Thanks to a recent Parliamentary Inquiry during which the UK was once again proclaimed the 'Whiplash capital of the world' - Whiplash is back in the news.
To be fair, it's rarely out of it.
According to accounts from the inquiry, Whiplash accounts for close to 80% of all personal injury claims and if the insurance industry are to be believed, more than 50% of these claims are 'fake'. 'Maybe even 60%'.
It is statistics plucked-from-the-air like these that help make Whiplash - and by association, Personal Injury Claims 'dirty words' - and whilst Personal Injury Lawyers and claims management companies are accustomed to being cast as villains - once again it is the genuine claimants that suffer from this mud-slinging most.
Those who have truly suffered from Whiplash, not only suffer the acute pain and discomfort the condition inflicts, but also the inconvenience and cost of treatment, not to mention the social stigma attached to the condition. I don't even mean the stigma of making a personal injury claim, but that of simply admitting to having suffered Whiplash.
In an article featured in the Telegraph, journalist Maria Fitzpatrick gives a harrowing account of her personal experience of suffering Whiplash, made worse by the bias of the medical professionals who treated her. It would appear, on reading her account, that their assumption that hers was 'yet another phoney case' lead them to offer treatment that bordered on Medical Negligence - with misdiagnosis heaped upon delays and mistreatment. Reading through her account of what appears to have been a terrible ordeal, you can't help but wonder how much of her suffering could have been alleviated if those same medical professionals had been able to treat her case objectively.
It appears it wasn't just the medical professionals who failed her - but she may have suffered further delays by having her insurance company appointed Solicitor manage the claim, rather than by contacting independent Personal Injury specialists.
I'm not suggesting for a moment that the Personal Injury Claims sector doesn't have it's share of 'cowboys' - (we've bemoaned as much in previous blogs like; Personal Injury Solicitors and Claims Management Companies - What's the Difference? and Who Is Sending Me These Fake Accident & Personal Injury Claims Texts?) - or that fake claims don't exist, but thankfully, changes to the law introduced in May are reducing their number and mean that if Maria's accident happened today and her claim were handled by Personal Injury Specialists, she should have been able to reach a resolution far more quickly, with less inconvenience and dare I say it... a larger settlement.
What is Whiplash?
Hands up who really knows what Whiplash is? Yes? You, at the back - Wikipedia?
"Whiplash is a non-medical term describing a range of injuries to the neck caused by or related to a sudden distortion of the neck associated with extension. The term "whiplash" is a colloquialism. "Cervical acceleration-deceleration" (CAD) describes the mechanism of the injury, while the term "whiplash associated disorders" (WAD) describes the injury sequelae and symptoms."
Huh?
Anyone else? How about you - NHS?
“Whiplash is a term used to describe a neck injury caused by a sudden movement of the head forwards, backwards or sideways. It often occurs after a sudden impact such as a road traffic accident. The vigorous movement of the head damages the ligaments (fibrous connective tissues that link two bones together at a joint) and tendons (tough, fibrous bands that connect muscles to bone) in the neck.”
Of course road traffic accidents are the main cause of whiplash, but did you know it can also occur on Rollercoasters at Theme Parks (if restraints are poorly fitted) and some people have even claimed to suffer from it after excessive head banging (although they'd find it very hard to prove it was due to someone else's negligence!). Other examples include sporting accidents, such as skiing, bungee jumps and contact sports such as boxing or rugby.
Whiplash is often a 'self-limiting condition', meaning it eventually gets better on its own or after some basic treatment, and taking painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, can help relieve the pain. However in some cases the pain can last for more than six months, this is referred to as chronic whiplash or late whiplash syndrome, and it can have a debilitating effect on someone’s life, sometimes leading to anxiety and depression.
Whiplash has traditionally been diagnosed from a description of symptoms, which is one of the reasons why accusasions of fraudulent personal injury claims for whiplash have been so widespread. However, under measures brought in by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke, injury claimants will now be thoroughly checked by specially-trained teams of doctors before claims are made. GP’s will examine the neck for signs of muscle spasms, tenderness and to assess the range of movement in the neck. Further tests such as X-rays, Computerised Tomography (CT)or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) will be recommended if a fracture or other problem is suspected.
If you are suffering from chronic neck pain that is causing problems with work and carrying out normal, everyday activities, following an accident that was caused through someone else’s negligence (such as driving into the back of you) then you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation to help cover your costs while you get back on your feet.
Our specialist advisors are on hand to talk to you, there is no charge for this service and you are under no obligation to claim with us.
If you have a genuine claim, contact a genuine company.
May I Claim, is a trading name of R Costings Limited and our CRM number is 25770
If you’ve had an accident that wasn’t your fault and suffered an injury - you can trust us to handle your claim professionally.
Call us now on 0800 756 7774 and talk to us to find out if you have a claim - or fill in our Quick Claim form (on the right of this page).
http://info.mayiclaim.co.uk/personal_injury_compensation_claim_news/bid/300819/Like-Whiplash-Made-Up-Stats-are-More-Than-Just-a-Pain-in-the-Neck
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