Symptoms
The symptoms of whiplash can be widespread, and differ from person to person. I have listed some of the main symptoms below:
- Tenderness, stiffness, and / or pain around the neck area
- Pain radiating down the back and / or through the shoulders
- Pins and needle sensations down the arms
- Severe, recurrent headaches
Whiplash can be an unpredictable condition – by this, I mean that a doctor could predict that you will recover in 6 months, when 12 months down the line, you are still in pain. This is why it can be essential to gain the advice of a specialist personal injury lawyer – a solicitor would normally advise you not to settle your claim before you have recovered (or recovered a much as you are ever going to). The reason for this is that it is not in your best interest to settle on a full and final basis (i.e. you cannot then go back for more) based on a medical report stating you will recover in 6 months, when there is the possibility that you will suffer longer, and may need further treatment – at this point, your claim is likely to be worth more, and you can no longer claim for the costs of this treatment if you settle too early.
Valuations
There are a number of ways in which a solicitor will value your claim; I have listed some of these below:
- A medical report – this assesses the extent of your injuries, as well as the effects these have had on all areas of your life.
- The experience, knowledge, and expertise of an expert personal injury lawyer.
- JSB guidelines – these guidelines categorise whiplash injuries into bands for the purposes of valuation. These bands are:
Minor Whiplash Injuries – between £875 to £5,150
Moderate Whiplash Injuries – range from £5,150 to £16,400
Severe Whiplash Injuries – range up to anywhere in the region of £97,000.
If you require any further information regarding your whiplash claim, feel free to give us a call.