Lawyer in Prague — Traffic Accident

Quick answers

Do I have to deal with the Czech insurer directly, in the Czech Republic?

No — thanks to the EU claims representative system, you can typically pursue the claim from your home country through the insurer's local representative. A lawyer can help set this up.

What law governs the compensation for an accident in Prague?

Generally Czech law, as the law of the place of the accident, under the Rome II Regulation — so the specific heads and amounts of compensation may differ from your home country's rules.

What you can do now

1. 1

   Make the scene safe and get help for anyone injured

   Switch on hazard lights, put on a reflective vest and set up the warning triangle. If anyone is hurt, call 112 (or 155 for an ambulance) straight away.

2. 2

   Check whether you must call the police (158)

   Since 1 July 2025 you must call the police if anyone is injured or killed, if the damage to any one vehicle including its cargo clearly exceeds CZK 200,000, if third-party property or part of the road (barriers, signs, lamp posts) is damaged, or if traffic cannot be restored without disproportionate effort.

3. 3

   Otherwise, fill in a joint accident record

   If the police are not needed, both drivers must fill in and sign a joint accident record (záznam o dopravní nehodě — the European Accident Statement). Take photos instead of drawing a sketch, and exchange names, addresses, dates of birth, number plates, VIN and insurance details.

4. 4

   Claim from the other driver's insurer

   Damage caused by another driver is paid from that driver's compulsory motor insurance (povinné ručení). Report the claim to their insurer without delay and keep the claim number. If the driver was uninsured or unknown, the Czech Insurers' Bureau (ČKP) pays from its guarantee fund.

5. 5

   If you were injured, keep every medical record

   Injury compensation covers pain and suffering, lasting harm, lost earnings and treatment costs. Medical reports from the first day onward are the evidence the insurer will ask for.

Deadlines and money

Report the claim to the insurer as soon as possible; damages claims in Czechia generally expire three years after you learn of the damage and who is liable. Vehicle repairs are usually settled by the insurer directly; injury claims take longer and are where low first offers are common. A lawyer often works on a fixed fee or an agreed share — ask before you sign.

Can you handle it yourself, or do you need a lawyer?

Minor damage with clear fault is usually settled directly with the insurer. Get a lawyer if anyone was injured, fault is disputed, the insurer offers too little or refuses to pay, the other driver was uninsured or fled, or the police started proceedings against you.

If the insurer disputes the claim, offers a low settlement, or the accident involved an injury, it is worth involving a lawyer familiar with Czech law — the specific heads of compensation available differ from what you may be used to at home.

Where to get help in Prague

• Residence and visas

  The Ministry of the Interior's OAMP office — book an appointment through the Information Portal for Foreigners or on +420 974 801 801.

  Ministerstvo vnitra — Odbor azylové a migrační politiky (OAMP)

• Free advice for foreigners

  The regional integration centre gives free advice in several languages and helps with offices.

  Integrační centrum Praha

• Wages and working conditions

  The regional labour inspectorate takes complaints against employers free of charge.

  Oblastní inspektorát práce pro hlavní město Prahu

• Court

  The district court for civil disputes such as deposits, wages or divorce.

  Obvodní soud podle městské části, kde bydlíte

Documents to Prepare

• •Czech police accident report, if police were called
• •European Accident Statement, if one was completed at the scene
• •Photos of the accident scene and damage
• •The other driver's insurance details
• •Medical records, if there was an injury

Legal background

When the police must be called is set by Section 47 of the Road Traffic Act (Act No. 361/2000 Coll.), as amended from 1 July 2025. Compulsory motor insurance is governed by Act No. 30/2024 Coll., which also sets the role of the Czech Insurers' Bureau and its guarantee fund. The EU's compulsory motor insurance system (the Motor Insurance Directive, codified as Directive 2009/103/EC) allows someone injured in a Czech traffic accident to pursue a claim through the insurer's claims representative in their own home EU country, without needing to travel to the Czech Republic. The applicable law for the amount and scope of compensation is generally the law of the place of the accident (Czech law, under the Rome II Regulation), unless a specific exception applies.

Verified Sources

• Changes in handling traffic accidents from 1 July 2025 — Police of the Czech Republic
• Road Traffic Act (Act No. 361/2000 Coll.), Section 47 — Zákony pro lidi
• Motor Liability Insurance Act (Act No. 30/2024 Coll.) — Zákony pro lidi
• Czech Insurers' Bureau (ČKP) — Česká kancelář pojistitelů

Last reviewed: 2026-10-14

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