British people who are involved in car accidents should seek legal advice after a car accident, the Law Society has advised.

Its comments come after it emerged that some insurance firms in Northern Ireland are contacting the innocent parties directly after crashes and offering to resolve the case without getting solicitors involved, BBC News reports.

Alison Donnelly, spokesperson for the Consumer Council, warned this could mean that people involved in accidents are not getting the compensation they deserve.

"Any insurance company that actively discourages consumers from getting this advice is behaving unfairly and should be stopped," she added, pointing out that those involved in crashes are likely to still feel shaken and vulnerable, plus they may not be confident enough to insist on their rights.

Figures from the Department for Transport show that 26,034 people were seriously injured on Britain’s roads last year, while there were also 202,333 minor injuries.

Anyone hurt in a road accident that was not their fault should seek the advice of a solicitor within three years of the accident in order to see if they are eligible to make a compensation claim.