Road Accident Fund

Primarily instituted for the protection of individuals in an accident involving a motor vehicle, the RAF provides the avenues of ensuring compensation from the government for these incidents on public roads. Such compensation allows for the protection of individual lifestyles affected by collisions/accidents for those innocent parties that are usually bystanders in incidents that are essentially a no-fault party.

The RAF applications require the following pertinent details:

• The police report and case number of the accident;
• All your relevant personal details;
  Relevant details of any other person involved in the incident (where possible)
• Medical reports in support of any injury claim
• Any testimony from witnesses, medical professional and other experts in support of the claim;
• Completion of the claim form, with the supporting documentation/information as above

Claims that can be submitted are for those persons injured by an accident which was not solely the fault of the claimant:

• Past and future medical expenses arising from the injury;
• Loss of income as a result of the injury up to a present maximum of R276 928.00;
• General damages for pain and suffering if there is a serious injury incurred;
• Where a breadwinner dies – for loss of support up to a present maximum of R276 928.00
• Costs of a funeral, which is presently limited to cremation or burying the deceased

Claims can be instituted by:

• Any person who sustained an injury as a result of the accident (not including the driver, who was the cause of the incident)
• Any dependant of a deceased breadwinner;
• A close relative who paid for the funeral;

Other considerations are that claims, where the driver is known, must be submitted within three years of the incident, and two years where the driver is unknown. Matters that are outside these timeframes will not be processed, without exceptionally good cause shown.

These matters are predominantly settled before going to court, however, it is incumbent upon the claimant to ensure that the claim is timeously submitted and that all the supporting information is present to strengthen the claim.

We are equipped to effectively review the merits of the claim and provide comprehensive insight into the necessary supporting documents, the correct drafting and submission of the claim as well as provide contacts and connections to those professionals that may be required to substantiate any part of the claim against the RAF.