Making a whiplash claim following a car or motorcycle accident
Whiplash injuries are the most common injuries caused by road traffic accidents and often occur when the head is jolted backwards and forwards, causing soft tissue injuries in the neck or back.
The symptoms associated with whiplash are often delayed – with stiffness, pain and lack of mobility sometimes not developing for up to 12 hours or more, often after you have started the claims process to arrange for your car or motorcycle to be fixed. In some cases the symptoms can be more serious affecting the sufferer’s ability to walk. If you are unfortunate enough to have been involved in an accident and think that you may have sustained a whiplash injury it is important to see a doctor for a full assessment of your injury and to receive appropriate medical treatment.
If you have suffered a whiplash injury in an accident caused by someone else you may be able to make a compensation claim against the person you feel was responsible. To do this you should contact a solicitor who is experienced in handling a claim such as yours although you may be able to make a claim through your insurance company. Alternatively, you may also want to consider contacting a specialist claims provider.
Its also worth remembering that the police should be informed if the driver responsible leaves the scene or was uninsured. (In such cases, your compensation claim may be dealt with through the Motor Insurance Bureau, however your solicitor will explain how your claim will be handled in these circumstances).
Once you have chosen a suitable law firm the process of making your personal injury claim can begin. The speed of this process depends upon a number of factors, however one of the main factors is whether the other party or parties involved are willing to admit liability. In cases where liability is clear and accepted by those considered at fault and medical reports have been produced, negotiation of the value of the claim can begin. However in cases where liability is denied then it often takes much longer to reach this point. Once your solicitor has all the information about the case they will be in a position to better advise on the likely timescales for your claim.
The level of compensation you may receive will depend on the circumstances of your particular case. Generally, those individuals who have short term discomfort are more likely to receive smaller levels of compensation than those who have received significant discomfort which may be more long term.
If you have sustained whiplash in a car or motorcycle accident it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible. You should then seek legal advice from an expert personal injury solicitor about making a compensation claim.
Ensure you know what you need to do when making a motorbike accident claim by seeking legal advice from a personal injury claims specialist.
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