How serious is whiplash?

Whiplash can range from the non-serious to the extremely severe. It is a neck injury caused either by rapid acceleration or deceleration which is why it is a very common injury of car accidents or collisions.

Sometimes the pain will go away after a few days, other times it can take months to heal. Thousands of people each year are diagnosed with whiplash and insurers have noted that up to 80% of all road accident claims involve a claim for whiplash compensation. (Source: Cardiff Law School)

Whiplash has the potential to be a life altering injury however that cannot be cured with a few pain killers and some rest. A neck brace worn for 12 hours a day can be necessary when trying to recover from whiplash, and sometimes there can be considerable damage to the discs in the spine and the vertebrae in the neck. This can constrict mobility of the neck which sometimes can never be returned.

Because whiplash displays no outward signs, it wasn’t until relatively recently that is was recognized as a serious injury, or attributed to car accidents even. With more knowledge and understanding however about the condition, whiplash compensation claims are one of the most common across the UK. There still exists a stigma however about claiming for whiplash compensation, even though it is your civic right to do so if you’ve been injured at the fault of someone else. Any accident involving the neck and shoulders can be very painful and it is only fair that you are compensated accordingly for the suffering caused and medical expenses accumulated.

Whiplash compensation for minor neck injury that takes just a few weeks or months to heal  completely can fetch between £750 - £2,550. As the condition worsens however the whiplash compensation increases. A moderate whiplash injury where full recovery takes up to 2 years is usually compensated between £2,550 and £4,575. (Judicial Studies Board)

If severe disability is the outcome however, whiplash compensation rises towards £100,000, although these cases are extremely rare.

Whiplash can be a very serious condition that leaves lasting affects on your body, however even minor cases are also very painful and cause considerable discomfort. Sleeping can be extremely difficult when suffering from whiplash and headaches are likely too until the neck has repaired itself completely. Sufferers of whiplash often complain their neck never returns to “normal” so there is certainly no shame in applying for whiplash compensation. It is absolutely the correct course of action to take and much better than suffering in silence. 

Looking for more information?

Symptoms of Whiplash Injury

How to Claim Compensation

Whiplash - What Is Whiplash?

Claiming Compensation