According to the AA, Britain has one of the best road safety records in the world. Nevertheless The Times newspaper recently referred to Britain as the ?whiplash claims capital of Europe?, with a staggering 1,500 claims made every day.
Whiplash is the term used to describe an injury caused by the sudden and violent movement of the head backwards and forwards, normally as the result of a collision. Whiplash claims are predominantly the result of road traffic accidents. Up to 20% of collisions involving a car hit in the rear lead to whiplash injuries which in turn may give rise to whiplash claims. Often these injuries occur in vehicles travelling at relative low speeds.
While road traffic accidents are the major causes of whiplash claims, any incident involving jolting of the head can cause whiplash. These include fairground rides such as dodgems, awkward trips and falls or a blow to the head. On rare occasions a whiplash injury is sustained during a violent contact sport such as boxing.
Whiplash is categorised as either acute or chronic. Acute whiplash, whilst uncomfortable, is relative minor and sufferers recover fairly quickly. Chronic whiplash on the other hand may take anything from a few months to a number of years to completely disappear, making whiplash claims in these cases more complicated.
One particular study cited by the NHS reveals an average recovery time for an acute whiplash injury as 32 days. Out of approximately 2,600 participants, 12% had failed to recover six months later. Typical symptoms of whiplash include neck stiffness or swelling coupled with fatigue. In more severe cases dizziness, tinnitus, long term memory loss and even depression can occur, leading to higher payouts in whiplash claims.
Payouts in cases of whiplash claims normally correspond with the serious nature of the injury, although no two cases are the same. Two people may be experiencing similar symptoms but where the injured party in one case is the main earner in a household compensation may be higher than in a case where no financial impact is felt. Women may be more liable to experience chronic whiplash due to their weaker neck muscles.
For those experiencing whiplash symptoms after an accident, whiplash claims must ideally be made within three years of the injury occurring. As with all claims where compensation is sought the earlier the claim is made, the easier it is to prove, thus resulting in successful whiplash claims.
Whiplash is the term used to describe an injury caused by the sudden and violent movement of the head backwards and forwards, normally as the result of a collision. Whiplash claims are predominantly the result of road traffic accidents. Up to 20% of collisions involving a car hit in the rear lead to whiplash injuries which in turn may give rise to whiplash claims. Often these injuries occur in vehicles travelling at relative low speeds.
While road traffic accidents are the major causes of whiplash claims, any incident involving jolting of the head can cause whiplash. These include fairground rides such as dodgems, awkward trips and falls or a blow to the head. On rare occasions a whiplash injury is sustained during a violent contact sport such as boxing.
Whiplash is categorised as either acute or chronic. Acute whiplash, whilst uncomfortable, is relative minor and sufferers recover fairly quickly. Chronic whiplash on the other hand may take anything from a few months to a number of years to completely disappear, making whiplash claims in these cases more complicated.
One particular study cited by the NHS reveals an average recovery time for an acute whiplash injury as 32 days. Out of approximately 2,600 participants, 12% had failed to recover six months later. Typical symptoms of whiplash include neck stiffness or swelling coupled with fatigue. In more severe cases dizziness, tinnitus, long term memory loss and even depression can occur, leading to higher payouts in whiplash claims.
Payouts in cases of whiplash claims normally correspond with the serious nature of the injury, although no two cases are the same. Two people may be experiencing similar symptoms but where the injured party in one case is the main earner in a household compensation may be higher than in a case where no financial impact is felt. Women may be more liable to experience chronic whiplash due to their weaker neck muscles.
For those experiencing whiplash symptoms after an accident, whiplash claims must ideally be made within three years of the injury occurring. As with all claims where compensation is sought the earlier the claim is made, the easier it is to prove, thus resulting in successful whiplash claims.
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