Compensation after a road traffic accident
Road Traffic Accidents in France
Road traffic accidents in France can raise questions about your rights, a medical examination or an insurer’s compensation offer. Pierre Nicolet assists injured people and their families with preparing their claims and dealing with insurers.
Free initial consultation — no obligation. What the first discussion covers
Understand your position
Identify the circumstances of the accident, your role and the insurers involved.
Prepare the evidence
Document the injuries, expenses, lost earnings and effects on everyday life.
Review the offer
Check the losses considered before accepting a compensation proposal.
A road traffic injury claim may involve notifying the insurer, attending a medical examination, assessing the losses suffered, requesting an interim payment, reviewing an offer or challenging the insurer’s position.
Pierre Nicolet, a member of the Paris Bar, assists injured people and their families in Paris, the Paris region and throughout France. The firm’s role is to help you understand your rights, prepare the key stages and present the consequences of the accident with supporting evidence.
Not sure where to start?
Whether you were a driver, passenger, pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist or e-scooter user, the questions to examine are not always the same. A first consultation can help identify the immediate issues, useful documents and next steps.
The initial consultation is free and does not oblige you to instruct the firm. A detailed review or ongoing representation may require further work; its scope and fees are discussed before an engagement is agreed.
Prepare for a first consultation · Understand the firm’s legal fees
Who can the firm assist after a road traffic accident?
The firm assists injured road users and may also assist relatives of a person who has been seriously injured or killed. Assistance may be provided in cases involving:
- an injured driver;
- an injured passenger;
- a pedestrian hit by a vehicle;
- a cyclist or e-scooter user;
- a motorcyclist injured in an accident;
- a relative of a person killed in an accident;
- an injured person who has received an inadequate compensation offer.
Why consult a lawyer after a road traffic accident?
The insurer may contact you, arrange a medical examination or make an offer. A lawyer can help you deal with these steps and document the personal, professional and family consequences of the accident.
These consequences may include lasting injuries, time off work, lost earnings, effects on employment and career, care needs and out-of-pocket expenses. Depending on the agreed mission, the firm can assist by:
- analysing the circumstances of the accident;
- identifying the relevant parties and insurers;
- communicating with the insurer;
- preparing for the medical examination;
- gathering the necessary documents;
- requesting an interim payment where appropriate;
- reviewing a compensation offer;
- negotiating or commencing legal proceedings where necessary.
The medical examination after a road traffic accident
The examination is a key stage of a personal injury claim. It assesses the injuries, any lasting effects, medical stabilisation and the consequences for personal, professional and family life.
Medical stabilisation, known in French as consolidation, does not necessarily mean recovery: lasting effects may remain. You do not have to wait for that stage before seeking advice or preparing the claim.
Before the examination, prepare the medical records, evidence of time off work, receipts and a clear account of difficulties in everyday life. This can help identify the points requiring particular attention and reduce the risk of overlooking an important consequence.
Should you accept the insurer’s compensation offer?
An offer may seem reassuring, particularly after months of correspondence. Before accepting it or signing a settlement, check whether all relevant heads of loss have been considered, rather than looking only at the total amount.
The firm can compare the offer with the medical report and supporting evidence, identify losses that may have been omitted or undervalued, and advise on the possible next steps. Depending on the case, these may include negotiation, a request for an additional payment, a further examination or legal proceedings.
What losses may be compensated after a road traffic accident?
Each claim must be assessed individually. A head of loss is a category used to identify a particular consequence of the injury. Depending on the circumstances and supporting evidence, the claim may include:
Financial and practical consequences
- Loss of earnings
- Other effects on employment and career
- Unreimbursed medical expenses
- Future healthcare costs
- Care and assistance provided by another person
- Adaptation of the home or vehicle
Personal and family consequences
- Pain and suffering
- Temporary functional impairment
- Permanent functional impairment
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Loss of amenity
- Losses suffered by relatives following death or serious disability
These examples are not a fixed tariff or a promise that every category will apply. The injured person’s losses and any claims by relatives must be identified without counting the same loss twice.
When should you contact the firm?
Advice may be useful when the accident has caused injuries, time off work or lasting effects, when an examination is planned, when an offer has arrived or when a dispute with the insurer arises.
The firm can become involved during the initial steps, before the examination, after an offer or when proceedings become necessary. You do not need to wait for a complete file: evidence may need to be preserved and some steps anticipated.
Assistance in Paris and throughout France
Based in Paris, the firm assists injured people in the Paris region, throughout mainland France and in the French overseas departments and territories. The practical arrangements and applicable rules are considered in light of the location and the case.
Meetings can be arranged at the office, by telephone or by video call, depending on your circumstances, health and the stage reached in the claim. Where appropriate, the firm can also assist in connection with medical examinations or other steps outside Paris.
Frequently asked questions
Should I contact a lawyer before the medical examination?
This is often advisable. The examination can have a significant influence on the assessment of the claim. Preparing in advance helps gather the relevant documents and identify the points requiring attention.
The insurer has made a compensation offer: should I accept it?
Before accepting, check the scope of the offer and the heads of loss considered. A proposal may appear satisfactory while omitting some personal, professional or family consequences. The medical report and the supporting evidence should be reviewed together.
Does the firm assist clients outside Paris?
Yes. The firm is based in Paris but assists clients throughout France, including through telephone or video discussions and, where appropriate, assistance with examinations outside Paris.
Which documents should I prepare for a first consultation?
If available, prepare insurer correspondence, the accident or police report, medical certificates, hospital records, evidence of time off work, examination notices, any offer and documents supporting expenses or lost earnings. A complete file is not required for an initial enquiry; ask the firm how to transmit the documents.
Your situation deserves a clear answer
Have you been injured in a road traffic accident?
A medical examination to prepare, an offer to review or uncertainty about the next steps? Tell the firm about your situation so that the initial issues, useful documents and possible next steps can be identified.
The initial consultation is free and without obligation. The scope and fees of any further work are discussed before engagement.
Useful resources
These official resources are in French. They provide general information and legal references; the position in an individual claim must still be assessed.
- Justice.fr — Compensation for personal injury after a road traffic accident
- French Road Safety Authority — Compensation for road traffic victims
- Law of 5 July 1985 — Articles 1, 3 and 4 on road traffic compensation
- French Insurance Code — Article L. 211-9 on compensation offers
- Paris Court of Appeal, 15 January 2026 — Electric scooters and the Law of 5 July 1985