Accidents in Europe After Brexit

With all the news about deal or no deal and backstop clauses, you may be forgiven for not thinking about what will happen if you have an accident in Europe after March 2019.

At Barratts Solicitors we have a reputation for pursuing claims for clients who have been injured in road traffic accidents anywhere in the world. As an EU citizen, if you are injured in the EU, we are able, in almost all circumstances, to pursue your claim in the UK Courts. This avoids the need to identify an EU lawyer and the problems of litigating in a foreign language with unfamiliar procedures.

We have successfully helped clients in this way. It limits their stress as they have direct access to an English lawyer and a familiar country. However, if we leave the EU, there will be no such right to bring a claim in the UK. Access to justice will be seriously impaired. This is because the ability to bring a claim in this country will be removed. Injured clients will have to find and instruct a lawyer in the country where the accident happened. They may have to return to the country, where the accident occurred, for the case to be heard. This can be very traumatic.

We will continue to do all we can for individuals injured abroad, but the new regime will undoubtedly prejudice many people injured on European roads.

To find out more about the campaign to protect victims of road traffic accidents in Europe, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)  are campaigning on this issue. We would urge you to read their briefing policy for the Government:

https://www.apil.org.uk/files/online-files/165-742534/MotorVehiclesAmendmentAPILBriefing.pdf