Whiplash Pain
How to recognise whiplash pain and what to do if you're a whiplash victim
Whiplash is one of the most common road traffic injuries in the UK, making up nearly three-quarters of all claims for injury on the road every year. Every day, nearly 1,200 people claim for whiplash injury. Whiplash claims amount to £1.9billion in insurance payouts annually and also put a huge drain on NHS resources, costing the health service £8million in consultation fees alone. But what exactly is whiplash, and what should you do if you're a whiplash victim?
Whiplash occurs when the head is jerked forward and then back at a higher velocity than the torso and is most commonly caused by a low speed rear end impact. The sudden force causes damage to the soft tissue of the neck and shoulders, resulting in pain, stiffness and even blurred vision. Although not usually apparent at the time of the accident, whiplash injuries manifest after the event, often lasting for days or even weeks. In severe cases whiplash injuries can cause lasting health issues, with some sufferers bearing the consequences of a seemingly insignificant impact for years.
"Whiplash has a bit of a reputation for being an 'easy claim'," says Nicholas Jervis, managing director of specialist company 1stClaims. "The truth is that until recently, whiplash was a very hard injury to define clearly. However, modern advances in the study of this debilitating injury have made it possible to clearly define what causes whiplash pain and just how serious it can be," he adds.
The most important consideration after an accident is to seek medical attention as quickly as possible. Once you have taken down all the details of the accident (including any pictures of the crash scene), expert medical advice is of paramount importance to determine how severe any injuries are. The earlier you receive treatment, the shorter the recovery time. If you are planning to make a claim for the injury then your specialist solicitor will also want to see medical evidence to confirm the extent of your injuries. "Our team deal with hundreds of whiplash claims every year and the most important thing to us is the health and well-being of our clients," says Nicholas. "At least if the accident wasn't their fault, a claim for any injuries sustained can take the financial worry out of what can be a very stressful time," he adds.
Recent highly publicised cases have shown that whiplash injuries can cause long term health problems, even if the injury was sustained at a relatively low speed. With the advent of more detailed analysis of the causes and symptoms of whiplash claims experts believe that genuine cases will now be given the attention they deserve, whilst filtering out spurious claims should be much easier.
"The medical profession is finally taking a much more detailed look at the causes and effects of whiplash, and that can only be a good thing for victims," says Nicholas Jervis. "Anything that helps to speed up the process of justifiable compensation claims and ensuring that victims receive the treatment and compensation they deserve has to be welcomed," he concludes.
Share with:
We are here to help you from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday,
8.30am to 6pm on Saturday and 9am to 6pm on Sundays.
Claim Now
Start your FREE claim for compensation by using our online claim form.
Remember we charge no fees and you receive 100%* of your compensation.
*Different rules apply for medical negligence - See Here
Our Service For You
0800 2888 693 or;
Which 7 Questions Must You Ask Before Choosing Your Personal Injury Claim Solicitor?
To receive our free guide advising you of all the questions you must ask before choosing your solicitor please click the link below:
7 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS GUIDE - DOWNLOAD HERE
UK Wide Coverage
We have expert solicitors across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland waiting to help
you now.
News / Articles
Sign Up For Our Free Safety Newsletter?
MRSA Hospitals - US fight new strain of superbug. 09/12/09
Whiplash Personal Injury & Treatment- 5/12/09
Accident At Work Claims On Rise - 28/11/09
Accident On Holiday? - What can you do? 27/11/09
Whiplash Claims Fraudster Caught - 17/11/09
NHS Compensation Claims - Should advertisements in hospital leaflets be stopped? 17/11/09
New Mums At Risk Of Hospital Negligence. 06/11/09
How Long For A Whiplash Claim? 6/11/09
MRSA Superbugs And Target Culture. 16/10/09
Car Accident Compensation - Don't Take The Insurance Company's First Offer! 16/10/09
Why Choose 1stClaims
- We hand select only the best personal injury claim and medical negligence solicitors to help you.
- You keep 100% of your compensation
- You pay nothing whether you win or lose your claim
- Your solicitor chosen by a senior personal injury solicitor with 14 years claims experience
What Our Clients Say
“What I most liked about your service is that it was easy to use. I was nervous about contacting you at first but that changed as soon as I had spoken to your staff who were very friendly. I would certainly recommend your service to other people thinking of making a medical negligence claim.” - Mr S, Berkshire
