Road Accident Fund Claims

The Road Accident Fund is a state-funded insurer that compensates South Africans injured in motor vehicle accidents caused by the negligent driving of another person. If you were hurt as a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or cyclist — and the accident was not solely your fault — you may have a valid RAF claim. We guide claimants through every stage of this process.

Who Can Claim?

Any person injured in a road accident caused by another driver's negligence may lodge a claim. This includes passengers in the at-fault vehicle, pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers who were partially but not solely responsible. Dependants of a person killed in a road accident may also claim for loss of support.

Since the RAF Amendment Act of 2008, claims are divided into two categories: claims for loss of income and future medical expenses (which remain largely unrestricted), and claims for general damages, which require the injury to meet a statutory "serious injury" threshold assessed by an accredited medical professional.

What You Can Claim For

• General damages for pain, suffering, and loss of amenities of life — subject to serious injury assessment
• Past and future loss of earnings or earning capacity where the injury affects your ability to work
• Past and future medical and hospital expenses arising directly from the accident
• Loss of support for dependants of a deceased breadwinner

Time Limits

The prescription period for RAF claims is three years from the date of the accident. Where a minor was injured, the three-year period only begins on the child's eighteenth birthday. Acting well before this deadline is essential — building a proper claim requires medical reports, actuarial calculations, and often expert evidence, all of which take time to assemble.

What We Handle

• Assessment of your claim and advice on whether it meets the serious injury threshold
• Coordination of medical examinations, specialist reports, and actuarial loss-of-earnings calculations
• Preparation and lodgement of the claim with the RAF
• Negotiation with the RAF and its legal representatives toward a fair settlement
• High Court litigation where the RAF disputes liability or the quantum of damages
• Claims involving unidentified (hit-and-run) drivers and uninsured vehicle owners