HELP AT HAND ROAD ACCIDENTS - HOW TO MAKE A CLAIM

Have you been injured in a road accident and had no idea how you were going to pay the medical costs?

You don’t have to feel helpless again, because you can claim money on your own from the Road Accident Fund (RAF). You can go to any office of the RAF. The RAF staff will help you to claim money and you will not have to pay a cent.

What is the RAF?

The RAF is a public body set up by law to help people who are injured in road accidents. The RAF will also pay the children of anyone who was killed in a road accident.

Because the RAF offers a free service, nobody is forced to employ a lawyer to prepare a claim. Lawyers charge a fee for their professional services.

Do not sign any legal papers at the place of the accident or in hospital. By signing these papers you will be giving lawyers the right to claim on your behalf.

If you want lawyers to claim money from the RAF for you, they must tell you how much they will charge you before you sign the papers.

Who can Claim?

• An injured person, except the driver who caused the accident;
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• a child of any person who was killed;
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• a close relative of any person who was killed, to pay for funeral costs.

A parent or guardian must assist a child younger than 21. A curator must assist a person whose brain is damaged.

What you can claim for:

• the costs of medicine needed because of the accident;
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• the costs of paying for a funeral;
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• loss of income if you are disabled because of the accident;
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• pain and injuries suffered as a result of the accident.

How you can claim

To claim, you must hand in:

• the prescribed claim form;
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• a certified copy of your ID;
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• a sworn statement that explains how the accident happened;
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• a pay-slip to prove loss of in-come;
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• a document to prove the costs of medicines;
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• copies of hospital records
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• a police report.

- Justice Mohale

What to do after an accident

• Place red triangle warning signs on the road.
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• Call the emergency services like the police and ambulance.
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• If people have been injured do not remove the car before the emergency services arrive.
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• Write down the names, ID numbers, addresses and telephone numbers of the drivers involved.
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• Write down the registration numbers and vehicle license number.
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• Report the accident as soon as possible to the nearest police station and get a reference number.