When there is a traffic accident, liability is not necessarily easy to establish.
However, there is one party who never fail to make a successful accident claim because there is no doubt about whether or not they were at fault: the passenger.
Because the passenger was not driving either vehicle, solicitors, courts and insurance companies can be sure that they were not at all responsible and they can therefore claim compensation successfully once liability has been established.
However, in order to make a successful claim, the passenger must still have sought medical attention in a GP's surgery or hospital following the incident.
In recent years there have been increasing numbers of fraudsters claiming to have been innocent passengers in an accident and trying to make an accident claim.
Failure to seek medical attention will arouse suspicion of fraudulent activity and cause the accident claim to fail.
In any car accident claim there are a number of factors which can reduce the amount of compensation awarded.
For example, a passenger who was not wearing their seatbelt at the time of the accident will have their compensation reduced by as much as one quarter because in the eyes of the law they hold partial responsibility if not for their injuries then for their extent.
Similarly, if a passenger knowingly gets into the car with a drink driver then they are deemed partially responsible for their injuries and will have their compensation reduced.
Passengers can make an accident compensation claim regardless of whose car they were in at the time of the accident.
It could be a friend or family member, or it could be a bus or taxi.