Whiplash

Whiplash is a soft tissue injury which occurs in the neck, usually after the head has been jolted forwards (hyperflexion) or backwards (hyperextension) causing a sudden extension of the neck muscles.

This movement can be quite violent, depending on the cause of the accident and, as a result, whiplash injuries can vary greatly in severity, from a slight pain to disability and the need for surgery. It can also be made a lot worse if the head was turned to the side at the time the whiplash injury was sustained.

Neck pain, sustained as a result of a whiplash injury, may be present immediately after an accident, or can begin a few days afterwards. It can last for minutes or a lifetime. In 10% of car accident induced whiplash injuries, it causes long-term disability.

The most common whiplash claims are made for neck injuries sustained as a result of a road accident. Although your body is restrained by a seatbelt during a crash, your head isn't.

The "whiplash" effect is a sudden and unexpected movement to your neck, which occurs on impact with another vehicle. It is estimated that whiplash occurs to car passengers in 20% of road accidents, these sufferers could make a claim for compensation.

Whiplash injuries happen after rear end collisions. Even though the passengers of the car behind could suffer from similar injuries, technically they would not be classed as whiplash.

Interestingly, a whiplash injury can occur even if the speed of the crash is very slow – it doesn’t necessarily have to be a high speed impact to cause severe whiplash. The distance of your head and body from the head-rest and back-rest can also impact the injury severity, with a 2006 survey suggesting that the closer the rests, the less severe the accident.

Other causes of whiplash include strong blows to the head and long-term, repetitive damage to the neck.

Some people make a quick recovery, but for others, the pain and restricted movement caused by a whiplash injury can be long-lasting - making a compensation claim for whiplash can help if time off work is needed to recover from your injury.

Whiplash can be diagnosed easily - by a simple examination or x-ray - which can establish the extent of the damage, including if any vertebrae fractures have happened. The severity of your whiplash will dictate how much compensation you could claim.

Symptoms of Whiplash

Symptoms of whiplash injuries include headaches, pain in the neck, shoulders and arms, and dizziness. In severe cases, symptoms can include memory loss, problems concentrating, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and depression. It is always advisable to visit your GP if you feel you may have suffered a whiplash injury so that they can recommend the best treatment for you. These GP reports will also be used during your compensation claim.

Due to the unpredictable nature of recovery from whiplash, it is very important to get independent legal advice to see if you're eligible to make a whiplash injury claim. We will put you in touch with a specialist injury lawyer who will arrange an independent medical diagnosis of your injuries and likely recovery. Your whiplash claim can then be properly evaluated and fair compensation can be rewarded.

Some insurers may be quick to contact claimants directly to make an early offer to settle whiplash claims, but make sure you insist on getting independent legal advice before agreeing to any compensation settlement.

Call our team of whiplash injury claims specialists now for free help and guidance, or fill out a short online claim form.