The Revealing Information (RI) law firm and LLC DTP Expert RI Group (LLC Accident Expert RI Group) have launched a project to protect motorists in accidents, and plan to make it available throughout Ukraine, the law firm said in a press release.
DTP Expert RI Group Partner Oleksandr Keer said the project is needed because of “the increasing number of cases where incorrectly filed documents about the accidents do not let objectively determine who caused them and, therefore, who should seek compensation for damages suffered in court or insurance companies.”
Practice shows that the final result on recovering property and health damage depends on how administrative offense protocols and traffic accidents reports have been drawn up at the scene of an accident. They will later be sent to the court or an insurance company, he said.
Keer also stressed that transport companies, including those in municipal ownership, can also participate in the project along with the owners of personal vehicles.
“We are faced with the fact that no one represents the interests of utility carriers in the event of an accident. The carriers are often found guilty of accidents because the second participant in the incident hires a lawyer and uses professional legal assistance. As a result, utility companies suffer significant damages,” he said.
Keer says independent technical examinations carried out after accidents often help to objectively establish the causes.
“The accuracy of the paperwork influences the final decision of the investigator, the court and the insurance company,” he said.
Keer added that the project for the protection of accident victims provides for settlement by negotiation between parties to the accident, thus avoiding lengthy consideration of the case.
He said that in European countries, representatives of law firms engaged in protecting accident victims travel to the scene of accidents. The police in such cases are not involved, he said, adding there is no such practice in Ukraine.
Keer said the project is already working in 22 regions of Ukraine. Its offices are located in regional centers, while they have the resources for rapid response and departure to the scene.
As reported, according to the National Police of Ukraine the number of registered accidents from January to April 2019 was 47,400, which was 4.2% more than in during the same period in 2018.
According to the Motor (Transport) Insurance Bureau of Ukraine, from January to March 2019 it took an average of 76 days to settle insurance claims for damage caused to property declared for compulsory insurance of civil liability of vehicle owners (from the time of the accident to the last payment).
Insurance companies over the period increased the amount of insurance premiums collected under agreements on compulsory insurance of vehicle owners’ civil liability (OSAGO) by 12.3% compared to the same period of 2018, to UAH 2.023 billion, while insurance claim payments grew by 13%, to UAH 1.022 billion. The number of OSAGO contracts, meanwhile, increased by 3.3%, to 3.364 million.
Revealing Information is an all-Ukrainian legal association of a wide range of experts providing services for the protection of the rights of victims from any types of offenses, fraud and banditry. Services of the association include legal support of business, analytical information support and investigative activities, measures to counter the illegal seizure of property, support for clients in criminal, economic and civil disputes, etc.
ACCIDENT VICTIMS, LAW FIRM, PROJECT
