subject: Whiplash Personal Injury Claim Facts - Two Common Misunderstandings [print this page] A friend of mine was recently involved in a minor car accident. Following the accident he suffered from whiplash, but despite encouragement he was loath to make a whiplash personal injury claim. He gave several very good reasons for not making a whiplash claim, all of which were entirely unfounded. As his questions and issues are very common ones it may be helpful to note them here, complete with the facts which support making a whiplash injury claim.
"My whiplash injury wasn't immediately apparent, so I can't make a claim for something which happened a long time after the accident."
This is actually far from a common occurrence. Although in many cases the symptoms of whiplash occur immediately following the accident, with some people barely able to get out of the car because of the pain, it is perfectly probable that symptoms may not appear until many hours later. In some cases the symptoms may not even appear until the following day, but this doesn't in any way detract from the fact that you will be entirely eligible to claim for whiplash compensation.
Most people don't realise that they can walk away from what seems a fairly minor accident perfectly unscathed, yet the next day they could be in agony, barely able to move their head at all. This can feel a little fraudulent, claiming for symptoms which didn't appear until long after the accident, but both medical professionals and whiplash solicitors know only too well that this isn't the case at all.
Those in the medical professional and those solicitors who specialise in whiplash personal inquiry claims know that in many cases every year the symptoms may take many hours to make themselves apparent, so if this has happened to you, don't hesitate to seek advice and help, even if it's some considerable time after the accident.
"The accident was only a fairly minor one, with negligible damage to the vehicles, so I can't really start making a claim for a whiplash injury."
This is another very common assumption, and again it's a completely unfounded concern. Research has clearly shown that a vehicle collision at speeds of only 6 miles per hour are easily enough to result in a severe whiplash injury. That's really not a good deal faster than a brisk walking pace, and a lot slower than most joggers.
It is a fact that most whiplash injuries are caused through a collision where the front vehicle is actually stationary. Usually what happens is that the driver of the vehicle behind hasn't realised that your vehicle is stationary early enough to stop in time. But the fact that you are stationary is very significant, because whilst your vehicle is not moving you are likely to be relaxed, with your head well forward of the head rest.
Once the vehicle behind you strikes your car, your head is then whipped back against the head rest. It then immediately bounces forward from the headrest, often in such a small space of time you really can't react quickly enough. It is this sudden compression and then expansion of the soft tissues in your neck which cause the symptoms of whiplash.
So even if you are stationary and the vehicle behind you hits yours at little more than a walking pace, it is still more than enough for you to make a whiplash personal injury claim. Again it's important to realise that medical professionals and whiplash solicitors will all be well aware of these facts, and will be able to reassure you that your personal injury claim is more than valid. Remember, a whiplash personal injury claim means getting the money you deserve to help put things right, as whiplash can cause a mountain of problems. It isn't fair that you should have to pay for someone else's lack of care.
by: Justin Arnold
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