It is a known fact that the festive period comes with an
increase in the number of road accidents. There are various reasons
for these i.e. a lot of travel happens during this period, a lot of
drinking and driving, etc. Whilst some road accidents occur as a
result of the victims' own recklessness, it is equally
important to bear in mind that thousands of other victims are
affected without any (or very little) blameworthiness on their
part. In our law, similar to many other jurisdictions,
“qualifying victims” can successfully claim for
compensation from the Road Accident Fund. The claiming process is
not without difficulties and, as such, it is pivotal that the
victims understand some basic components involved in the process.
In light thereof, this article will seek to answer some questions
such as the determination of the amount of compensation; costs
involved in the claiming process; manner in which a victim can
claim; possible time periods of the process; etc.
