Personal injury law

If you are injured due to an accident or error caused by another person, it is often possible to recover damages from the person who caused the accident or from their insurer.

Loss can only be compensated if the liability for the accident has been acknowledged. Esther Reijnders will advise you quickly and clearly on liability.

There are two categories of personal injury loss. Firstly, there is economic loss. These are costs you have incurred as a result of the accident and income you have lost. The attorney’s fees (called extrajudicial costs) also qualify for compensation as such. Secondly, there is non-economic loss (compensation for pain and suffering). Loss resulting from death is subject to other provisions. Esther Reijnders can explain to you which items of loss exactly qualify for compensation.

Because it usually takes time to recover from personal injuries and it is often not clear what the exact consequences of the injury are (think of your job or household tasks) a personal injury case often takes several years. In the interim, your loss will be partially compensated by means of advance payments made by the liable party.

A personal injury case starts with an introductory interview. This way you can see where you stand and an initial step-by-step plan can be made. The question of compensation will then also be discussed. If you are not mobile due to your injuries Esther Reijnders can visit you at home. The first meeting is free of charge.

Road traffic accidents

Not every road traffic accident is the same and different rules apply in different situations. Consider the situation in which you as a pedestrian or cyclist are hit by a car. Except in the event of force majeure, the WAM (the Dutch Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Act) insurer is obliged to compensate at least 50% of your loss. In some cases it is possible that the other 50% can also be reimbursed. Or maybe you are in a car in a traffic jam that is hit from behind. Sometimes a car is not insured or the driver leaves the scene of the accident. In that case, you may be able to call on the Motor Traffic Guarantee Fund.

Links:
Slachtofferhulp.nl
Waarborgfonds

Medical negligence

Medical negligence is a separate subject. Specific knowledge and experience in this field is a requirement, not only of the lawyer but also of the medical advisor. Esther Reijnders will give you thorough advice on the facts and your legal position.

Occupational accidents

What is an accident at work? It could be a fall from scaffolding or an accident with a conveyor belt whilst you are at work. Is your employer always liable for such accidents? No, an employer is not liable for every accident at work. Whether your employer is liable depends on the facts and whether you had been instructed about the dangers of your work.

Accidents involving animals

Animals are not always sweet and cuddly. Think of aggressive dogs or rearing horses. They can be unpredictable and can cause injury. Generally speaking, you can assume that the owner of the animal is liable for the injury caused by the animal. The riding of a horse is subject to specific rules formulated by the judiciary because as a rider you also incur a risk.

Sports and games accidents

Strict rules apply to sports accidents. If you are involved in a sport, you should take into account that an accident can happen. Whether the sports club or fellow athletes are liable is therefore dependent on the circumstances of the case. Compensation for a sports accident is payable, for example, if you receive a kick in a football match after the final whistle has blown, or if you are hit by a tennis ball after the match has ended.

Feel free to contact us

Employment and civil service law:

Emke Vreugdenhil
Wilhelminastraat 53
2011 VL Haarlem

tel: 06 – 44049832
tel: 085 – 4011520
fax: 085 – 4011521
e-mail: vreugdenhil@rvadvocaten.nl