Whiplash has become somewhat of a cliche and is largely frowned upon by society – mainly by those who have never had it. But despite what the media says, whiplash is a real injury and it can cause some real problems. So what actually is whiplash?
Whiplash has symptoms such as:
- Neck pain
- Stiffness in the neck
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Back pain
- Shoulder pain
- Vomiting
- Muscle aches or spasms
Whiplash often occurs as a result of a vehicle collision because, although our trusty friend the seatbelt can protect us to an extent, the neck is largely unprotected and can violently respond to a collision by being jerked around – causing whiplash. Other causes of whiplash can be sport or ‘head banging’ (if that’s your kind of thing) – pretty much any vigorous head movement can cause whiplash type injuries.
How to make the most of my Whiplash claim?
When making a whiplash or any other claim it is vital to consider how your injuries have affected your daily routine.
- Have you had to have time off from work?
- Have you had to pay for childcare, carers or cleaners?
- Are you unable to participate in leisurely activities that you did before e.g. sports?
- Have you had medical care and attention?
These are all factors that can indeed enhance your claim so be sure to be as detailed as possible when informing us of your injuries and their consequences.
An expert’s advice counts!
Claims such as whiplash are not as obvious as a deep cut or a broken limb so it is vital that you pop down to your GP if you can. You may need to get painkillers or in some cases physiotherapy to ease the areas affected, and it’s useful to have a record of your trip to your GP as this can be used as evidence to help support your claim!
However, because of the difficulty surrounding whiplash, even the expert’s find it hard to predict how long the symptoms will last. Depending on the time the injuries take to heal and the severity generally depends on how much compensation you are entitled to.
The Whiplash trio
Minor whiplash – This is the less severe case of whiplash and worth between £1,000 – £5,000, although your typical payout is around £2,500.
Moderate whiplash – To be classed as moderate whiplash an accident must have caused symptoms for a considerable time period and can be worth between £5,000 – £15,000.
Severe whiplash – More severe symptoms that persist for a lengthy period of time; claims that fit this criteria can be worth over £15,000.
However minor the whiplash may be, it is ALWAYS worth giving us a call to see what we can do for you.
Information Sources: www.nhs.uk/conditions/whiplash/pages/treatment
