Whiplash Seen as the majority of UK Road Traffic Accident Claims

In the UK we are fortunate to have what the AA describes as the world's safest roads. Safety aside, it was recently revealed in The Times newspaper that whiplash claims are currently running at an all-time high of around 1,500 per day.

Whiplash is the term used to describe an injury caused by the sudden and violent movement of the head backwards and forwards, normally as the result of a collision. Whiplash claims are predominantly the result of road traffic accidents. Up to 20% of collisions involving a car hit in the rear lead to whiplash injuries which in turn may give rise to whiplash claims. Often these injuries occur in vehicles travelling at relative low speeds.

The primary cause of whiplash claims are road accidents but any sudden jolt of the head can result in whiplash, including seemingly innocuous fairground rides. Trips, falls and blows to the head can unsurprisingly cause whiplash, as can violent contact sports like boxing. In the latter case, however, the incidence of whiplash is rare.

Whiplash is categorised as either acute or chronic. Acute whiplash, whilst uncomfortable, is relative minor and sufferers recover fairly quickly. Chronic whiplash on the other hand may take anything from a few months to a number of years to completely disappear, making whiplash claims in these cases more complicated.

In one survey quoted by the NHS, an average recovery time for acute whiplash was given as around 32 days. Approximately 12% of the study's 2,600 participants reported problems with chronic whiplash six months after their accident. Where acute whiplash can be limited to a stiff neck and bouts of fatigue, its chronic equivalent gives rise to dizziness, tinnitus, long term memory loss and in some cases, depression. Whiplash claims in the latter cases may be eligible for higher amounts of compensation.

Payouts in cases of whiplash claims normally correspond with the serious nature of the injury, although no two cases are the same. Two people may be experiencing similar symptoms but where the injured party in one case is the main earner in a household compensation may be higher than in a case where no financial impact is felt. Women may be more liable to experience chronic whiplash due to their weaker neck muscles.

For those experiencing whiplash symptoms after an accident, whiplash claims must ideally be made within three years of the injury occurring. As with all claims where compensation is sought the earlier the claim is made, the easier it is to prove, thus resulting in successful whiplash claims.