HGV accident
compensation claims

If an HGV injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward

Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) accidents can cause catastrophic injuries given the size and weight of these vehicles.

If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a commercial vehicle accident, we can help. If your injuries were caused by another driver, cyclist, pedestrian or any other road user, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

Compensation claims may seek to address the full scope of trauma, ongoing care needs, and the broad financial impact on a claimant's life.

You can make a No Win, No Fee road injury compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.

With nearly 700 HGV injuries every year, you are not alone

Injuries involving lorries and HGVs are a significant concern on UK roads, often leading to serious and sometimes fatal injuries due to the size and weight of these vehicles.

HGV accidents are often much more serious than incidents involving smaller vehicles. Collisions often occur after overtaking or changing lanes, and can involve several vehicles.

In 2019, 251 people were killed, 1,111 seriously injured and 4,172 slightly injured in road accidents involving HGVs. (RoSPA)

In 2022, there were 23 HGV occupant fatalities and 685 casualties (gov.uk).

Left-hand drive HGVs

There is an increased risk of injury (per vehicle mile travelled) from left-hand drive, foreign-registered HGVs due to the driver's reduced visibility and possible lack of familiarity with UK road systems.

RoSPA's figures show that left-hand drive HGVs are 3.4 times more likely to be involved in collisions than right-hand drive HGVs when overtaking or changing lanes.

7 people were killed, 32 seriously injured and 146 slightly injured in accidents with left hand drive HGVs.

If you decide to make a HGV accident claim, your road accident solicitor will take you through every step of the claims process. Your solicitor will be with you until you win your claim and get the compensation you need to move forward.

See also:

Car accident injury claims

Am I eligible for HGV injury compensation?

You should be entitled to HGV accident compensation if your injury resulted from the negligence or actions of another person or organisation, or from an accident that was not your fault.

Use our injury claim calculator to find out if you can claim. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.

What if I was partially at fault?

Personal injury claims where both the defendant and claimant share some responsibility are relatively common.

In our recent 2024 Road Injury Claimant Survey, 5.24% of injured road users thought they could be partially to blame for their accident.

When fault on both sides caused a claimant's injuries, this is called 'contributory negligence'. In these situations, compensation may still be payable on the basis of a split liability agreement.

Read more:

Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?

How long do I have to claim HGV injury compensation?

In most cases, you have up to 3 years from the date of your accident or injury to start a claim.

For an injured child, the three-year limitation period begins on their 18th birthday, giving them until they are 21 to start a claim.

How much compensation can I claim for a HGV accident injury?

The amount of money you could claim for your injury will depend on:

• the seriousness of your injury, and
• any financial losses or costs you have incurred.

At the start of your claim, your solicitor will consider the many ways your injuries have affected your life. Your solicitor will take these considerations into account to calculate the correct compensation award.

General damages

General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA).

Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Special damages

If it can be proved that your injury left you unable to work, special damages can be awarded for any lost earnings, loss of commission or bonuses, and loss of pension contributions. It may also be possible to claim for loss of future earnings, if the medical prognosis establishes that you won't be able to work for any period in the future.

These damages will also cover the cost of any medical procedures you might need to treat or recover from your HGV injury such as pain medication and physiotherapy.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

Common causes of lorry and HGV accidents

Common causes of HGV accident claims include lane changes when a driver has failed to properly observe the presence of other road users, due to a blind spot.

Tiredness and being under the influence of alcohol or drugs can also increase the risk of HGV accidents occurring, and these factors may amount to negligence in the context of a claim.

Other causes of road traffic accident claims involving lorries include cases where drivers have failed to allow a safe breaking distance or the vehicle has been badly loaded.

Claiming against the lorry driver's employer

As a general road user

If you are a pedestrian or other road user, you may be able to make a claim against the employer of the lorry driver, due to the employer's vicarious liability. Your solicitor will be able to confirm the process, and will identify the defendant in your case, after reviewing the facts.

As an employee

If you were injured when driving an HGV in the course of your employment, you may be able to make a claim against your employer. Your employer may be negligent if they are responsible for the cause of the accident, such as requiring you to drive with an unstable load, without adequate rest between shifts, or where the accident is due to poor vehicle maintenance.

Proving liability

If you have not already done so, you should report the accident to police as soon as possible. This will help to create a verifiable record of what has happened.

There are several other ways to prove the accuracy of your account of events, including:

• Obtaining the contact details of any witnesses. Witnesses can help to corroborate your version of events, and prove that someone else was at fault.
• Taking photographs of the scene of the accident, if possible. If you are able to take photographs at the scene, they can be used as evidence in a claim for compensation.
• Taking photographs of your injuries. These can be used by your solicitor in support of other medical evidence.

What if the driver was uninsured or untraceable?

If the driver responsible for the injury is either uninsured or untraceable, a claim can be pursued through the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB).

The MIB is an independent that pays road accident compensation to the victims of uninsured or untraced (unidentified) drivers.

See also:

Claiming compensation through the MIB

Understanding the psychological consequences of an accident on the road

Road accidents can be shocking, traumatic events, often leaving a psychological impact alongside physical injuries.

Our 2024 Road Injury Claimant Survey highlights how common psychiatric injuries are, with 32.47% of road accident claims involving psychological harm. 78.53% of these were also associated with a physical injury.

Injuries involving heavy goods vehicles can lead to severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and amaxophobia (fear of driving or being a passenger).

Your solicitor will help to ensure you recieve suitable compensation for the diagnosed psychological harm you have suffered, to support your recovery and provide funding for therapies that may not be accessible on the NHS your area.

Our compensation calculator can estimate your compensation for psychological injuries. Or you can call us on 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor.

What happened?

HGV accident claims are usually categorised as road traffic accident (RTA) claims. Click on the icons below to learn more:

Road accidents Work accidents Passenger injuries Other accidents

Author:
Jenny Jones, Senior litigator

About the author

With over 20 years' experience in the law, Jenny Jones has spent the last decade specialising in personal injury, with a particular focus on industrial disease cases.