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‘Rise in whiplash claims’ myth dispelled

Road traffic accidents are thankfully becoming rarer on UK streets, but many people in the insurance industry are worried about a rise in claims for whiplash, one of the most common injuries sustained by people in accidents on the road. However, a number of personal injury lawyers, especially those who deal with whiplash victims, state that whiplash claims made with the assistance of firms such as first4lawyers.com are actually down compared to last year.

A spokesman from the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) said that the national debate on whiplash was becoming a little too lopsided, and explained that the number of whiplash claims had dropped by 24,000 compared to figures for 2011, as well as stating that four out of ten people who’ve suffered a whiplash injury have never made a claim. He also explained why whiplash is a serious injury, and why there are so many claims made:

“It’s likely that the insurance industry, worried about having to pay out more to their customers who want to make claims, are trying to get the government on their side. What they may not realise is that many who claim are actually injured, and could be given weeks, months or even years to recover, so they’re left with little choice but to claim from their insurer or the person responsible for their injury.”

An independent survey on whiplash claims revealed some interesting statistics that will give the likes of medicalsolicitors.com some solace. It revealed that only one in 100 people suffered a whiplash injury in the past years, one in five sufferers had the injury for over a year and that nine out of ten received expert diagnosis from a qualified medical professional. Also, the findings showed that close to 30% were encouraged to claim compensation by their insurer, which adds a further twist to this on-going debate.