Whiplash Compensation Guide

Whiplash Compensation Guide

Whiplash is a common injury suffered following any sort of road accident – as a car driver, a passenger on a bus, or a motorcyclist / cyclist. It’s caused by the ligaments and tendons in your neck and back being stretched beyond their normal range of movement because of the impact of the collision.

As Whiplash Claims Experts, we get a lot of calls from people looking for whiplash compensation advice, and we are always able to help them out and successfully secure their compensation as quickly as possible.

The common questions we are asked:

1. What are the common Whiplash Symptoms?
2. How much Whiplash Compensation can I claim for?
3. How long does a Whiplash Claim take?
4. How do I make a Whiplash Claim?

Here is a guide to put you in the picture:

Common Whiplash Symptoms

• Pain, soreness, tenderness, and stiffness in the neck, back, and shoulder areas.
• Reduced movement in the affected areas.
• Headaches, and sometimes dizziness.
• Pins and needles in the arms, and sometimes other areas of the body.
• Problems sleeping – because of the pain!

Whiplash is a more complicated injury than most people think. It’s difficult to predict, and can affect different people in different ways – even if you were in the same accident.

The symptoms usually become apparent between 6 – 48 hours after an accident, and will likely increase in severity over time. I should know – as a whiplash sufferer myself, I know it’s a pain to live with!

How Much Whiplash Compensation Can I Claim For?

Each case is assessed individually, based on a medical report from a fully qualified expert. You must have a specialist injury lawyer representing you for the claim to value it properly.

• 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!

To secure the maximum amount, go to an injury lawyer directly. Avoid letting your insurers refer you to a solicitor through Legal Expense Insurance, or Motor Legal Protection. It’s likely your claim is referred over for a referral fee paid by your solicitor, which can be anywhere up to £800. This amount is not recoverable from the other side, so can only come from your payout, or leaving the solicitor with a reduced budget for you and your claim.

Reduced budget means potentially less compensation – less money to fight harder for your claim, and less money to provide you with a quality service.

An injury lawyer directly can offer you a quality service – contact every 14 days; calls, emails, letters returned within 24 hours; a lawyer with more money to fight tooth and nail for a maximum payout.

How Long Does a Whiplash Claim Take?

With a proper specialist personal injury lawyer, it should take around 3 to 6 months. An injury lawyer direct will be able to provide a faster service, and a faster conclusion.

With a referral solicitor, including those through claims management companies, may take longer as they have less money to spend on your claim.

If you need treatment, it’s wise to have it, and wait for your recovery before settling. A good injury lawyer will provide private medical care at no costs to you right from the outset of your claim – helping you to recover faster, and settle the claim quicker. You have a duty to help yourself to get better, so it needs to be done. An interim payment can be secured before the case is settled to help you out financially whilst you’re undergoing treatment.

How Do I Make a Whiplash Claim?

You need:

• An expert firm of specialist personal injury lawyers – directly
• A Genuine No Win No Fee Agreement – Guaranteeing 100% compensation for you, because all costs are recovered from the other side. With a Genuine agreement, the fees should be restricted to whatever the other side pay – so you cannot be charged. If the claim loses, you pay nothing – not a penny.

For some quality whiplash advice, feel free to get in touch.