Amsterdam is a popular holiday destination for tourists. The canals, the Anne Frank house and the Van Gogh museum are places that are frequently visited by people. In addition, Amsterdam is known for its bicycles, many tourists rent a bicycle to admire the beautiful capital.
As beautiful as it is to discover Amsterdam by bike, there is also a danger to cycling in a busy city like Amsterdam. The chance of being hit as a cyclist is high.
Hit as a cyclist in Amsterdam
If you are hit by a cyclist in Amsterdam, there is a good chance that you will sustain injuries. For example, because you are hit by a car and break your leg. You can then engage a personal injury lawyer in Amsterdam (Dutch: letselschade advocaat Amsterdam) to recover your personal injury. This is wise because you probably do not know Dutch law yourself. But isn’t it very expensive to hire a personal injury lawyer? (Dutch: letselschade advocaat)
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost?
In most countries you have to pay for a personal injury lawyer yourself. Sometimes we work on a no cure no pay basis. This means that you only pay your personal injury lawyer if he successfully recovers your personal injury.
The Netherlands has a special system when it comes to recovering personal injury. The law states that the costs of a personal injury lawyer are part of the compensation. This means that if you are hit as a cyclist, one of the damages will be the lawyer’s costs. You can therefore recover the costs you incurred for a personal injury lawyer in Amsterdam from the other party. In the Netherlands, all motor vehicles are compulsorily insured against liability. So, if you are hit by a car in the Netherlands as a tourist, you can recover your personal injury from damage insurance for free.
What does a personal injury lawyer do?
If you choose a personal injury lawyer to recover your damages, the question is of course what a personal injury lawyer does. The first thing he or she will do is investigate who is at fault in a collision. If this is known, your personal injury lawyer will hold the other party liable. This is done by means of a liability claim.
A liability notice is a letter that states, among other things, who is at fault and on what legal basis. This letter also states what injuries you sustained as a result of the accident and what damage you suffered as a result of this injury.
Has liability for the traffic accident been recognized by the personal injury insurer? Then you are entitled to personal injury compensation. Your personal injury lawyer will arrange for all damages you have suffered to be compensated.
Discussions often arise with the personal injury insurer about the amount of compensation. Your lawyer will also take up this discussion for you. You do not have to worry about the claim settlement.
So, if you have been hit by a car in Amsterdam as a tourist, you can recover your personal injury damages completely free of charge. The system as it applies in the Netherlands is unique in Europe and perhaps even in the world. Because where can you contact a lawyer free of charge if you have been in an accident?
