Passenger in a Taxi Accident: Documents to Prepare for an RAF Claim

Key takeaways

• Start a dated accident file with your identity document, the taxi and driver details, police or traffic records, medical records, witness information and proof of financial loss. Add every RAF or insurer notice, form and deadline. The Road Accident Fund’s current claim instructions and forms control what must be lodged; an old checklist is not a substitute for the current form or a matter-specific review.
• If you are injured, obtain medical care first. If you are able, ask someone you trust to preserve the records and photographs while the details are fresh.

What a passenger should record first

Create a one-page accident summary before sorting the documents:

• date, approximate time and exact location;
• taxi registration, route, operator details and driver name if known;
• where you were seated and what happened immediately before the impact;
• names and contact details of passengers, witnesses and responding officials;
• ambulance, hospital, police, traffic and towing details;
• each injury, symptom, treatment date and current limitation; and
• the work, study, care or household activity you could not perform.

Do not guess a missing detail. Mark it as unknown and identify who may be able to confirm it.

Identity and authority documents

Keep a clear copy of your identity document or passport and proof of address if requested. For a minor, include the full birth certificate and the parent or legal guardian’s identity and authority records. If someone is assisting you, retain the written mandate and their contact details. A deceased passenger’s estate or dependants may require additional death, relationship, executor or guardianship records.

Use the name and identity details consistently across medical, police, employment and RAF documents. If a name has changed, keep the official document that explains the difference.

Accident and vehicle records

Collect:

• the SAPS collision or case reference and officer or accident report;
• the police sketch plan, witness statements and any traffic-department record;
• taxi registration and licence information, driver details and operator or owner details if available;
• photographs or video of the scene, road layout, vehicle damage, seat position and visible injuries;
• ambulance, tow-truck and emergency-service details; and
• messages, booking records, fare receipts, dash-camera footage or passenger contact records.

Keep the original files with their creation dates. Do not crop, enhance or overwrite a photograph before making a working copy. A short note about who supplied each record is useful when the source may later need to be confirmed.

Medical and injury evidence

Ask each treating facility for the records and accounts that it can lawfully release to you. The file may include:

• ambulance and emergency-department records;
• hospital, clinic, GP, specialist, therapy and pharmacy records;
• diagnoses, referrals, prescriptions and treatment plans;
• medical accounts, receipts, medical-aid statements and payment proof;
• photographs of bruising, wounds, scarring or reduced movement, dated where possible;
• information about work, study, driving, care or daily activities affected by the injury; and
• later consultations, deterioration, surgery recommendations or rehabilitation evidence.

Do not ask a doctor to write a legal conclusion. Ask for an accurate clinical record of the injury, treatment, prognosis and functional effect. Under the RAF framework, a serious-injury assessment may be relevant to a claim for general damages; the current form and assessment route should be confirmed rather than copied from an old web page.

Work, earnings and care losses

If the injury affected income or responsibilities, preserve:

• employment contract, payslips and proof of earnings before the accident;
• sick-leave, incapacity, return-to-work and occupational-health records;
• tax or business records where self-employment is involved;
• proof of reduced hours, missed shifts, cancelled work or lost contracts;
• receipts for transport, home help, medication, equipment and care; and
• a simple schedule showing date, amount, payer and reason for each expense.

Do not claim an amount just because it sounds reasonable. Label an estimate as an estimate and keep the supporting calculation for review.

RAF forms and current submission requirements

The RAF publishes its claim instructions and forms. A bodily-injury claim may involve RAF 1 and a medical report, while accident particulars and other supporting statements may require additional forms or records. The correct form, version, signature, affidavit and delivery method must be confirmed from the Fund or a representative handling the claim.

Before signing a form, check:

1. the claimant’s name and identity number;
2. the accident date, place, vehicles and parties;
3. the injuries and treatment providers;
4. the amounts or categories being claimed;
5. the medical practitioner’s completed sections;
6. supporting affidavits, police records and witness material; and
7. the address, delivery proof and date of submission.

Keep a complete copy of everything lodged and the proof that it reached the Fund. If the Fund asks for more information, save the request and response together.

Deadlines and prescription

Do not wait for the file to feel complete before checking time limits. Prescription and procedural requirements can depend on whether the responsible driver or owner is identified, whether the claimant is a minor or otherwise represented, what kind of loss is claimed, and which step has already been taken. The Road Accident Fund Act and current regulations must be checked for the facts of the accident.

Write every known date at the front of the file: accident, first treatment, police report, notice, form delivery, request for further information, assessment and any threatened court or prescription date. Get advice promptly if a deadline is close, a driver or owner is unidentified, or a notice has already been received.

If the passenger died or cannot manage the claim

Ask for advice about the correct claimant and authority before submitting a form. A death certificate, post-mortem or inquest record, proof of marriage or dependency, children’s birth records, executor appointment and proof of funeral expenses may be relevant. A parent, curator, guardian or executor should not sign outside the authority granted to them.

Common mistakes to avoid

• using an outdated RAF form or copying a deadline from an old article;
• describing the accident from memory without checking the police or medical records;
• deleting messages, photos, location data or treatment notes;
• signing an admission, settlement, release or fee agreement without understanding it;
• sending original identity or medical records without keeping a secure copy;
• assuming the taxi operator, driver, owner and RAF have the same legal role; and
• paying a person who promises a guaranteed RAF payout or asks for unexplained upfront access to your documents.

The RAF says a person may lodge a direct claim or use a lawyer. That choice affects who handles the file, correspondence, forms and costs; it does not remove the need to preserve evidence or verify the current process.

Questions for a first consultation

• What type of RAF claim and injuries are supported by this evidence?
• Which current forms and medical reports apply?
• What deadline or prescription issue must be checked first?
• What should be requested from SAPS, the taxi operator, hospitals or employers?
• Which records can be sent securely, and who should receive them?
• What is missing from the injury, earnings or expense evidence?
• What will the first consultation cover, and how are fees or disbursements explained?
• What should I avoid signing or telling the Fund before the file is reviewed?

FAQs

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