If you or one of your friends and have suffered whiplash in an accident, you are no doubt seeking answers to a multitude of questions. The Internet can be both a blessing and a curse when trying to research the answers with seemingly contradicting information everywhere you look! Hopefully this piece will go a long way to clearing up some of the confusion. One of the biggest concerns for victims of whiplash is trying to figure out how much compensation they are entitled to and how the process itself works.
So how exactly is your whiplash claim calculated?
The truth is – there a number of independent factors involved that all influence the process of calculating the compensation you are entitled to. Whiplash is a common but very unique injury. It occurs when the victim suffers a sudden jolt that affects their head and body. This can cause varying degrees of damage to the victim’s muscles, ligaments and tendons throughout their neck and back.
This can cause various health issues that affect the quality of life of the sufferer. There can also be a delayed onset to the symptoms incurred from a whiplash accident that can cause further distress. Symptoms such as dizziness, headaches and inflammation can range from days to months depending on the severity of the accident.
As you can probably tell – the complex nature of how whiplash affects the victim can make the process of calculating the compensation owed a case by case process. Guides to whiplash compensation vary depending on whether they are sourced from insurance companies, solicitor or the court system. However, there are some classifications of the injury that help to calculate claims.
Minor Injuries
Minor injuries can include injuries that affect the victim from a few hours to a year. These injuries are normally addressed with physical therapy and medication. An example would be recurrent neck pain.
Moderate Injuries
When the resulting symptoms caused from whiplash are more prolonged, it is likely to be classified as a moderate injury. This includes injuries that last up to two years in length and detract from the quality of the victim’s everyday life whether it is related to work, participating in family events or medical expenses.
Severe Injuries
Severe injuries classify any injury that lasts over two years and can often be permanent. Whiplash can cause paralysis that needs ongoing medication and physical therapy along with a loss of employment etc. When the injuries due to whiplash lead to a situation such as this they are classified as severe.
To clarify further, it is common for people to believe that one injury is worth a specific amount every time or in every instance. Whiplash injuries can cause various issues that are widespread and affect one’s quality of life to varying degrees. In general – compensation is normally decided on how the accident affected the victim and how long. In addition to this, you can often claim back any out of pocket expenses, such as taxi fares, medical bills and any loss of earnings. To find out more, apply here and get the one to one support you need to make a successful accident claim.
