Road Traffic and Tort Law

Rising numbers of registered vehicles as well as traffic accidents provoke the increasing importance of road traffic and tort law. Whereas road traffic law can be characterized as public law, tort law is part of general civil law codified in the German Civil Code (BGB).

Typical legal problems are numerous – acceptance of foreign driving licenses, claims against insurance companies or others for compensation following road accidents, criminal investigations following driver’s negligence, failures to stop after an accident and/or to report it, and drunk driving, among others.

Comprehinsive legal advice can be vital in this fied. Relevant provisions are altered constantly, and cases usually require simultaneous and coordinated correspondence with two or more authorities and other parties. Moreover, and unlike in many other fields of German law, court decisions (particularly on compensation amounts and sanctions) can be regarded as actual precedents, to some extent. Therefore, profound knowledge of recent verdicts can affect not only upcoming decisions, but pre-trial negotiations with other parties, as well.

Selected F.A.Q.s and respective answers on this topic will be available for your information and can be browsed in the navigation bar on the left. Please keep in mind that this is introductory information only, not taking into account individual aspects. Although preparing and updating carefully, we cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness, and quality of the information provided, nor that it is up-to-date. If you face a legal problem, we strongly suggest you consider our firm or any other attorney’s office in order to obtain appropriate legal advice.