Learn how pedestrians injured in traffic accidents in Turkey can claim compensation in 2026, including permanent disability, medical expenses, loss of earnings, fatal accidents, hit-and-run cases and foreign pedestrians’ rights.

Pedestrians are among the most vulnerable victims of road traffic accidents. Unlike drivers and passengers, pedestrians have almost no physical protection when struck by a car, motorcycle, truck, bus or other motor vehicle. Even a relatively low-speed collision can cause fractures, head injuries, spinal trauma, internal injuries, permanent disability or death.

For an injured pedestrian, one of the most important questions is:

Can compensation be claimed directly from the driver’s compulsory traffic insurance company?

In many cases, yes.

Where a motor vehicle causes bodily injury to a pedestrian, the compulsory motor liability insurance of the responsible vehicle can be an important source of compensation within the applicable insurance framework and coverage limits.

However, an insurance claim must be prepared correctly. Fault, medical causation, permanent disability, income, insurance limits and supporting documents can all affect the amount ultimately recoverable.

Foreign tourists, expatriates, international students and other foreign pedestrians injured in Turkey may also have compensation rights. Foreign nationality does not by itself prevent a person from pursuing a traffic accident claim in Turkey.

What Compensation Can a Pedestrian Claim After a Traffic Accident?

A pedestrian accident can create several different categories of damage.

Depending on the circumstances, potential claims may involve:

• permanent disability compensation;
• loss of earning capacity;
• certain temporary incapacity and income losses;
• medical and treatment-related losses;
• future economic losses;
• damaged personal property;
• moral damages;
• loss-of-support compensation following death; and
• other legally recoverable losses.

However, an important distinction must be made.

Not every legally recoverable loss is necessarily payable by the compulsory traffic insurer.

Some claims may need to be pursued against the driver, vehicle operator, owner, employer or another responsible person.

Can a Pedestrian Claim Directly Against Traffic Insurance?

Potentially, yes.

Turkey’s compulsory motor liability insurance system is designed to protect third parties against covered losses resulting from the operation of insured motor vehicles.

A pedestrian injured by a motor vehicle is therefore not required to have their own motor insurance policy in order to have a potential claim.

The important insurance policy is generally the compulsory traffic insurance covering the vehicle responsible for the accident.

The current compulsory motor liability insurance framework is maintained by the Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency, commonly known as SEDDK.

What Are the Traffic Insurance Compensation Limits in 2026?

For accidents occurring between 1 January and 31 December 2026, SEDDK’s official compulsory traffic insurance limits provide significant protection for bodily injury.

For motor vehicles used to transport persons, the principal per-person limits include:

Health Expenses: TRY 3,600,000 per person

Permanent Disability and Death: TRY 3,600,000 per person

The aggregate accident limit for these categories is TRY 18,000,000 for vehicles used to transport persons. Different aggregate limits apply to certain other vehicle categories.

The TRY 3.6 million figure should not be misunderstood.

It is a maximum insurance coverage limit per person, not an automatic compensation payment.

An injured pedestrian’s actual compensation must be calculated according to the individual circumstances.

How Is Permanent Disability Compensation Calculated?

Permanent disability is one of the most important heads of compensation following a serious pedestrian accident.

A pedestrian may suffer:

Brain Injury

Spinal Injury

Nerve Damage

Multiple Fractures

Loss of Limb

Restricted Mobility

Loss of Vision

Permanent Neurological Damage

Joint Dysfunction

The compensation calculation may take account of factors such as:

Age

Permanent Impairment

Income

Working Capacity

Fault

Medical Causation

Applicable Actuarial Methodology

Insurance Coverage Limit

This means two people suffering apparently similar injuries may receive substantially different compensation calculations.

Does a 40% Disability Mean the Pedestrian Receives 40% of TRY 3.6 Million?

No.

This is an important misconception.

The disability percentage is not simply multiplied by the insurance coverage limit.

For example:

40% Disability × TRY 3,600,000

is not automatically the compensation calculation.

Instead, the legally relevant economic loss must first be calculated according to the applicable rules. The compulsory insurance limit then operates as a ceiling on the insurer’s liability within the relevant coverage.

When Should Permanent Disability Be Assessed?

Serious injuries may take time to stabilize.

A pedestrian who suffers multiple fractures, nerve injuries or neurological damage may undergo surgery and rehabilitation for months before the permanent consequences can be properly evaluated.

Medical documentation is therefore extremely important.

Relevant records may include:

• emergency treatment records;
• surgery reports;
• hospital discharge reports;
• epicrisis reports;
• MRI and CT results;
• physiotherapy records;
• specialist reports;
• rehabilitation documentation; and
• the legally appropriate disability or medical board report.

An early settlement before the long-term medical consequences are known can create significant financial risk.

Can a Pedestrian Claim Loss of Earnings?

Potentially, depending on the nature of the claim and the responsible party.

A pedestrian may be unable to work for weeks or months after an accident.

Relevant economic losses can become particularly important where the victim is:

An Employee

A Business Owner

A Freelancer

A Professional

A Self-Employed Person

The claimant should preserve objective income evidence.

This may include employment contracts, payslips, social security records, tax returns, bank statements, invoices and accounting records.

What If the Pedestrian Can Never Return to Their Previous Job?

Permanent reduction in working capacity can create significant future economic consequences.

For example, consider a surgeon who suffers permanent hand damage, a construction worker who loses mobility or a professional athlete who suffers permanent leg impairment.

The medical impairment percentage alone may not tell the entire economic story.

The person’s age, profession, income and long-term working capacity can become important when determining legally recoverable damages.

Who Pays the Pedestrian’s Medical Expenses?

Medical expenses following traffic accidents operate within a specific statutory and insurance framework.

For 2026, compulsory traffic insurance provides a health-expense coverage limit of TRY 3.6 million per person, although the institutional mechanism for treatment expenses must be evaluated under the applicable Turkish social security and insurance rules.

The injured person should preserve complete medical documentation even where hospital costs were initially handled through another payment mechanism.

These records may later be essential to proving the nature and severity of the injury.

What If the Pedestrian Was Crossing at a Pedestrian Crossing?

A pedestrian crossing can be extremely important when determining fault.

The investigation may consider:

Location of the Crossing

Traffic Signals

Vehicle Speed

Visibility

Road Conditions

Driver’s Opportunity to Stop

Pedestrian’s Conduct

CCTV Evidence

The existence of a pedestrian crossing does not mean that evidence is unnecessary. The entire accident should still be reconstructed accurately.

What If the Pedestrian Was Not Using a Pedestrian Crossing?

This does not automatically eliminate all compensation rights.

A pedestrian can potentially be found partly responsible for an accident without losing every right to compensation.

For example, the evidence might ultimately support a finding that both the driver and pedestrian contributed to the accident.

In such a case, contributory fault may reduce the recoverable compensation rather than automatically reducing it to zero.

What If the Pedestrian Crossed on a Red Light?

Again, the circumstances matter.

Crossing against a pedestrian signal can significantly affect fault.

However, the driver’s conduct must still be examined.

Questions may include:

Was the Vehicle Speeding?

Was the Driver Distracted?

Could the Collision Have Been Avoided?

Was Visibility Adequate?

Did the Driver Brake?

Was the Driver Under the Influence?

Traffic accident liability should be based on the complete evidence rather than a single isolated fact.

Can an Incorrect Fault Assessment Be Challenged?

Potentially, yes.

Pedestrian accidents can generate serious fault disputes.

Useful evidence may include:

• police records;
• accident scene reports;
• CCTV footage;
• dashcam recordings;
• witness statements;
• photographs;
• traffic signals;
• road markings;
• braking evidence;
• vehicle damage patterns; and
• accident reconstruction.

CCTV should be secured quickly because many systems automatically overwrite recordings.

What If the Pedestrian Is a Child?

Accidents involving children require particularly careful legal analysis.

A child’s behavior should not automatically be evaluated in exactly the same manner as that of an adult pedestrian.

The driver’s conduct, road environment, visibility, proximity to schools or residential areas and foreseeability of children entering the road can all become relevant.

The child’s age and ability to appreciate traffic risks may also be important when evaluating contributory fault.

What If an Elderly Pedestrian Is Injured?

Elderly pedestrians can suffer particularly severe consequences from an accident.

A fracture that might heal relatively quickly in a younger person can result in prolonged immobility, permanent functional limitation or dependence on others in an older victim.

The compensation claim should therefore reflect the actual medical consequences rather than merely the initial diagnosis.

What If the Driver Leaves the Scene?

A hit-and-run pedestrian accident requires immediate action.

The victim, family or witnesses should try to preserve:

Vehicle Registration Plate

Partial Plate Information

Vehicle Make and Model

Vehicle Color

Driver Description

CCTV

Dashcam Footage

Witness Contact Details

Direction of Travel

Police or gendarmerie authorities should be informed promptly.

Can a Pedestrian Claim Compensation If the Hit-and-Run Vehicle Is Never Found?

Potentially, yes.

The Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account can become particularly important where the responsible vehicle cannot be identified.

The Guarantee Account’s official information confirms that bodily losses arising from an unidentified vehicle can fall within its statutory protection. It also covers qualifying bodily losses caused by uninsured vehicles.

This protection is particularly important for pedestrians because hit-and-run collisions can cause catastrophic injuries while leaving the victim without an identifiable insurer.

What If the Vehicle Has No Compulsory Traffic Insurance?

The pedestrian may still have potential compensation rights.

For qualifying bodily injuries caused by an uninsured vehicle, the Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account may become relevant.

The pedestrian may also need to investigate direct claims against:

Driver

Vehicle Operator

Vehicle Owner

Employer

Other Legally Responsible Persons

The absence of an insurance policy should therefore not automatically be interpreted as meaning that compensation is impossible.

Can the Pedestrian Claim Moral Damages?

Potentially, where the applicable legal requirements are satisfied.

A serious accident can cause significant physical suffering, psychological trauma and disruption of the victim’s life.

Moral damages, however, should be distinguished from the compensation categories covered by compulsory traffic insurance.

A claim against the driver or another legally responsible person may exist even where that particular category of damage is not payable by the compulsory insurer.

Can Damaged Personal Property Be Claimed?

Potentially.

A pedestrian accident may also damage:

Mobile Phone

Laptop

Glasses

Watch

Clothing

Luggage

Other Personal Property

The claimant should preserve damaged items where practical, photograph them and retain invoices or other evidence of value.

For 2026, SEDDK’s compulsory traffic insurance property-damage limit is TRY 400,000 per vehicle and TRY 800,000 per accident, subject to the applicable coverage framework.

What Happens If the Pedestrian Dies?

A fatal pedestrian accident can give rise to loss-of-support compensation for persons who were economically supported by the deceased.

Potential beneficiaries can include:

Spouse

Children

Parents

and, depending on the circumstances, other persons able to establish a legally relevant support relationship.

The calculation may consider:

Age of the Deceased

Income

Occupation

Age of Beneficiaries

Support Relationship

Fault

Applicable Actuarial Rules

The 2026 compulsory traffic insurance limit for death and permanent disability is TRY 3.6 million per person.

Is Loss-of-Support Compensation the Same as Inheritance?

No.

This distinction is important.

Loss-of-support compensation is based on the economic support that beneficiaries have lost because of the victim’s death.

Inheritance, by contrast, concerns succession to the deceased person’s estate.

A person may therefore need to analyze compensation rights separately from inheritance rights.

Can the Family Also Claim Moral Damages?

Potentially, depending on the legal circumstances.

A fatal traffic accident can generate claims against responsible persons beyond the compensation payable under compulsory traffic insurance.

The family should therefore not assume that the insurer represents the only potential source of legal recovery.

Driver liability, operator liability and other responsible parties may need separate examination.

Can Foreign Pedestrians Claim Traffic Accident Compensation in Turkey?

Potentially, yes.

Foreign nationality does not itself prevent a pedestrian from pursuing compensation after being struck by a vehicle in Turkey.

Potential foreign claimants include:

Tourists

Expatriates

International Students

Foreign Employees

Diplomatic or Consular Personnel

Business Travellers

Foreign Investors

The accident should be evaluated under the applicable Turkish liability and insurance framework.

Can a Foreign Tourist Claim After Returning Home?

Potentially, yes.

A tourist does not necessarily need to remain in Turkey throughout the compensation proceedings.

Before leaving Turkey, however, the victim should obtain as much evidence as possible.

Important documents include:

• police or gendarmerie records;
• accident report;
• hospital records;
• medical imaging;
• witness information;
• vehicle and insurer details;
• photographs;
• CCTV information; and
• proof of income.

An appropriately authorized Turkish lawyer may potentially continue relevant proceedings after the victim returns home.

Can Medical Treatment Continue in the Foreigner’s Home Country?

Yes.

A foreign pedestrian may receive emergency treatment in Turkey and continue surgery, physiotherapy or rehabilitation abroad.

The critical issue is documenting the medical connection between the Turkish accident and subsequent treatment.

Foreign medical records may need certified Turkish translation and, depending on their intended legal use, additional formalities.

Can Foreign Income Be Used in the Compensation Calculation?

Potentially, where income is legally relevant.

Foreign claimants should preserve reliable documentation such as:

Employment Contract

Payslips

Tax Returns

Bank Statements

Employer Letters

Business Accounts

Professional Contracts

A foreign claimant with substantial documented earnings should not assume that income will automatically be assessed according to Turkish minimum-wage figures.

The evidence and applicable calculation rules should be examined carefully.

What If the Pedestrian Does Not Have a Residence Permit?

Immigration status and traffic accident liability are separate legal questions.

A foreign pedestrian should not automatically assume that a visa overstay or residence-permit problem eliminates the right to seek compensation for injuries caused by another person’s wrongful conduct.

However, immigration issues may need separate legal management, particularly if the foreigner must remain in Turkey for treatment or legal proceedings.

What Documents Are Needed for a Pedestrian Insurance Claim?

A strong claim file may include:

• traffic accident report;
• police or gendarmerie records;
• fault documentation;
• vehicle information;
• insurance policy information;
• medical records;
• hospital discharge reports;
• disability reports;
• treatment records;
• income evidence;
• social security records;
• photographs;
• witness information;
• CCTV recordings; and
• power of attorney where represented.

The exact documents depend on the type of compensation claimed.

Should the Pedestrian Apply to the Insurance Company Before Starting Proceedings?

For insurance disputes, the applicable procedural requirements should be followed carefully before arbitration or litigation.

The written insurance application should clearly identify:

Accident

Injured Person

Vehicle

Insurance Policy

Nature of Injury

Compensation Requested

Supporting Documents

Claimants should preserve proof of submission and the insurer’s response.

What If the Insurance Company Offers Too Little?

A low insurance offer should be analyzed rather than accepted automatically.

Possible calculation disputes include:

Incorrect Fault Percentage

Incorrect Income

Incorrect Disability Assessment

Wrong Medical Causation Analysis

Actuarial Calculation Errors

Missing Documentation

Incorrect Coverage Interpretation

The claimant should request enough information to understand how the proposed compensation was calculated.

Should a Seriously Injured Pedestrian Accept an Early Settlement?

Not without understanding the medical prognosis and legal consequences.

A pedestrian may initially appear to be recovering well but later develop:

Permanent Movement Restriction

Chronic Pain

Neurological Deficits

Post-Surgical Complications

Reduced Working Capacity

A final settlement signed before permanent consequences are known can create substantial risk.

Any release document should therefore be reviewed carefully.

Can the Pedestrian Apply to the Insurance Arbitration Commission?

Potentially, where the applicable procedural requirements are satisfied.

The Insurance Arbitration Commission can provide an important mechanism for resolving qualifying disputes between claimants and participating insurance institutions.

Disputes may concern:

Permanent Disability Compensation

Underpayment

Coverage

Property Damage

Calculation Errors

Rejected Claims

The prior insurance application and supporting evidence should be preserved carefully.

Can the Pedestrian Sue the Driver as Well?

Potentially, yes.

The compulsory traffic insurer is not necessarily the only legally responsible party.

Depending on the accident, claims may need to be considered against:

Driver

Vehicle Operator

Vehicle Owner

Employer

Other Responsible Parties

This is especially important where total legally recoverable damages exceed available insurance coverage or involve losses outside compulsory insurance protection.

What If a Company Vehicle Hits the Pedestrian?

The liability analysis may become broader.

For example, if an employee driving a company vehicle hits a pedestrian while performing work duties, potential liability may involve the driver, vehicle operator, company or other legally responsible persons.

The precise relationship between ownership, operation and employment should therefore be investigated.

What Changed for Traffic Insurance Claims in Turkey in 2026?

Several regulatory developments are relevant to traffic insurance claims in 2026.

SEDDK published changes to the Compulsory Motor Liability Insurance General Conditions on 12 June 2026. On 17 June 2026, Circular No. 2026/13 concerning the submission of beneficiaries’ contact numbers in compulsory motor liability compensation claims was also issued.

SEDDK also issued the Insurance Experts Appointment Regulation on 19 February 2026, while the Insurance Information and Monitoring Center Regulation was amended on 23 June 2026.

In July 2026, the regulator introduced Circular No. 2026/21 concerning the Alo 193 Insurance Claim Notification and Complaint Line and Circular No. 2026/22 concerning motor vehicle insurance damage applications through the Common Claim Notification Center.

These developments form part of the current 2026 claims environment. Pedestrian accident victims should therefore rely on current procedures and coverage figures rather than older online information.

What Should a Pedestrian Do Immediately After an Accident?

Medical safety should always come first.

Once the victim’s condition permits, evidence should be secured quickly. Police or gendarmerie records, vehicle information, driver identity, insurance details, witnesses, photographs and CCTV should be collected.

Medical records should also be preserved from the first emergency examination onward.

For serious accidents, family members may need to collect evidence while the victim remains hospitalized.

What Are the Most Common Mistakes in Pedestrian Accident Claims?

Common mistakes include failing to preserve CCTV footage, assuming partial pedestrian fault eliminates every claim, accepting compensation before permanent injuries are known, failing to document income, losing medical records and failing to investigate the Guarantee Account when the responsible vehicle is uninsured or unidentified.

Another major mistake is assuming that the compulsory insurer must pay every possible category of damage.

Insurance coverage and the broader civil liability of responsible persons must always be examined separately.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pedestrian Accident Compensation in Turkey

1. Can a pedestrian claim compensation from the driver’s traffic insurance?

Potentially, yes. Where an insured motor vehicle is responsible for a pedestrian’s bodily injuries, compulsory traffic insurance may cover qualifying losses within the applicable legal framework and insurance limits.

2. What is the 2026 permanent disability compensation limit?

For 2026, compulsory traffic insurance provides up to TRY 3,600,000 per person for permanent disability and death. This is an insurance coverage ceiling rather than an automatic compensation amount.

3. Can a pedestrian claim compensation if they were partly at fault?

Potentially, yes. Contributory fault can reduce compensation but does not necessarily eliminate every claim.

4. Can a pedestrian claim if they were not using a pedestrian crossing?

Potentially, yes. The entire accident must be evaluated, including the pedestrian’s conduct, driver’s speed, visibility and opportunity to avoid the collision.

5. What happens if the driver leaves the scene and cannot be found?

The Turkish Insurance Guarantee Account may potentially provide compensation for qualifying bodily losses caused by an unidentified vehicle.

6. What happens if the vehicle has no traffic insurance?

Qualifying bodily injury claims caused by an uninsured vehicle may potentially fall within the Guarantee Account framework. Direct claims against responsible persons should also be investigated.

7. Can a foreign tourist claim pedestrian accident compensation in Turkey?

Potentially, yes. Foreign nationality does not itself prevent a qualifying traffic accident compensation claim.

8. Can a foreign pedestrian continue the claim after leaving Turkey?

Potentially, yes. A foreign claimant may authorize a Turkish lawyer to handle relevant proceedings, subject to appropriate documentation and power-of-attorney requirements.

9. Can the family claim compensation if a pedestrian dies?

Potentially, yes. Persons deprived of the deceased pedestrian’s economic support may have loss-of-support claims, subject to the applicable legal requirements.

10. Can a pedestrian challenge a low insurance compensation offer?

Potentially, yes. Fault, income, medical impairment, causation, actuarial methodology and coverage should be reviewed before deciding whether the insurer’s calculation is correct.

Legal Support for Pedestrian Accident Compensation in Turkey

Pedestrian accidents can result in catastrophic injuries and long-term financial consequences. A victim may face months of treatment, permanent disability, inability to return to work or substantial future loss of earning capacity.

For accidents occurring in 2026, compulsory traffic insurance provides up to TRY 3.6 million per person for permanent disability and death, subject to the applicable legal conditions and policy limits. However, this limit should not be confused with an automatic payment or the total potential civil liability of all responsible parties.

A comprehensive pedestrian accident claim should examine fault, medical causation, permanent disability, income, future working capacity, insurance coverage, available evidence and the liability of the driver, vehicle operator, owner and other responsible persons.

Our law office provides professional legal assistance concerning pedestrian accident compensation, permanent disability claims, serious bodily injury, fatal pedestrian accidents, loss-of-support compensation, hit-and-run accidents, uninsured vehicles, Insurance Arbitration Commission proceedings and foreign pedestrian accident victims in Turkey.

Fırat Fesih Kaya assists Turkish and foreign accident victims with reviewing accident evidence, determining available insurance coverage, preparing compensation claims, evaluating permanent disability and challenging rejected or underpaid insurance claims.

Foreign tourists, expatriates, employees and international visitors injured as pedestrians in Turkey may also obtain assistance concerning foreign medical records, overseas income evidence, powers of attorney and compensation proceedings continuing after their departure from Turkey.

Phone: +90 312 434 22 22
Mobile: +90 532 769 22 22
Email: info@firatfesihkaya.av.tr
Address: Mevlana Boulevard No: 221, Yıldırım Tower No: 148, 06520 Balgat, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey

For professional legal support concerning pedestrian accident compensation and traffic insurance claims in Turkey in 2026, you may contact our law office for a case-specific assessment of fault, permanent disability, insurance coverage, compensation calculations and available arbitration or litigation remedies.