If you’ve been involved in a road traffic accident it’s quite possible that you may have suffered whiplash.
The aim of this post is to help you understand what whiplash is, what compensation you can claim for, and to detail the claim process in order to help you achieve the result you want.
What is whiplash?
Before you begin the claims process it’s important that you have an understanding of what whiplash actually entails.
Whiplash is a soft tissue injury to the neck. It occurs when the tendons and ligaments in your neck extend beyond their normal capacity, it is similar to the effects of a sprained ankle.
Many believe that whiplash can only occur during a high-speed or high-impact collision, however, this is not the case.
Whiplash can occur during low-speed collisions, the key determining factor isn’t the speed, it’s the position of the head and neck at the point of impact.
In many cases, whiplash symptoms may not develop immediately after the accident. It’s common for the symptoms to manifest a day or two after the accident itself, which means you may not even realise you have whiplash at first.
Mild cases of whiplash can last between a few days to a few weeks and can range from uncomfortable to extremely painful, whilst more serious cases can result in lasting long-term damage.
Whiplash symptoms
If you’ve experienced an accident that you think may have caused you to suffer whiplash, there are a few symptoms to look out for.
Whilst you shouldn’t self-diagnose a whiplash condition, keeping an eye out for these symptoms can help you identify when you should seek medical attention.
Common whiplash symptoms include:
Neck pain or stiff neck
Headaches
Reduced mobility in the neck and head
As well as the above, some of the more serious cases of whiplash can include symptoms such as:
Back pain
Tingling in the arms and legs
Dizziness
Sudden fatigue or tiredness
Blurred vision
Ringing in the ears
Memory problems
If you’ve experienced any of the symptoms above, you should see the advice of a medical professional immediately.
How to claim for whiplash
Choosing Thorneycroft Solicitors to handle your whiplash claim ensures we do all the hard work and complete the legal paperwork, ensuring you can concentrate on what matters most, your recovery.
If you are looking to make a claim for compensation because you’ve suffered whiplash or other personal injuries, and you believe the cause of the accident wasn’t your fault, our team can help.
We ensure you face no financial risk by making a claim, because we operate on a no-win-no-fee basis.
Our legal team will talk you through the full claims process, and advise you on how much compensation you can expect to claim and give an approximate timeframe that your case will take.
Once you’ve got in touch with us either by calling us on 0800 1979 345 or completing our online enquiry form, one of our personal injury solicitors will go through the details of your case, so you should be prepared to share any details explaining how the accident happened and what your injuries are.
What happens next?
After you have gone through your case with one of our specialist solicitors, they will begin to work on your claim.
They’ll use their vast experience and knowledge alongside your evidence and medical reports to build the best possible case for your compensation claim.
They will begin by negotiating with third party insurers before advising you on whether you should take their offer or not.
Once an offer is agreed and our team of solicitors have received the money from the insurers, we will then send you your compensation.
How much can you claim?
Claims relating to cases of whiplash can vary in value depending on the severity of whiplash.
Minor cases can result in compensation worth a few hundred pounds to a few thousand, whilst cases involving more serious injuries can result in much higher value claims.
However, claims may increase in value should a special damages claim be made.
Special damages are made up of expenses such as:
Travel expenses
Loss of earnings
Help or care needed whilst recovering
Additional household costs
Hospital visits or parking
Should you claim for whiplash?
You pay your car insurance premium each year for a reason. It is designed to cover the costs of any financial help you may need as a result of damage to your property or injury to yourself.
Claiming compensation for an accident that wasn’t your fault is your legal right, and you shouldn’t feel bad or awkward for doing so.
Why choose Thorneycroft Solicitors?
Our personal injury solicitors have an excellent track record for settling personal injury claims in Macclesfield, Manchester, Cheshire and the surrounding area.
Our annual awards of damages for last year exceeded £14,000,000 with awards ranging from lower value, minor injury claims of £750 up to complex serious injury claims to the value of £1,300,000.
If you would like more information about how we can help you settle your whiplash claim, call us for free today on 0800 1979 345 or complete our online enquiry form and we’ll get back to you at a more suitable time.
