Under the Motor Insurance Act, the personal injury insurance limit is €5.6 million. However, this does not mean that all victims will receive this compensation. Insurance companies are under no obligation to inform victims of the compensation to which they are entitled by law. Unfortunately, it is up to the victim to ask for compensation. It isn’t easy to obtain the necessary information without the help of an attorney, as there is little public information available.

This week, the TV programme “Impulss” focuses on the story of Alice, a young mother of two who lost her mobility in a tragic collision with a truck. Although Alice should have received a minimum of €3,200 in compensation for moral damages under the Motor Insurance Act, she did not initially get it. Fortunately, Alice turned to law firm LEXTAL, and with the help of  Olavi-Jüri Luik, she was able to get a settlement that would save her from spending the rest of her life in a nursing home. Today, Alice goes to physiotherapy and rehabilitation daily, which would be too expensive without the benefits.

Compensation for victims is left to the discretion of the insurance companies

After an accident, every victim wants to recover as soon as possible, but most of the time, they’re unaware of their rights to compensation. They may not even realise that they can contact the other party’s insurance company, which should cover the costs of their medical treatment and non-pecuniary damages. There is also a lack of information regarding the legal limit of €3,200 for damages, not being the maximum amount that can be claimed. If you know how to ask, in case of serious injuries, insurance companies will voluntarily pay up to 30 times this amount, which can go up to a significant € 100,000. Unfortunately, such amounts are paid out only in court.

Attorney at law Olavi-Jüri Luik has seen many complicated cases during his decades-long career. As he specialised in the insurance field, he was able to help Alice get a much higher settlement than she and her family initially expected. Insurance companies should compensate victims according to their rights, even if the victim has not made a claim.

Watch the ETV 24.10.2023 episode of “Impulss” to learn more about Alice’s story.

An article on a similar topic has appeared in Postimees.