Whiplash injuries have a negative stigma at the moment. Because the only symptom of whiplash is pain, it can often be difficult to diagnose and treat. The result of this is that it’s easy for those not affected by whiplash to claim that there’s nothing wrong with a victim at all.
Whiplash is the most common injury sustained as a result of a road traffic accident. It is an injury which occurs when the head moves backwards, forwards, and sideways too vigorously for the neck muscles, tendons, and ligaments to cope. Even the slightest out-of-the-blue head movement can result in whiplash, and therefore the majority of road traffic accident victims will suffer from a form of whiplash whether it be minor or severe.
Due to the commonness of the injury, law firms have started to cater to whiplash injuries to help victims seek compensation and get their lives back on track. Due to a heightened awareness of their right to make a claim, victims are increasingly communicating to law firms their desire to seek compensation.
It is the increase in whiplash claims, and the subsequent reporting of the link between whiplash claims and car insurance costs by the media, which has led to the phrase ‘whiplash claims culture’.
What is meant by the phrase ‘whiplash claims culture’?
When somebody says ‘whiplash claims culture’, they are often going to be referring to the increase in the number of whiplash claims for compensation made by road traffic accident victims who, despite no obvious signs of injury, seek a payout for the accident.
People automatically presume that because most whiplash injuries have no bruising, no cuts, and no other symptoms, that whiplash can’t be all that bad – and therefore, seeking a payout for something that’s manageable is just plain wrong. But as any medical examination report would tell you, whiplash can be an extremely painful injury and one which lasts a lifetime.
If somebody has had an accident that was not their fault and it has affected their life, they have the right to make a claim for compensation no matter how minor or severe that injury is. The phrase ‘whiplash claims culture’ is derogatory as it tars all whiplash victims with the same brush and while we can’t speak for the legitimacy of all whiplash claims, we can say that the vast majority of whiplash injuries result in suffering which impacts everyday life.
So if you have fallen victim to whiplash, don’t be afraid to consult injury lawyers who specialises in whiplash claims. To find out more about whiplash claims, call the UK Claim Lawyers 24/7 Helpline on 0800 157 1438.