This page provides general information only and is not legal advice. LawBridge is a platform that connects clients with lawyers, not a law firm, and does not provide legal services. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified lawyer.
Quick Answer
For a cross-border damages claim (not involving a traffic accident specifically), Rome II Regulation generally applies the law of the country where the damage occurred — not either party's home country — unless both parties are habitually resident in the same country, or the case has a manifestly closer connection elsewhere. Which of these applies, and what compensation is actually available, depends on the specific facts and requires legal review.
Quick Facts
- Governing framework
- Rome II Regulation (EC) 864/2007
- Default rule
- Law of the country where the damage occurred (not where the harmful event was committed, if different)
- Exceptions
- Common habitual residence of both parties, or a manifestly closer connection to another country
- Typical first step
- Establish exactly where the damage occurred, which may differ from where the harmful act took place
Your Options
Apply the default rule (law of the damage location)
The starting point for most cross-border damages claims under Rome II.
Apply the common-habitual-residence exception
If both parties are habitually resident in the same country, that country's law generally applies instead.
Argue for the manifestly-closer-connection exception
Where the situation is clearly more closely connected to a different country, that country's law can apply instead — a narrower, fact-specific exception.
Steps to Take
- 1
Identify where the damage actually occurred
The key fact for the default Rome II rule — not necessarily where the harmful conduct happened.
- 2
Check whether an exception applies
Common habitual residence, or a manifestly closer connection elsewhere.
- 3
Determine which country's courts have jurisdiction
Generally under Brussels Ia's general rules — defendant's domicile, or where the harmful event occurred.
- 4
Gather evidence of the damage and its cause
The specific evidentiary requirements depend on which country's law applies.
- 5
Get country-specific legal advice
What counts as compensable damage, and how it's calculated, varies significantly by country.
Documents You May Need
- Evidence of the damage (photos, reports, valuations)
- Evidence of the cause and responsible party
- Proof of your habitual residence, and the other party's if known
- Any correspondence with the responsible party or their insurer
- Identity documents
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming your home country's law automatically applies
- Not identifying precisely where the damage occurred, versus where the act took place
- Overlooking the common-habitual-residence exception when it could apply favourably
- Delaying the claim past the applicable limitation period
Risks & Deadlines
Limitation periods vary significantly by the applicable country's law
Requires legal review for the specific country — since Rome II can point to a country other than your own, its (possibly shorter) limitation period applies, not necessarily the Czech one.
What counts as compensable damage varies by country
Requires legal review for the specific country — heads of damage recognised (e.g. non-material harm) differ significantly between EU legal systems.
Estimated Costs
- Court filing fee: Requires legal review — varies by country
- Initial lawyer consultation: Varies by lawyer and country — ask for a quote upfront
- Full proceedings, if contested: Requires legal review — depends on the country and complexity
When to Contact a Lawyer
- You're unsure which country's law applies to your claim
- The responsible party or their insurer disputes the claim
- The damage is significant or has long-term consequences
- More than one country's courts could plausibly have jurisdiction
Frequently asked questions
It applies broadly to non-contractual civil and commercial claims, though certain areas (like some intellectual property matters) have their own specific rules within the same regulation — this needs checking for your specific type of claim.
This can genuinely be a complex question in some cases (e.g. damage that manifests somewhere different from where the cause occurred) — it needs case-specific legal analysis.
In some circumstances, yes — Rome II allows parties to choose the applicable law after the damage occurs, under specific conditions, though this is less common than the default rules applying.
No. LawBridge is a platform that connects you with independent lawyers — it does not itself provide legal advice or legal services.
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