A whiplash injury is normally caused after a road accident – it can also be caused after a slip or a fall, however. Basically, anything that involves your neck / head being jolted forwards, backwards, or sideways quickly can cause a whiplash injury. It’s called whiplash for a reason – imagine an actual whip hitting a tree. It flies forward at speed, cracks the tree, and whips back. It’s this sharp movement that normally causes the injury.
When a whiplash injury occurs, your muscles and ligaments are stretched beyond their normal range of movement. This can lead to several symptoms that sufferers will endure; the below are all classis symptoms of a whiplash injury:
- Pain in the neck, shoulders, and all over, or just particular sections of, the back.
- Reduced movement and stiffness in the affected areas.
- Sleeping difficulties caused by the pain.
- Headaches – sometimes drowsiness, dizziness, and even vertigo in some cases.
The good news is that whiplash is often easy to identify. The bad news is that it’s a very difficult injury to predict. Whiplash is more of a complicated injury than most people think. It’s hard to estimate recovery times, and two people in the exact same accident can end up suffering different symptoms, and different levels of severity. The only way you can help a whiplash injury is to get some treatment from a physiotherapist; or a chiropractor, or osteopathic expert, if symptoms warrant their intervention.
Claiming Compensation for a Whiplash Injury
If the whiplash was caused through no fault of your own (e.g. a car accident that you were not at fault for), the really good news is that you can make a claim for a whiplash injury. The better news is that it’s actually quite easy to do as well.
Follow these simple steps to make the most out of your whiplash Injury Claim:
First things first though, make sure you get your own independent lawyer directly. Avoid getting one through your insurers or through a claims company. Your claim will be referred by your insurers / claims company to a lawyer for a fee which is either deductable form your payout, or deductable from your service levels. Don’t miss out on the fantastic service levels you are entitled to because your claim is sold away for a quick buck to a middleman!
- Instruct an independent specialist personal injury lawyer working on a Genuine No Win No Fee basis. This means 100% compensation for you (no deductions, no hidden charges) and no costs to pay if you don’t win. So, win or lose – you never pay or lose a penny!
- Get access to private medical care to help you recover from your injury faster. If the lawyer you instruct is really good, they should organise private medical care at absolutely no cost to you right from the outset of the claim – even if it doesn’t win! You can’t argue with cost free treatment!
- Evidence your losses to date and keep them safe. Wage slips for lost earnings, receipts for taxi rides to hospital, receipts for medication; it’s all claimable. Anything you pay out that is a direct result of your accident is claimable as part of your case. Your injury lawyer can then make a request for an interim payment on your behalf (part payment early to help you financially) before you case is settled.
All you need to do is call an injury lawyer today, and they will do all the leg work for the claim, and you will hardly have to lift a finger; which is good, given that a whiplash injury can be rather debilitating!
