on our website.
We are a friendly, caring team and will be empathetic to your situation. You can feel at ease with us and rest assured that your recovery and compensation claim will be our main priority.
Useful Links
Check out more of our car accident claims guides below:
- Road traffic accident compensation claims
- Claiming for tinnitus after a car accident
- Passenger injury claims
- Motor vehicle injury claims
- You can also read our guides on claiming for accidents involving other types of vehicles, such as such as taxis or a bus.
- Find out how to claim after being in an accident with a foreign vehicle driver and learn more about the claims process.
If you still have any questions about roundabout car accident compensation claims, then you can contact Legal Helpline for more support. You can reach our advisors by calling us on the number included within this guide. You can alternatively reach us online using our contact page.