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Motor car road traffic accident damage recovery, is what our subject is all about.
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Below please find some issues and occurrences of common interest, listed and linked.
Car accident issues that matters most:
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facilitating a claim
claim against the liable party causing the car accident enforcing full and fair compensation . . .
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Should you do not find the issue you are looking for, contact RAMLA (Road Accident Management & Legal Action), as one of the most experienced experts in matters of car accident damage recovery claims.
We however believe the issue in question will be found on one of the other pages on the
RAMLA comprehensive MVA - motor vehicle accident - Information Platform,
but as we haven't installed a search function, rather contact RAMLA, instead of waste time for a search.
There are sections in the main top selector, such as claim, assessment, legal and insurance matters; you may navigate to find what you're looking for.
Car accident damages as result of a traffic collision, always gives task and commonly hassles, unless one do have a compressive motor insurance cover that lives up to the promises made.
But unfortunately, that's not always the matter and if ordinary South African motorists are asked, if they believe and trust a valid claim is a guaranteed matter, one will hear a number, if not the majority of those questioned, doubting that it will be so.
 Your specialised expert to sort out MVA matters
Professional - competent - swift - decisive and affordable
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Issues with South African Motor Insurance companies
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Should a matter be taken to a court of law?
Most commonly the overwhelming number of disputes or claims can be solved in pre-litigation, but if no amicable solution can be found, matters sometimes need the escalation to a court of law to be solved.
It should be noted, that most of the deciders of claims, (insurance claim admins, claim evaluators or technicians, however called and other representatives, regularly do have no certified legal competences.
This means the decisions made to either accept or deny a claim are performed by persons with experience, but often not applying a legal background, taking all facts in consideration, but all too often rely on party statements, without a check on the balance of probabilities if that point of view may represent the correct situation, or act biased as to benefit schemes or other incentives, declining claims to cut down on compensation pay-outs.
Approaching a court of law give the certainty to have the case evaluated to the laws prevailing in accordance with the particular applicable situation, and after analysing the parties written arguments exchanged in the pleading phase of the trial, hearing the plaintiff and the defendant, as well as witnesses and thereafter the judicial officer will come to a decision, making it an order of court.
It is obviously clear, that such comprehensive analytic process will be by far better, than just accept an unjust decision of a person in charge, neglecting the basics of fairness to look onto a claim unbiased.
It may therefore be fairly well to accept the initial costs, coming with a legal action in a court of law, but given the evidence is supportive enough to convince the court on the basis of probabilities to decide in favour of the party, to get compensation and a refund of costs necessary to pursue the claim in court.
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Important Information:
RAMLA don't do any physical damage assessments itself.
We do make use of external experts, in cases we handle the compensation action, where a need is detected.
RAMLA cannot help someone in need for MVA damage assessment.
You may however get a first free evaluation of your damages from us, but just drawn from pictures you may send through to us by email, especially if you are concerned to have to deal with "write off" the car.
We may further be able and advising you where and how to get your damage assessment - nationwide - , depending on where the car is located.
RAMLA is a professional specialised expert in all matters of MVA compensation actions, defence against unreasonable or inflated claims, engage in disputes with parties or Motor Insurance companies, or guide a matter for review to the Ombudsman, up to get the matter proceeded in a court of law, if no amicable settlement can be achieved in pre-litigation.
We don't offer any Assessment Training.
Vehicle damage assessment is the more accurate and reliable method of listing your motor car accident damage than those of a damage repair quotation. A professional vehicle damage assessment is done by a qualified assessor with extensive training and equipped with the latest IT technology and software to draw a damage assessment report that reflect all you need to know.
There are notes about the vehicle details examined, its technical general and detailed condition, details about important values as market value and salvage and sure the amount of money to be spend to repair the motor vehicle.
This and more will often be the basis to decide for motor insurance companies if they authorize the repair or if they consider the vehicle as written off, which should ring alarm bells with the victim of the damaged car.
You found the RAMLA web page because you were looking for some general information on how to proceed in a case of a car accident in South Africa. You will find lots of information about it here to support your own claim pursues or even to answer questions you might have in your car accident claim.
If you want support to be compensated for your car accident damage RAMLA can be your one stop solution.
When does one need motor car damage assessment?
The task of assessing the vehicle, damaged in a traffic accident is definite and lists the damages and the repair value.
Thereby most often a professional damage assessment will be probably not be needed for smaller damages, but to document more severe once correctly.
South African motor insurances send assessors to examine damages when they have to attend claims for a certain value, which can depend from one insurer to the other.
Most often claims below a suspected value of R 20 000, will not be targeting and therefore insurances rely on quotations to determine the compensation.
There are cases where i.e. the perpetrator is not insured against 3rd party claims, but the victim suffered a severe damage and the first inquiries at panel beaters or auto body repair experts suspect a total loss or write off, meaning the repair cost will exceed the current market value of the car.
In such cases the car owner of the damaged vehicle may consider to appoint an independent assessor to undertake an assessment, to find out about the damages.
The RAMLA advice will be to check with the other liable party first in an attempt to find common ground before practically order a professional assessment.
As to the above, insurance companies more easy and on a regular basis, send out the assessor and then take the assessment report as basis for a settlement, disputes can arise, if the findings of such assessment will not satisfy you.
For example, the assessment report can lead the insurance to deny or dismiss the claim at all, on various reasons, but based on the findings of the assessment.
If you as the party expecting compensation will not be satisfied with the result, you can consider having alternative expert to do another examination.
But at the end, it will make a difference in the proceedings if you claim from a 3rd party or from your own insurance cover. Claiming from your own cover, will always compel you to stick to the cover and terms & condition of your policy, while claiming from a 3rd party only the limitation stipulated by law apply.
RAMLA will be your first choice, in support for the recovery of financial losses, caused by motor vehicle accident damages.
Mandate RAMLA - Road Accident Management & Legal Action - having your claim processed, decisive competent and economically affordably.
RAMLA works different to conventional legal services, nationwide in South Africa, but don't maintain costly offices all over the country.
Interaction with RAMLA works via data exchange and e mail correspondence. Want to know more about how RAMLA works for you?
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A competent motor vehicle damage assessor, should or must have - Experience, experience and one more time experience and a well founded technical knowledge.
We are of the opinion, that a well-trained engineer, acting as motor vehicle assessor should even have a passion for accuracy.
Higher Engineering education, combined with practical work experience, gives a professional motor vehicle damage assessor much more credibility and freedom to act unbiased, as those assessors trained from tangling fields of work, such as panel beating or parts supply, taking its orders from Insurance companies on a regular basis, or even being employed with the Insurer.
Any qualified Assessor will strive for fair and correct damage analysis and cost calculations. Such qualified Assessor will never do an assessment, based on picture evidence only, in order to file a report that will form part or be the basis, of a compensation offer.
A comprehensive examination of the damages will have the need of personal investigation and free access to the motor car to be examined.
What is sometimes seen in the reports of a motor vehicle damage assessment, that should not be regarded as proper, damaged cars are stored in queues at a storage facility or towing yard and the assessor do not even have direct access to the vehicle to assess.
Taking photographs just from the 2 meter line will not be good enough to work out a proper assessment.
Your specialised expert to sort out MVA matters
Professional - competent - swift - decisive and affordable
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The assessment should/must be done in a responsible and detailed manner and reflect fair values
Damage isn't just damage - as each and every destruction is different.
There are the bagatelle damages, which comes with lower repair costs, that won't be often a reason to appoint a vehicle damage assessor. A simple repair quotation will do.
However in today's times even small damages, such as bumper bashing or similar, will trigger some noticeable repair costs.
More serious damages, before the destruction is as bad as to come to a write off, the damages which are economically valid to repair, are those a vehicle damage assessor will have to look onto in specified details.
An assessment report will follow the calculation, often performed on calculation schemes such as Audatex or others.
The assessment report, together with recommendations will form the basis, of what the party representing the defendant; will - hopefully - engage for a settlement offer.
As we say, the professional vehicle damage assessment must be comprehensive, meaning even parts might be stripped to examine hidden damages.
Some hidden damages can be of high impact to any repair cost evaluation and if neglected and not assessed, it means shortfall of damage compensation.
Should such neglegted assess tasks subsidised by a calculation made over a big thumb, the result of such evaluation can lead to shortfall or even opposite to call a damage a "write off", which may not necessarily be so, if all had been inspected in detail.
Motor Car Accident, in South Africa?
You want your car accident damages being paid for and receive your material vehicle accident damage compensation for destructions, suffered in a traffic accident on South African roads?
You are welcome to contact RAMLA to receive free advice after a free accident fact check to determine your position.
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| RAMLA can be the solution in MVA matters
Do you know that RAMLA is a specialised expert in handling and enforcing or defending all kind of MVA (motor vehicle accident) matters, pursuing motor car accident compensation claims, for its clients - effective - professional - decisive and resolute, to best and affordable fees.
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As you may have recognised on our comprehensive web information platform, we do know what we are taking about.
We do invite anyone in South Africa, facing an MVA (motor vehicle accident) problem, to contact us for a first - free - analyse of your particular matter and initial advice how to proceed.
As a specialist in traffic accident recovery actions, we act for clients/members in the relevant manner, but based on a paid mandate or membership.
We do offer a free first advice, to determinate your case and give you a direction how and what may be the way forward, in order to build confidence with a potential client, but unfortunately we cannot supply a free pursuit for a practial claim.
As professional specialists, in charge of acting in motor accident damage claims in South Africa, we offer a well performing, decisive and demanding claim pursuit, at affordable fees.
It's so easy contacting us by email.
The effective way will be sending an email containing the nature, damage and problems detected. Once sent through to us, we will study the matter and after analysing the facts, we get back to you be email with the result and advice - free of charge.
If you like to explain your problem to our claim manager on duty, you are welcome to contact us by phone for an initial briefing on cell 076 770 3179 (standard rates apply).
For best results: dont't just call, once you took notice of the opportunity!
First think what you like to get accross, best file it as email and call therafter.
For reasons to convince you not just calling immediately, please follow: how to contact RAMLA successfully.
It will be much more effective; if we do get a briefing of the matter via email, before a telephone call, so we will be prepared answering your questions.
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Car accident compensation claims for damages, may cause some headache, in
South Africa.
Not everything in a compensation action goes smooth and the way wanted, as we are confronted with numerous possible challenges.
RAMLA is a specialised expert in material car accident damage claims,
demanding, enforcing compensation actions, supporting disputes with Motor Insurance Companies or its agents, work in Ombudsman's review cases, or defend a motorist against unreasonable or inflated compensation claims.
Contact RAMLA to analyse your case, and get a free opinion where you stand and what to do next. You can contact RAMLA 7/24 and receive a response soon.
It's so easy, just e mail your story and attach what you got to make the RAMLA claim manager understand your problem.
Just draft a brief report of what had happen and send it (use this mail link) to RAMLA for free analyses and you will receive a reply soon.
Contact us now and let us know how we can help you?
email us your story and details to ramla@ramla.co.za for a free first analyse and advice.
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RAMLA offers full legal support to solve car accident claims, a comprehensive claim preparation and action to enforce compensation, all the way up to a court case.
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A vehicle assessor should have comprehensive experience
Suitable vehicle accident damage assessors, must have sufficient experience and qualifications in car accident damage assessment and been professionally trained, in all respects of his job.
The assessor must be well equipped and will have access to actual databases, containing the correct repair procedures (definite by the manufacturer standards) and list the correct original repair parts and prices and labour allowance, according to manufacturer's and agents retail prices, to draft a qualified assessment report.
It must be noticed, that any deviation from the above can only be tolerated, if such will be conditional to i.e. an insurance contract, which makes allowance for used or replicate/after market parts. It will never apply in a 3rd party claim.
A responsible motor vehicle damage assessor, will look into the details of the particular motor car, determine market value and other influential factors as salvage and repair costs unbiased. Recommendations should be made, if the particular motor car examined, will not be mirrored well in any schedules, developed for determination of values for trade or retail data.
If a vehicle assessor will be as passionate to look on all such factors objectively, the assessment report will reflect fair and reliable values.
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RAMLA is a specialised expert in all MVA matters, claims, disputes (3rd party / comprehensive Insurance cover) and defensive actions against unreasonable or inflated claims, professional - affordable. Contact RAMLA for your support to have a damage claim paid or defenced. Contact
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South African law presently do not know a sworn motor car accident damage assessor, meaning the assessor is bound to independence and objectivity in the vehicle assessment by law.
Lacking such compulsory objective, there is the possibility of party friendly assessments, despite code of conduct or other privately created standards.
An independent motor accident assessor will testify, in terms of his examination in a court of law, if a matter must be heard there and cannot be resolved in pre litigation.
The assessor must have experience in his role as expert witness in a court of law, enable him/her to lay out the evidence to the court and stand cross examinations in order to underline the findings of the vehicle damage assessment.
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RAMLA will be your one-stop car accident claim service in South Africa
Mandate RAMLA - Road Accident Management & Legal Action - having your claim processed, decisive competent and economically affordably
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Examine a car accident damage, unbiased & independently and draw a comprehensive report
Once a claim must be made in terms of compensation for motor vehicle accident damages, the quantum of the damage or the repair costs need to be examined and calculated.
In order for a car accident victim, whose car must be examined, it has been recommended at a different page of the RAMLA comprehensive web offer, that a damage calculation i.e. made just by a panel beater or repair workshop, should have been done, just before the party assessment should take place. Comparing both analyses is the only way for a layman; - many motorists caught up in a traffic accident are - in terms of damage evaluation, finding out if the assessment will be complete and fair.
Just relying on a party (insurance) assessment, isn't advisable.
Another recommendation that cannot be underestimated and outlined strong enough is that, the car owner should always attempt to hold the physical control over the vehicle, where ever possible, or reinstate control as soon as possible, avoiding surprises and be ahead of the process.
The assessor will be able doing the assessment at any safe place, where is undisturbed access to the vehicle.
A professional car accident damage assessment cannot be done in a hurry and the assessor must have undisturbed access to the damaged car.
Often observed by RAMLA car accident management, when double checking any incoming vehicle damage assessments, attached photographs are not suitable to proof the complete damage, as not reflecting the details of destruction.
Photograph taken must show and proof all relevant details of the car accident damage, correct and true in detail.
A qualified assessment should not be rebuttable by any other party, as if the expertise given to proof the accident damage is of high quality and bases on facts only, any other expert must eventually come to the same or at least similar findings.
Accident damages are facts and don't change, as long if there is no practical interference and that is just the reason why assessments made by more as one examination, results should be in the same range. If that's not the case, i.e. comparing the vehicle expert assessment with a qualified quotation, something will be wrong and suggest finding reasons, before acceptance.
The importance of an reliable and fair vehicle damage assessment is, that all damage value and other relevant data can be derived from the car accident damage assessment report and therefore form the basis of the financial claim or compensation offer.
A professional assessor must always be independently and not in favour of any party.
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Contact RAMLA . . . for your free initial case analyse Now
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What to do after a vehicle assessment took place?
Once a damage examination has been completed, the assessor drafts the assessment report. The report will be submitted to the person or institution that ordered the assessment.
The victim will be very much interested to be informed about the results and best getting a full copy of the report. If the damage assessment is done on instruction of a motor insurance company, the victim or claimant not necessarily will be provided with a copy automatically.
Requesting a copy will be essential verifying the results and check if the outcome will be satisfactory and acceptable. A good tool to double check the findings; will be to compare it with a repair quotation. Once the results are compatible it is very likely that the assessment is fair and acceptable.
Hence if there will be remarkable differences, the reasons should be looked on and if it turns out to be unacceptable, the party ordered the assessment and utilising such as a basis for compensation, should be informed about the assessment being disputed.
The damage assessment, done on instruction of a motor insurance company, will have a significant importance in the process to settle. It is very likely, that the insurance will base the settlement offer on the findings and assumptions of the damage assessment report and it can be a challenge, rebutting or convincing the insurance that the results are not acceptable, as not mirroring the true damages or other values applying.
It should be known, that once the damage assessment has been done, most motor insurance companies don't take care for storage costs anymore, even if the claim will be accepted. It will be advisable to move the vehicle to a safe place, which does not charge storage fees, or at least have a suitable agreement with the storage facility.
If the outcome of the damage assessment will be a classification "write off" or beyond repair, one of the tasks to look on will be the disposal of the wrack or salvage.
Some motor companies intend to take the examined cars to Salvage Management and Disposal (SMD), once the examination is finalised. If you don't want losing control of the damaged car, take measures to prevent relocation, without your consent or better take the car to your own place.
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Back Assessment Matters Site Map
Contact RAMLA . . . for your free initial case analyse Now
Know more about the free first case analyses before contacting RAMLA?
Difference between a good vehicle damage assessment, an investigation in the matter or a reconstructive examination
A good and fully professional accident assessment report will contain a lot of detailed information, cite the source with which they have been obtained, the data, interprets results contains supporting pictures etc.
The report should be as comprehensive that it can serve as evidence of destruction and sometimes cause of the accident in a court of law.
It must however be differentiated about the severity of damages. Regular repairable damages don't need such detailed investigations. It will be good enough, if the damages are examined in a responsible manner, accompanied by supporting photographic evidence and a professional repair cost calculation, based on the manufacturer's recommendations.
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RAMLA is a specialised expert in all MVA matters, claims, disputes (3rd party / comprehensive Insurance cover) and defensive actions against unreasonable or inflated claims, professional - affordable. Contact RAMLA for your support to have a damage claim paid or defenced. Contact
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Investigation in the cause and circumstances of a particular traffic accident
An investigative report is at stake if the cause and circumstances of a particular traffic accident will be scrutinised. It will commonly take place, if matters give any rise to fabrication or unlawful behaviour but almost the majority will be triggered by motor insurance companies looking for violations of terms and conditions, insured clients may have to cope with.
Such can have a huge variety of reasons and methods. I.e. if an accident occurs to unusual times, at night or early morning, always intoxication is suspected.
Should another as the insured drive the vehicle, the question of the registered and nominated driver will be looked at.
Once the accident happened in a more distance to the place of residence the insured lives, it may trigger an investigation about the true place/area the car is operated and so on.
Physical destructions to vehicles checked after an accident that is regarded as severe the speed of the driving before impact may be analysed.
All those investigations may not be conducted in a fair and objective manner, but utilised to decline a claim frequently.
Reconstructive examinations will be utilised to show what allegedly had happened in a car accident finding the suspected reasons, supporting a claim decline.
As it comes to reconstructive examinations, matters such as if the vehicles claimed to be involved in a particular accident could have evidently be part of it, as to matching damages.
Other reconstructions are aimed to proof speed, bases on damage deformation and breaking marks as well as still stand positions, after impact. Should the speed be excessive in regard to the speed reasonable in the particular area, a claim can be denied.
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RAMLA - Road Accident Management and Legal Action - is one of South Africa's most experienced and decisive advocates to sort out legal disputes with parties, Insurance companies or act in defence of clients confronted with unreasonable or inflated claims.
Car accident issues that matters most:
We are legal specialist in motor car accident damage recovery matters and offer our services to those suffering damages or in need to defend unreasonable or inflated claims.
Taking on disputes with motor insurance companies, engage in unfair declines or apportionment of damages, take matter on review to the Ombudsman, or even get matters to be judged in a court of law, should all fail to find a solution before the escalation to a court of law is inevitable.
RAMLA can get you through the trouble, for just some affordable fees, commonly just equal or lower then towing/storage cost may be.
We are one of the most experienced, decisive advocates, when it comes to car accident problems - issues of compensation or defence against unreasonable or inflated claims, bad repair practice and much more.
We work only on those motor car accident matters.
Check us out, so you do know if we can uphold we say, free of charge.
Welcome to RAMLA
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How going forward once there is a claim or dispute or other challenges?
Well, once someone checks a web site as this one RAMLA presents, there will be some sort of a problem.
It may either be that there is no response from the liable party's Insurer or a repudiation, apportioning or any other decline, such as to violation of terms and conditions.
Lot of those issues may not be according to valid law, and just a reaction of someone in charge don't care, not having the necessary skills or just follow a strategy to get rid of valid claims, should not be accepted.
RAMLA as a specialised legal expert can solve such problems, just for a fraction in fees what you may miss out, if you don't have the right support. It should not be the correct way and get a claimant just been brushed away, isn't it?
Just take the time and contact, tell us about the matter and let us take care of it.
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Defence against unreasonable or inflated claims?
RAMLA can help you most effectively to get a claim dropped or eased.
The results defending someone against whatever claim, if it isn't as clear what the implications are and what evidence the other party/Insurance do have, are very good to stand through, even if a summons may be served.
The party alleges or accuses is forced to proof the claim and not the demanded party.
Many Insurance recovery claims fall short of such reliable evidence and therefore can be repudiated, even if it comes from attorneys or recovery agents.
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However we do handle every substantial MVA claim,
against whatever party, Insurance, reluctant party or company successfully, given the merits of the issue are clear and stand a challenge.
Should it not be so in the first place, we do all we can to improve such merits to get the matter being a strong case.
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Chances of success, if there is a strong case, and any other winning guarantees?
Those are questions we hear frequently, before a new client is prepared to accept some fees.
But telling the truth, chances of success are entirely based on facts and evidence in every particular case and there cannot be any guarantee being better as proof and evidence.
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You want to visit a local RAMLA office in your area and have a chat with one of our experts?
We are very sorry telling you, that we have chosen a different way of performing our business. In order to hold overhead costs low, and not compromise on expertise, we have decided to act from one central, but not public office in the Western Cape.
In order to hold fees low and offer very competitive rates compared with other legal services, we decided to concentrate intelligence and contain costs in this manner.
Anyone who likes to visit his/her adviser or attorney should not choose RAMLA as a favourite as we cannot honour just that.
But we can deliver the way we operate effectively wherever you are in South Africa and with whom ever we have to deal, effectively, decisive and affordable.
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What about fees, must they be paid upfront or can it be deducted from recoveries?
Let me answer the question in short.
Yes, all fees need to be paid up before we take action.
Why is that so?
Our fees are as competitive low, that we cannot enforce any such fees economically, if someone just take our services and thereafter give us hassles to pay.
Any local attorney will do the same, as asking for a deposit, commonly far higher than our entire fees are, upfront.
In general those deposits are offset against fee notes and further deposits requested in due course.
We dont do that. We deliver services not billed on time issues, but on performance phases, which gives cost certainty and the assurance to be taken care of the full matter.
Contact us to get more detailed information.
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Any doubts about our capabilities or performance as this offer is an anonymous one on the web?
Well I must accept such doubts and can only point out and rely on the many we served before and who may be contactable for reference.
Check out what we display on our comprehensive web pages, which will back up our knowledge and experience without a doubt.
Anyhow we will never accept a mandate before we have had a first free analyse of your particular matter and if you aren't satisfied with our reply, simply don't go on with us, despite it may be detrimental to you.
We value a fair and open informative strategy that will please most of those with an open mind to new technologies as email etc.
But we can only do what we offer and if you aren't happy with such offer, just get into contact with your local lawyer.
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Should you have been through all the before . . .
and still think we can be the one to solve your motor vehicle accident compensation problem in South Africa, just get in contact with us.
You're welcome to be served perfectly.
Kind Regards
Your RAMLA team
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Nationwide Claim Service
SMS RAMLA to 076 770 3179
and let us know the problem, or much better send an e-mail to:
ramla@ramla.co.za
RAMLA Expert Partnership
Become a local partner of our Nationwide Network of experts in adjacent industries, such as:
Legal profession
Panel beater or auto
body repair workshops
Independent vehicle
damage assessors
enhancing mutual business at no cost to either side.
Please follow the link to the industry above to learn more about the offer.
SMS "network" your name and industry, place of business to 076 770 3179
and we call you, or send to
e-mail info@ramla.co.za
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