Unfortunately, many people each year in the UK suffer injuries in road traffic accidents. Even a low-impact collision, at a relatively low speed, can result in an injury such as whiplash. Whiplash is an injury to the cervical spine, caused by an abrupt forward or backward jerking of the head. Whiplash can be painful and, on average, last for a few weeks. In some cases, a whiplash injury may not be apparent for up to twelve hours after the accident.

If you have suffered a whiplash injury as a result of a road traffic accident that was not your fault, you may be entitled to claim personal injury compensation. This is the case regardless of whether it was the driver of the car you were in who caused the accident, or whether it was the fault of the driver of another vehicle involved in the accident.

You may be worried about suing the driver at fault, if that person is a family member or a friend. However, you will not be suing them in a personal capacity; instead you will be claiming compensation from their insurance company. It is important to claim your entitlement if you have suffered a whiplash injury, as you may find that you are in a position after the accident where financial compensation would be welcome. For example, if your doctor advises you not to work for a period of time.

A personal injury solicitor can give expert advice about the advantages of professional assistance when claiming compensation, and the legal process that is involved. They will be able to assess the practicability of your claim, and estimate how much compensation could be forthcoming for your whiplash injury.

Personal injury compensation doesn’t just cover lost wages; it can cover the loss of future wages as well. In addition, you can be compensated for the pain and suffering you experienced as a result of the whiplash, and the cost of replacing or repairing any damaged property, such as a car.

Legal aid is not available for personal injury claims; however, a specialist solicitor may offer a no-win, no-fee arrangement. This means that you would not have to pay legal fees, should you lose your claim. However, there are other costs to be taken into consideration, and such an agreement should be discussed with your solicitor in advance.

Last Updated on 19/09/2011