Whiplash Claims

How To Assess Whiplash Claims

We know that whiplash injuries are sometimes the butt of jokes made by late-night comedians and that there are often raised eyebrows whenever you mention symptoms associated with this kind of injury. In a society where we're supposed to have a stiff upper lip and not complain, people think that if you have strained muscles in your neck you should just work through all of this and not complain. However, a whiplash injury is not to be underestimated. Depending on the severity of the crash which causes it there can be repercussions which can last for months, years and even for a lifetime.

The Mechanics of a Whiplash Injury

Our head and neck muscles are very complicated and intricate and they have a considerable job to perform, after all. The average head weighs about 5 1/2 kg and is capable of moving in many different directions. Whilst everything would be fine if we just went about our lives in the normal way, when our head is hyper-extended away from our body during an incident such as a rear end collision, something's got to give. Generally what happens is that there is a significant strain or sprain in the muscles and soft tissue around them. You may notice this right away or symptoms may not be evident until sometime later. No matter what type of rear end collision you’re involved in you are very likely to notice some symptoms, but you shouldn’t just discount them as "one of those things."

Claiming for Compensation for a Whiplash Injury

Whenever you are involved in an accident that was caused by the negligence of another party, you are entitled to seek compensation if you're out-of-pocket as a consequence. Therefore, you may well need to consider whether you should make one of those whiplash claims and should understand that the legal system is very aware of the repercussions, the consequences and the potential for losses in your case.

Generally speaking, the Judicial Studies Board Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases give solicitors who specialise in whiplash ideas of the amount of compensation that could be due to you. These figures can range anywhere from £1000 to £16,000 depending on the severity of the injury and the duration of your symptoms.

Finding an experienced Whiplash Compensation Solicitor to pursue your Compensation Claim

It's very important to choose a solicitor who is experienced in this field and can help you to obtain the correct amount of compensation.
Whilst you may well seek treatment under the National Health Service, you might also be unwilling to wait for treatment if this should be the case and therefore might turn to private medical practice for assistance.

You may have to wear a neck brace and this might preclude you from working, depending on your vocation. If you can't work you might not be able to earn as much money and this may lead to other repercussions. You might have to get assistance to look after small children, with the additional costs associated here as well.

What may seem to be a relatively minor accident can, as you can see, lead to the potential for quite a lot of expenditure and if the accident was not your fault, you should not have to pay.