The number of people seriously injured in traffic accidents has risen sharply, to 20,700 in 2014. This is a 10% increase compared to 2013.
Increasing number of personal injuries caused by traffic accidents
In 2013, 18,800 people suffered serious injuries in traffic accidents, compared to over 20,000 victims in 2014. Ms. Schultz van Haegen, Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment, wrote this in a letter to the House of Representatives.
The target set by the minister of a maximum of 10,600 seriously injured people in 2020 does not appear to be achieved.
Personal injury to cyclists
Since 2007, there has been an increase in the number of serious road injuries, primarily among cyclists.
According to the Foundation for Scientific Research into Road Safety (SWOV), it is striking that the accidents do not always involve a car: "For example, someone might cycle into another cyclist or a pole," says Rob Eenink of SWOV.
According to SWOV, the rise in serious road injuries is mainly due to the increasing number of cyclists on the road. More and more seniors are also getting on their bikes. Thanks to the advent of e-bikes, they cycle faster, more often, and for longer periods.
Increase in personal injury claims due to traffic accidents
The number of serious injuries resulting from traffic accidents has risen sharply since 2014. The total rose from 18,800 road accident victims with personal injury in 2013 to 20,700 in 2014. An increase of no less than 10 percent. And that number has been rising since 2007.
Cyclist with personal injury due to traffic accident
Take, for example, the publication on the NOS website from November 18, 2015. Nelleke is 29 years old, and two years ago, she fell to the ground after a collision on Nobelstraat in Utrecht. She talks about the accident and the consequences it had on her life on the NOS website.
Nelleke's own story..
Two years after the accident, the blood is no longer visible on the road. But I prefer to avoid this street. Before the accident, I cycled here every day. It's a jam. People are constantly trying to overtake you. That's inconvenient in a narrow street with lots of cyclists, pedestrians, and cars
I don't remember anything about it. Apparently, I fell off the bike path. I swerved to avoid a pedestrian just as someone was about to pass me. And then suddenly I was lying there in the bus lane, with a severe concussion and a broken collarbone. My bone was almost poking through my skin
I had to go through a long rehabilitation process. And I'm still struggling with it, to be honest. The combination of falling on my head and then sitting still for a long time caused me to develop a balance disorder, which sometimes flares up suddenly. All in all, a significant aftermath
Cyclists vulnerable …
You don't realize how vulnerable you are as a cyclist. It doesn't take much to fall on your head. And when that happens, a lot can change in your life
There are a lot of us in Utrecht. Everyone has to be in the same place at certain times. Cyclists need to pay close attention, especially here. And be patient. If you're behind slow cyclists, don't try to overtake immediately, but wait for a quieter moment
Before the accident, I probably didn't have that patience either, that's true. Now I'm like an old grandma who navigates traffic very calmly and has all the time in the world. I prefer to take quieter routes towards the city. So, a bit of a detour
Cyclist injury due to traffic accident
Cyclists are more likely to sustain injuries in traffic accidents. Cyclists are significantly more vulnerable in traffic than car drivers, motorcyclists, or moped riders.
That's why, legally speaking, cyclists in the Netherlands have "extra protection" compared to motorized vehicles. A driver of a car, motorcycle, or moped will almost always be liable for any personal injury they cause. At least 50%. And a cyclist under 14 will always receive 100% compensation for their injuries!
Cyclist injuries must be covered by the vehicle's insurance company. This also includes legal costs (i.e., those of your personal injury lawyer).
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Your counterparty is also obligated to reimburse your legal costs (i.e., our firm's fees). This is stipulated by law (Section 6:96 of the Dutch Civil Code).
At Van der Toorn Personal Injury, you'll receive a written cost guarantee upfront with a clear explanation. This also clearly states what you can expect from us and what we can expect from you.
We guarantee that the liable party will reimburse our costs. If they don't, it's our business risk. You'll never receive a bill from us. We promise!
Still unsure? Just contact us. We'd be happy to explain how our cost guarantee works.
If you'd like to learn more about our FREE personal injury assistance, click here. Clarity is paramount!
When can I claim personal injury damages?
You can claim damages for personal injury if you have suffered an injury (been injured) due to the fault of another person
Personal injury can be caused by, for example:
In addition, you may think of injuries sustained during:
- organized trip
- unsafe product or
- fall at someone else's home, in a shop or on the street
It's best not to wait too long to file a personal injury claim. It's best to do so immediately after the accident.
Even if it is not yet clear at that time what your injury and its financial consequences consist of.
However, someone else must liable and must have taken out liability insurance for this (AVP/AVB/WA).
However, even if you caused the accident yourself, you can sometimes still claim compensation for personal injury. For example, if you SVI (Passenger Injury Insurance) or SVO (Opzittende Inschadende).
Are you unsure whether and when you are entitled to personal injury compensation?
Don't hesitate to contact us now for a free, no-obligation consultation. It's free , and you'll know exactly where you stand. Afterward, you can decide for yourself what to do with our advice.
What injuries do you treat?
We can actually help you with all types of personal injury
Van der Toorn Personal Injury can help you with all types of injuries. We specialize in handling "serious personal injuries," such as:
- brain injury (ABI)
- spinal cord injury
- burns
- dystrophy
- bone fractures and
- cosmetic injury.
But of course, we are also very happy to be there for you if someone else has sustained an injury. Such as neck injuries, whiplash, back injuries, bruises, sprains, dog bites, temporary injuries, and you name it.
We cannot help with all types of personal injury
The only thing we cannot help you with is personal injury caused by:
- violence
- medical errors and/or
- situations of abuse.
In that situation, we will of course refer you to a party that is specialized in this.
Always request free, no-obligation advice on personal injury claims
Do you have questions about your personal injury? Or are you unsure if we're the right place for you?
Please do not hesitate to ask us for a complete and free, no-obligation personal injury claim consultation.
When should I contact you?
You don't have to! But it's in your best interest to contact us as soon as possible
Only then can you be certain that there is someone who thinks solely of your interests . Because that is our job: thinking of *your* interests.
But what is: as quickly as possible?
Sometimes an insurance company will contact you very shortly after the accident. They'll ask how you're doing and also ask for all sorts of other information.
You cannot know whether that insurer is asking “too many questions” from a legal perspective. About your health before the accident and which doctors you visited. You would rather avoid that, wouldn't you? So never wait too long to engage a personal injury firm.
It's also likely that you'll quickly incur significant expenses . Or your incomemay disappear. We'll handle the initial damage payments from the other party. Then you can focus on your recovery.
Would you like to know what's best for you? Don't hesitate to contact us , without obligation
We'll give you clear advice right away . Then you can decide for yourself what to do with it.
If we think we can help you, we will let you know right away.
At the same time, we guarantee that our legal assistance completely free of charge .
To learn more about our FREE personal injury assistance services, click here.
What personal injury compensation amounts am I entitled to?
The personal injury compensation amounts you are entitled to are:
Allowances for additional assistance, such as:
- household help, shopping, taking children to school, etc.
- help in the garden and
- help with the maintenance and painting of your home.
In addition, your personal injury may have consequences for your income, such as:
- income that is not fully paid (self-employed person, temporary worker, zero-hour contract, etc.)
- no more irregular hours allowance
- no longer being able to work overtime
- missed promotions and
- missed pension accrual
Finally, you can consider other equally important personal injury compensation amounts, such as:
- Study delay
- Reintegration costs for guidance to other work
- Costs associated with admission to a hospital or rehabilitation center
- Travel expenses
- Medical expenses
- Non-pecuniary damages
- Economic vulnerability
- Statutory interest
- Furthermore, all costs that you would not have incurred without the accident…
- For example, the wages you did not receive because you could not go to work.
- Gasoline because you had to go to the hospital or the physiotherapist.
- Medicines that were covered by your deductible.
In addition, you are always entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, also known as non-material damages.
This is compensation for "loss of enjoyment of life." Your damages should compensate you for your grief, pain, and anything else that might have made you less happy than before the accident.
Unfortunately, Dutch law is not generous in awarding damages for pain and suffering. Therefore, the amounts awarded in the Netherlands are not considered "fair enough.".
If you'd like to learn more about non-pecuniary damages, click here. If you'd like to learn more about personal injury damages, click here.
Calculating non-pecuniary damages
Calculating non-pecuniary damages:
You are always entitled to compensation for pain and suffering. This is the "non-pecuniary component" of your personal injury compensation.
What is non-pecuniary damages?
Pain and suffering compensation is not in itself a “hard legal term”. It is compensation for damage that cannot be expressed in monetary terms.
So, everything that doesn't fall under additional costs or lost income. It's essentially compensation for your "mental damage.".
How to calculate non-pecuniary damages
People often ask us at the very beginning of their personal injury case how much compensation they are entitled to.
That question is actually impossible to answer. And any personal injury lawyer who claims otherwise is mistaken.
When can you calculate my non-pecuniary damages?
Your compensation for pain and suffering can only be definitively determined at the end of your personal injury case.
Only then will it be known what psychological consequences your injury has had and/or will have for you.
Because it is the psychological consequences that largely determine your compensation for non-pecuniary damages.
Important factors in calculating non-pecuniary damages
Important factors for calculating your non-pecuniary damages include:
- the nature of your injury
- the severity of your injury
- your age
- your gender
- your level of consciousness
- whether you will have permanent scars and where those scars are located
- whether you have physical limitations that affect your quality of life
- how much pain have you suffered and continue to suffer
- how long your recovery period was and
- whether you have recovered at all or whether there is permanent damage.
Indication calculation of non-pecuniary damages:
We cannot predict exactly how much your compensation for non-pecuniary damages will be.
What we can do is give you a general indication of the amount of your compensation for pain and suffering.
If this sounds appealing, contact us today for a free, honest consultation. Afterward, you can decide for yourself what to do with it.
We are happy to help you calculate and claim your compensation for pain and suffering and other personal injury damages, such as your additional costs and lost income.
And if you choose our legal assistance, we guarantee you in writing in advance that our assistance will always FREE .
Calculating non-pecuniary damages? Ask for advice! We're happy to help. Want to know more about calculating non-pecuniary damages? Click here.
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