WHIPLASH INJURY COMPENSATION CLAIM * ROAD TRAFFIC INJURY

Whiplash injury compensation claim * road traffic injury * car accident compensation claim against the drivers insurance company * whiplash and back injury claim

On this page we look at what whiplash is and how it can be treated. Click here if you wish to make a claim for whiplash injury.

What is Whiplash?

Whiplash is the term commonly used by the medical profession to describe any injury which is caused by a sudden movement or jerking of the head or body and which results in damage to the muscles, ligaments or tendons in the neck.

WHIPLASH INJURY COMPENSATION CLAIM

Whiplash is frequently suffered by people who are involved in vehicle accidents on the road, particularly people whose car is hit from behind by another vehicle. When the impact occurs, the people in the car that has been hit are likely to have their heads thrown forwards and then very quickly thrown back again. This causes the muscles, ligaments and tendons in the neck to become stretched and strained.

Symptoms of Whiplash

Often people who have sustained even serious whiplash injuries do not realise at the time that any damage has been done to them. What happens is that immediately after the accident, the tissues in the neck begin to swell slowly. Chemicals which cause inflammation are released into the bloodstream and these in turn lead to irritation of nerve endings which cause pain in the neck, shoulders and upper body. This process can take up to twelve hours and so pain often isn't felt until the day after the road accident.

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The symptoms of whiplash usually reach a peak between 72 - 96 hours and can include aching and painful neck and back muscles, headaches, migraine, nausea, difficulty sleeping, numbness or pain or tingling in the shoulder, arms and hands, tinnitus, and blurred vision.

For some people, their whiplash injuries can have far longer lasting physical effects. Anyone still suffering from whiplash symptoms more than six months after the event that caused the whiplash in the first place is said to have what is known as Late Whiplash Syndrome.

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Symptoms of Late Whiplash Syndrome (which is also sometimes known just as whiplash syndrome) may include neck pain, recurring headaches or migraine, lower back pain, twitching and spasms in the lumbar region, as well as emotional symptoms such as depression, irritability, and anxiety.

Approximately 6% of people who experience Late Whiplash Syndrome end up being off work for over a year due to the pain caused by their whiplash injuries.

How to Treat Whiplash

The symptoms of whiplash will often start off seeming quite minor. But even if you only have what seem like very mild indications of whiplash, you should still consult your doctor or pay a visit to A & E at the earliest opportunity. This is important for two reasons:

1. To make sure the damage to your neck is properly assessed (perhaps with X-rays, CT scans, etc) in order to make sure your injuries are not worse than you think
   
   
2. To ensure you have a full medical report available and thus put you in the best possible position if you wish to claim compensation for a whiplash injury.

WHIPLASH AND BACK INJURY CLAIM

Depending on the extent and seriousness of your whiplash injuries, the doctor may simply recommend applying an ice pack to the affected areas and/or taking painkillers such as ibuprofen, Nurofen or Paracetamol.

In more severe cases of whiplash, including people with whiplash syndrome, there are other treatments which may be suitable. These include: physiotherapy, acupuncture, chiropractic treatment, and anaesthetic for the affected joints in the neck.

Claiming for Whiplash Injuries

Every day in the UK, around 1,400 people make a claim for compensation as a result of a whiplash injury following a car accident. To put that in perspective, that's six times more people than claim for injuries sustained in the workplace.

A claim for whiplash can result in you receiving compensation for the pain and suffering caused by your injuries as well as payment to cover the costs of any drugs or treatments which you have had to have as a result of your whiplash injury. If you have had to take time off work due to whiplash, then any loss of earnings can also form part of your compensation claim.

Even mild cases of whiplash can be claimed for. So, if you have been in a car accident and suffered any kind of whiplash, contact us now to discover if you are elegible for a claim.

If our solicitors take on your case, you will not have to pay anything regardless of whether or not your claim is successful. And if you do receive compensation, you will get to keep 100% of it.