was involved in a car crash yesterday please help

enimod

hi i am a 34 year old mum of a 4 yr old and an 11 month old- i am educated but know nothing about what to do after accidents and my dad is on holiday for 2 weeks. please give me help and check i am doing everything right.
the accident was not our fault we were stationary ready to turn left at a junction a blue car came from nowhere and turned right but was hit by a car coming from the left- they both were hit and hurked into our car with me and my boys in it. the airbags activated etc. i got out and got my boys out- we were all fine, just shocked. the blue abd car driver got out so did his passengers the other car the passengers were cut out and airlfted to hospital.
i hyperventilated and was in shock i was not neither were my boys properly checked over. they said i should go to hospital but id have to leave my boys-the hsoptial is 25 mins away i said id be fine, i just wanted to look after my kids.
i got home- rang my breakdown people who went to get the car which had been empownded? or something and was today taken away to a garage about 30 mins away-it has all my stuff in it and i obviously cant get to it!
i ran ginsurance company and have given them all my details.
police came and i gave a wutness statement.
i have a dr appointment today as the air bag hit my head and i can still feel the imoact and my neck feels heavy so to does my right leg.
i am taking my boys too to the doctor to be checked.
i dont know how to get to doctors-cant walk as i hurt and have no car seats as they are in my car which i think will be a right off.
what else should i be doing?
have i done everything right?
i am with provelege car insurance full comp

benjaminM

Sorry to hear about your accident.

Make sure you keep receipts for everything! While the accident is still fresh in your mind write a report and note down as much info as possible. Keep a diary of how you and your children are feeling day to day, for instance if you find any household chores difficult, write them down. All these notes will help if you decide to put a claim in for personal injury.

Have you or your insurer contacted your legal cover firm? If not, I would suggest you ask your insurer about this. Your insurer may already have all the legal side of the incident covered, if they have not make sure you find out why.

Your vehicle is probably held by a vehicle recovery firm so dont worry the vehicle and its belongings will be safe. Ask your insurer or the Police where the vehicle was taken. Then make arrangements to collect any personal items from the vehicle.

Even if your vehicle is a write-off you should still be able to get a courtesy car. Your insurers may not offer this but the legal cover firm will.

The main thing is that you and your children are ok. Your insurance company should take care of most things, give them a call and ask them what happens next.

Good luck

enimod

thankyou
i have had a better day today and actually feel really lucky-because we are all alive. my boys are fine today-the 4 year old said his arm hurt this morning but he is ok. ive been to the doctors and she said my neck and back are in spasm which is hurting my leg-she has referred me to physio and given me some cododamol.
i have struggled looking after my 11 month old and catching him when he crawls off etc!
my car has been taken to a garage about 25 minutes away- there is no way i can get there to collect all my stuff- massive pushchair, car seats etc.
i dont know about the legal stuff- i'll ring tomorrow.
thank you for getting back to me- usually my dad would sort things out but he is away and its times like these that you need your dad!

themull1

claim compensation.

Diamond78

This happened to me and my son but it was not as bad as your accident. I am sorry to hear what you all went through, its horrible and shocking. Basically you need to speak to your insurance again and ask the to explain everything. Tell them to go through everything with you and take notes down while they explain. Always write the name of the person you speak to as this will help. Both me and my son suffered mild whiplash, my sons was worse. I have legal cover in my insurance so my insurance forwaded my details to them and they got in touch with me a few days later. Basically, until the other driver that was at fault accepted liabilty, my car could not get repaired as I could not afford to pay the excess so it took weeks. In that time I was entitled to a hire car as I didn't take out the extra option for the courtesy car but due to my car being on my drive, I could not have the hire car as I had no where to put it. Only last week my car went into repair as the driver accepted liability. Somtimes you have to keep ringing them and push them to get information as it can take time for them to get updates. My car went into repair last week and its possible its a write off, so I have been offered a hire car, which is a long story but I do not want it due to their reputation and bad service. If your insurer says your not entitled to a courtesy car, then ring the thrid party insurance and get them to sort you out a car, you should be entitled to a car as the accident was not your fault. However keep in mind that until liability is accepted by the other driver or drivers, you may have to pay excess as this was my case with Tesco insurance. If you need any advice or want to ask anything feel free to pm me, will try my best to help. You will also have to go for a medical. I had to appoint a guardian for my son as I am not allowed to represent him, not sure why as I am his mother so I had to give my brothers details, so all letters from the solicitor regarding my son goes to his address, so you could give your dads details if thats ok.

Hope you and the kids are feeling ok, it will take a bit of time to get over the shock but try not to leave it too long before you drive as it doesn't help. The sooner you get into the car, the better although easier said than done. If you buy new car seats ect or use taxis, keep all your reciepts. All the best.x

PfM_3

Beware simply using a solicitor recommended by your insurance company. Do not sign anything from the solicitor without reading their small print. Ask for formal clarification on anything you are concerned about. If you have already agreed and have been contacted by the solicitor do not panic - you will certainly not have been told all their terms and conditions and in the email they send you initially they should state you have 7 days to reply under the Consumer Protection Regs to cancel any instruction given on your behalf by your insurers. I suspect they would be on dodgy ground anyway even if you had missed the 7 day cut off. For one thing almost certainly if the solicitors have been recommended by the insurance company that insurer will be getting a referral fee - in the case of my daughter's recent accident that was £500 + Vat and it would not in my view be an acceptable cost which could be recoverable in a successful claim. It means you would be paying it out of your compensation.

Also check the solicitors payment terms - they will charge you their time, their costs (disbursements) plus a success fee - this firm was charging a success fee of an additional 100% of their time, plus keeping the interest paid on any charges. In theory a full liability successful claim would recover ALL the solicitors fees (except the insureres referral). If only partial (liability) settlement was made I suspect we would have to pay all the solicitors fees and costs in full plus the success fee (in full) which could mean my daughter was paying out more cash than she received.

No win no fee sounds very attractive but it is important to read the Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). The concern I have yet to resolve is the point I mention above - i.e. what happens in the case of partial liability being accepted by the other party - reading the terms & conditions I have seen it appears the fees, cost and success fees are due in full - which could wipe out any payment and leave a defecit to pay. These people are supposed to be experts in their field and advise you professionally. In my mind that means they should have sufficient experience to advise you if such a potential cash liability is likely to arise, and if after considering the case they recommend proceeding they should take a partial hit on their costs if only partial liability is achieved. You can take out insurance to cover their fees as far as I can see, but have as yet no idea what the cost is likely to be. Any reputable solicitors will advise on this and it is reclaimable if you are successful. It is simply a case of being cynical about recommendations and getting alternative quotes or proposals from specialist Personal Injury firms. Ask local solicitors for any recommendations.

If the police are involved you can get copy of the police report probably for £10 but this can take up to 8 weeks that they are allowed - usually less but not by much.

enimod

thank you for all the replies we are all doing well. i have to see a physio and today am teary. both children seem unhurt but both do have a bruise on thier lower back spine -it could be a coincidence?
my partner wants me to start driving again asap and has asked me to start looking for a new car-im daunted by it all. he wantd us to buy thesafest car we can that can fit 2 children and an adult in the back! but we only have a 1000 pound budget-if that!

HappyMJ

You can hire a car until the claim is finalized and charge it to the other insurance company. Speak to an an independant claims handler or even a solicitor and they should sort it for you. With the child car seats from the car that has been wrecked don't use them again bin them and buy new ones.

PNPSUKNET

do you have legal cover?

Diamond78

enimod wrote: »

thank you for all the replies we are all doing well. i have to see a physio and today am teary. both children seem unhurt but both do have a bruise on thier lower back spine -it could be a coincidence?
my partner wants me to start driving again asap and has asked me to start looking for a new car-im daunted by it all. he wantd us to buy thesafest car we can that can fit 2 children and an adult in the back! but we only have a 1000 pound budget-if that!

Glad you are all doing well. It may take a few days to get over the shock but it will get better in time. I know it can be very difficult to drive straight after an accident and every person is different, but maybe you could have your partner in your car when you drive next. In my case the longer I left it, the more anxious I felt but once I was in the car, I was fine. If you call your insurance, they can give you or should give you advice regarding a hire car for now, if that's the best option for you. I hope you and the kids feel better soon.

enimod

thankyou we are all fine. i have an NHS urgetn physio appointment tomorrow-how good is that! my boys seems fine.
i keep thinking what if...what if...
the insurnacne company rang and the blue car has admitted full responsibility. someone from personal claims? is going to contact me about my injuries?
i forgot to ask about the hire car!!
i do seem to be a bit forgetful which is worrying.
the accident is also in the local papers and is the talk of the town-just wish i felt glamorous instead i have greasy hair as i cant wash it because my neck hurts too much!