🚗 Wegweiser Road accident victims

Accident scene, evidence, liability, claims settlement, compensation for pain and suffering and deadlines: clear answers after a road accident.

Legal status: September 2026. We checked the statutes (StVG, BGB, VVG, StGB, StPO, StVO, PflVG) and guides from ADAC and GDV. Announced reforms that have not yet been passed are not taken into account. Among other things, the following are documented: § 12 PflVG, § 26 Abs. 3 StVG, the loss-of-use range of 23 to 175 euros, the case law on the 130 percent limit and the minor-damage threshold. Sources and open points: Sources and limits. Information, not legal advice.

Frequently searched

📸 What to do at the scene and securing evidence ⚖️ Liability and contributory fault 📨 Claims settlement through motor liability insurance 🩹 Personal injury and compensation for pain and suffering ⏳ Limitation of accident claims 🤝 Advice and contact points

All topic areas

🚨First stepsOverview, what to do at the scene and securing evidence.2 topics ⚖️Liability and special casesWho pays, contributory fault, hit and run, cyclists and pedestrians.3 topics 🚗Property damage and settlementMotor liability insurance, expert reports, rental cars, comprehensive cover and no-claims downgrade.4 topics 🩹Injury and consequential lossesCompensation for pain and suffering, loss of earnings and household-help damages.2 topics 📅Costs, deadlines and proceedingsLawyer, legal expenses insurance, limitation periods, criminal and administrative fine proceedings.3 topics 🤝HelpAdvice and nationwide contact points.1 topic

🚨 First steps

Overview, what to do at the scene and securing evidence.

🧭Overview: After a road accidentWhat to do after an accident and in what order, and what claims you may have against the other party and their insurer. 📸What to do at the scene and securing evidenceStop, secure the scene, help, exchange details and secure evidence: what the law requires and what will help you later.

⚖️ Liability and special cases

Who pays, contributory fault, hit and run, cyclists and pedestrians.

⚖️Liability and contributory faultWho is liable after an accident, and what happens if you are partly at fault too? 🏃Hit and run and VerkehrsopferhilfeWhat you can do if the person responsible has fled or is uninsured, and when the Verkehrsopferhilfe (road traffic victims' fund) steps in. 🚲Cyclists and pedestrians as accident victimsHurt as a cyclist or on foot: claims against the driver, helmets and contributory fault, special rules for children.

🚗 Property damage and settlement

Motor liability insurance, expert reports, rental cars, comprehensive cover and no-claims downgrade.

📨Claims settlement through motor liability insuranceHow to register the damage with the other party's insurer and which items can be reimbursed. 🧾Fictitious settlement and expert reportsMoney instead of repair: when you can settle on a fictitious basis, what an expert report does and why value added tax is not paid. 🚙Rental car and loss of useYour car is out of action: rental car or flat-rate compensation, and what applies. 🛡️Comprehensive insurance and loss of no-claims discountWhen you can use your own comprehensive cover (Kasko), what a downgrade means and how no-claims protection works.

🩹 Injury and consequential losses

Compensation for pain and suffering, loss of earnings and household-help damages.

🩹Personal injury and compensation for pain and sufferingIf you were injured: claim to compensation for pain and suffering (Schmerzensgeld) and reimbursement of treatment costs, and how the amount is determined. 💶Loss of earnings and household-help damagesIf you cannot work or run the household because of the accident: what you can claim as compensation.

📅 Costs, deadlines and proceedings

Lawyer, legal expenses insurance, limitation periods, criminal and administrative fine proceedings.

🧑‍⚖️Legal expenses insurance and lawyer's costsWho pays the lawyer after an accident and when traffic legal expenses insurance helps. ⏳Limitation of accident claimsWhen your claims after the accident become time-barred and how to prevent this. 📄Criminal proceedings and administrative offencesAfter the accident, criminal or fine proceedings may be under way: what this means for you as an injured party or witness.

🤝 Help

Advice and nationwide contact points.

🤝Advice and contact pointsWhere to find advice and help nationwide after a road accident.

For reference

📕Keyword indexAll terms from A to Z, with links to the matching topic pages. 📜Sources and methodWhere the information comes from and what is expressly uncertain. 🏠Other target groupsTo the overview of all Wegweiser portals.

A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.