Whiplash claims are very common and many people want to know what they are entitled to claim for when making a personal injury compensation for whiplash. So if you are looking at making a whiplash claim and you want to know what you are entitled to, read on for advice about what the claim can include and what sort of payout you may be looking at.
Whiplash affects different people in different ways. Some people can get away with just a few weeks worth of straightforward pain and stiffness, whereas others may be in pain and having severe problems for months and months.
If you are suffering for a while then three of the most common things you can include in a claim are:
- Lost earnings from time off work
- Pain medication costs – both over the counter and for prescription stuff
- Private medical care costs which we can fund for you before the claim has finished
These are classed as Special Damages and are claimed on top of the amount for the injury alone.
When it comes to the injury, most people will fall within the minor whiplash category which can last for up to two years or so. It does all depend on the severity of the suffering of course – if you’re in a neck brace for two years then it’s not likely to fall within the minor category, of course!
Most minor whiplash claims will commonly be valued between £1,000 and £5,000. The average statistical payout is around £2,500.
Take note that the new rules about not being able to recover all these fees from the opponent have led to a general uplift in the amount you can claim for by 10%. Make sure you use a solicitor to take advantage of the higher payout, and remember that research has shown that solicitors do get you more when you claim the proper way.
In our opinion you should never settle directly as you will almost always under settle the case. Trust me – we have, for years now, been inundated with calls by people who have under settled when dealing directly and want to claim more. But the tough news is that your chances of getting any more are very slim indeed.
