When To Seek Compensation For Whiplash

Perhaps the most common type of injury and the most notorious subject of personal injury associated with auto accidents is whiplash. If you are involved in a road traffic accident you are encouraged to make a claim but lots victims seem to be reluctant to do so because of the reputation the affliction has. Usually thought to be a consequence of road traffic accidents, whiplash can also result from sports injuries or even a simple trip or slip.

Whiplash compensation need not be restricted to those suffering an RTA and the fact that it’s almost regarded as a “comedy” injury and easy to fake, shouldn’t put you off either. There’s more to whiplash than just strapping on a neck brace and groaning theatrically. Whiplash causes pain, stiffness and restriction of movement in the neck and can cause headaches, muscle spasms and pain in the shoulders or arms. In more serious cases, especially those involving a motorcycle accident claim where the victim on two wheels is evidently more vulnerable, there can be long term back pain, dizziness, lethargy and nausea for months or even years.

So although it’s the subject of ridicule and disbelief, whiplash is very real. A sudden jolt to the head or body can have severe effects on the muscles, ligaments, tendons or other soft tissues in the neck. If you were a passenger in a vehicle involved in a collision which was your driver’s fault and you suspect you may have suffered from whiplash, taking action through compensation claims remains worthwhile. It’s the insurance company of the person responsible for the accident, not the person themselves, who will have to pay up.

Any auto accident should be reported to the police, but even if no criminal charges are levied, anyone injured would still be entitled to claim compensation from the driver’s insurance company. Road accidents involving uninsured drivers are not uncommon, although you may still be able to make a claim for compensation through the MIB (Motor Insurers’ Bureau) untraced driver scheme.