While it’s fair to say that trams are a very safe form of public transport, tram accidents can happen. As a result of their size and the speeds they travel at, tram accidents have the potential to cause very serious injuries. Importantly, if you’ve been injured in a tram accident due to somebody else’s negligence you may be eligible to make a tram accident claim for compensation.

You can call our team if you’d like free guidance on making a claim. We’ll review your case with you and give free advice on what you might want to do next. If that includes claiming compensation, we could partner you with one of our personal injury solicitors. If they accept your claim, you’ll benefit from a No Win No Fee service so you won’t have to risk any money upfront to pay for your solicitor’s work.

You’ll find more about tram accident compensation claims if you read the rest of this guide. However, if you’d prefer to speak with somebody about your claim instead, you can call us on 0800 6524 881.

Am I Eligible To Make A Tram Accident Claim?

Generally, to be eligible to make a tram accident claim you’ll need to be able to prove:

• The defendant owed you a legal duty of care; and
• The defendant caused a tram accident because they were negligent; and
• You sustained injuries during the accident.

To make things easier for you, your solicitor will check that a duty of care existed at the time of the tram accident before taking on your claim. You can also improve your chances of being compensated for a tram accident by providing evidence to show how the accident occurred and how you’ve been affected as a result. Therefore, we’ll explain what types of evidence you could use a little later on.

Types Of Negligence That Could Lead To Tram Accident Claims

Some examples of the types of negligence that could result in a tram accident claim include:

• Speeding or unsafe driving.
• Ignoring traffic signals and warning signs.
• Drunk driving.
• Poorly maintained trams.
• Overcrowding on the tram.

Some tram accident claims may be made against the tram operator while others could be made against other road users. In either case, our solicitors can help so please feel free to call for free advice about claiming.

Examples Of Tram Accident Compensation Claims

Our personal injury solicitors could help you to claim compensation for a tram accident if the accident was not your fault. Some examples of the types of tram accidents they could help with include:

• Tram passenger injuries if your tram crashed with another tram (including tram derailment accidents).
• Injuries caused if your car was hit by a tram.
• If you were injured because the tram stopped suddenly.
• Where you were injured because of damaged seats, fixtures or fittings on the tram.
• Where you were injured because the tram was being driven too fast around a bend or over defective tracks.
• If you were knocked off a bicycle or motorbike by a tram.
• Where a pedestrian was knocked over by a tram.

It’s important to remember that the tram accident must’ve been caused by somebody else’s negligence if you’re to be compensated. If you’re unsure about who may be liable, please call us and we’ll try to help identify any potential liable parties.

Examples Of Injuries Caused By Tram Accidents

Any injury you’ve suffered because of a no-fault accident on or with a tram could mean you’re eligible to claim compensation. Some examples of injuries that might happen in an accident involving a tram include:

If we’ve not listed your injury above, don’t worry. We can still provide a free initial consultation to work out whether you could be compensated following a tram accident.

Fatal Tram Accidents

While tram fatalities are rare, unfortunately, they can happen. We know that compensation won’t make things any easier emotionally but if you’ve lost a loved one in a tram accident, you could be entitled to compensation for any financial consequences.

For example, you could claim back funeral expenses and other costs linked to your loved one’s death. Also, a fatal injury claim might help if you relied on the deceased financially.

Please get in touch if you’d like to know more.

How Much Compensation For A Tram Accident?

There are quite a few different elements to consider if you make a tram accident compensation claim. The first thing your solicitor will do is to try and establish the extent of any physical injuries. This will typically involve an independent medical assessment arranged by your personal injury solicitor where a specialist will examine your injuries and discuss their impact with you. The report that they’ll send to your solicitor will help to calculate how much compensation you could be entitled to.

Our compensation calculator lists some potential compensation figures for tram accident-related injuries:

After your physical suffering has been assessed, your solicitor will check whether you might also need to claim compensation for:

• Loss of amenity – if your injuries prevent participation in your usual hobbies.
• Rehabilitation and medical expenses such as the cost of physiotherapy.
• Lost income and, where necessary, future loss of earnings.
• Travel expenses.
• The cost of a carer (eg a professional carer or a family member).
• Psychological suffering (emotional distress, PTSDD compensation etc).
• The cost of changing the layout of your home to make it easier to cope with a permanent disability.
• Replacement costs for personal property damaged in the tram accident.

It’s usually the case that all of your suffering (including future problems) will be covered by a single compensation payout if your claim is successful. Therefore, your solicitor will work hard to try and ensure that nothing is missed when you file your claim.

Evidence To Support A Tram Accident Compensation Claim

If you make a claim against a tram operator, their insurer will only compensate you if it’s clear that their client caused your accident and you were injured as a result. The best way to prove this is to supply evidence as part of your claim. This might include:

• Accident reports. Any official reports from the police or tram company will be useful. If possible, you should report the accident to the tram operator at the time it occurs.
• Details of other vehicles. If the incident involved other vehicles, gather as much information as possible about each, including contact and insurance information of the drivers, and any damage sustained by those vehicles.
• Medical records. Medical records of your injuries from the tram accident which could include hospital records and doctors’ notes.
• Photographs and CCTV footage. These can be of the tram accident scene, your injuries, and any damage to property. Obtaining CCTV footage could also be invaluable if it’s available so please refer to our guide here.
• Witness statements. If there were any witnesses to the accident such as passengers on the tram, their accounts can be very helpful. Try to get contact details at the scene if possible.
• Tram tickets. These should help in proving that you were a passenger on the tram at the time of the accident.
• Financial records. Receipts, invoices, or bank statements that demonstrate any financial losses you’ve incurred due to the tram accident. This could include loss of earnings if you’ve had to take time off work.
• A Diary. Keeping a record of how the accident and your injuries have affected your day-to-day life can provide valuable evidence of your pain, suffering, and loss of amenity.

If you have any of the evidence listed above, it could really strengthen your personal injury claim. Therefore, please let us know about it when you contact us. If further evidence is required, your solicitor will work hard to obtain it if your tram accident claim is accepted.

Time Limits For Claiming Tram Accident Compensation

In most cases, the law in the UK allows a 3-year time limit for tram accident claims. Generally, that timeframe will start on the date of the tram accident but could begin later if your injuries weren’t obvious right away.

However, if a child (under 18) has been hurt by a tram the three-year limitation period doesn’t begin until their 18th birthday. That means they’ll have until they turn 21 to make a claim, or a litigation friend could handle the process on their behalf.

A litigation friend could also deal with the process on behalf of an injured person who lacks the mental capacity to make a claim. For example, if the tram accident has left them in a coma. If not, their time limit would typically begin from the time they regain their mental capacity.

In our opinion, you should think about starting your claim sooner rather than later to avoid missing out on any compensation you might be entitled to. Starting the process early will make it easier for you to recall how the accident happened and make it easier for evidence to support your claim to be found.

Starting The Tram Accident Claims Process

If you’ve been injured on or by a tram and believe that you should be compensated, call us on 0800 6524 881 to discuss your options. We’ll explain the tram accident claims process and provide free advice on what to do next.

If one of our solicitors agrees to manage your claim, they’ll process everything for you on a No Win No Fee basis. This means that you aren’t asked to pay legal fees in advance and you won’t need to pay for your solicitor’s work if the claim fails.

We can also provide free advice about tram accident claims via our live chat service so please feel free to use it.