Preparing for a Whiplash Injury Claim
Whiplash is the most common injury sustained in road traffic accidents, although there are many other ways it can happen, maybe because:
- You hit a pothole in the road while out riding your bicycle
- You slip on a wet floor and bang your head against a wall as you go down
- You are walking past a building site and something falls and hits your neck or shoulders
- You are regularly lifting heavy items in your job and drop something, going down to the floor with it
- You have been playing a contact sport such as boxing or rugby
In fact anything that causes your head to suddenly jolt backwards, forwards or sideways, may result in a whiplash injury, and you may want to make a personal injury compensation claim. It’s wise to remember the accident must have been the fault of someone else
What is whiplash?
When your head has a sudden jolt, it can damage the tendons and ligaments in the neck and this basically is whiplash. There is no specific medical term for the condition; as far as doctors are concerned the injury is a sprain in the neck, and a sprain is what it would be called in any other part of the body.
When you are preparing for a Whiplash Injury Claim, one of the things you will need is a diagnosis from a doctor confirming you do have a neck injury. This will only ever be an opinion as there are no medical tests for whiplash, the doctor relies on the symptoms you relate and the fact your head has recently had a sudden jolt.
What are the symptoms of whiplash?
After an accident it can often be a few hours before the whiplash symptoms set in., but when they do you will be well aware of the pain. When they do start, the sorts of things you may experience are:
- Pain in the neck area
- Stiffness and lack of mobility to the neck
- Backache
- Headaches
- Pins and needles and aches in the arms and legs
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness
- Trouble sleeping
- Nausea
- Depression and anxiety
Most of these symptoms will only happen in the severest of whiplash cases, but when you are preparing for a Whiplash Injury Claim, keeping a record of your symptoms, when they started and when they subsided, can only be a help.
What is the treatment of Whiplash?
Most cases of whiplash are mild and will clear over a few weeks providing the victim is sensible. Plenty of rest, so the neck can heal, is needed. After a few days some gentle neck exercise is advisable to help relieve the stiffness and lack of mobility. Painkillers and icepacks will also help, although you should never put ice directly onto the skin. Always wrap it in something first, a tea towel perhaps.
Moderate and severe cases will sometimes be treated with a neck brace to support the neck, and occasionally physiotherapy will help.
The biggest problems can arise from the other effects whiplash can cause. It has been known to develop into complex chronic pain disorder, which amounts to irreversible damage to the central nervous system, which becomes hypersensitive. A victim this happens to will be in pain for the rest of their lives.
When you are preparing for a Whiplash Injury Claim, a medical report from the doctor that has treated you will be requested. Depending on what that report says may mean you are asked to go for an independent medical assessment.
What is the insurance company’s view of whiplash?
You will likely be interested in learning how much compensation you can claim for whiplash, but first you must ensure that you have sufficient evidence to support your claim.
According to the Association of British Insurers, 78% of all personal injury claims, which are dealt with by insurance companies, are for whiplash. Furthermore, they also say that half the claims are misrepresented, exaggerated or fabricated and that these dodgy claims add £90 a year to everyone’s insurance premiums.
Many insurance companies agree the claims out of court just to get a quick settlement and to save the court costs which can be involved. Unfortunately, this just encourages the false claims.
It is little wonder insurance companies look on all whiplash claims with suspicion, and genuine cases probably suffer because of this. When you are preparing for a Whiplash Injury Claim, it is important to have all the evidence you can muster in your support. If you were able to take photos of the scene, or get the names and address of witnesses, this evidence would be very useful when making your personal injury compensation claim.
Preparing for a Whiplash Injury Claim
So now we have:
- Details of the accident and how it happened
- Your personal details
- Information about the guilty party
- A diagnosis from your doctor
- Details of your injuries
- How your injuries have been treated and hopefully a prognosis for the future
- Photos
- Names and addresses of witnesses
We now have most of what is required to make your claim, but there is one thing missing. At the time of the accident, because injuries were involved, the police should have been called. After talking to each person involved in the incident they have to compile an accident report. A copy of this could be vital to your personal injury compensation claim.
Once you have finished preparing for a Whiplash Injury Claim, it is time to start. You need to find a law firm you can trust to handle your claim in a quick and efficient way. They need to have lawyers experienced in dealing with whiplash claims, experienced in dealing with insurance companies and well versed in the art of negotiation.
They need to be honest and trustworthy, reliable and dependable, and prepared to put the needs of their claimants first. You need to know that all your dealings with them will be in the strictest confidence and that they will keep you regularly updated with the progress of you personal injury compensation claim.
When you have found the law firm you are happy with, you will have everything ready for them, and that makes the whole experience a lot easier.
Are you ready to make a whiplash claim? Head on over to the Accident Advice Helpline claims page, we also have a whiplash compensation calculator service for you to work out just how much compensation you could expect to receive for whiplash. Visit the website today or call 0800 689 0500 free of charge today.
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Category: Medical
