First question: have I got whiplash? Well, whiplash is a term given to a range of injuries affecting the neck that have been caused by a distortion or extension of the muscles in the neck.
The way in which your head flies during a car accident can cause such an injury hence its instant association with that type of accident however road traffic accidents are not the only cause of whiplash.
The symptoms include pain and aching in the neck and back with possible extending pain through the shoulders as well as regular reportings of pins and needs in the arms. Headaches are also common. The symptoms can appear instantly following an accident but they are generally not felt for days afterward.
Diagnosing whiplash is more of a “what it isn’t” game than what it is. X-rays may be taken to check that bones have not been fractured or that other damage is not causing the pain described. If there are no other explanations and the pain was preceded by an action that could have injured the muscles in such a way — for example a rear-end collision in a car, a roller coaster ride or even from playing a sport — then “whiplash” is the term given to the cause of the pain.
Second question: can I claim? Is less complicated. If someone else was the cause of your injury or you have an insurance policy in place to compensate you for such an injury – then yes, you can make a claim.
The third question of: how much will I get? Is often the first question asked. Damages awarded for whiplash do not vary greatly. However, the difference between a low grade whiplash injury and a severe case could be a difference between £1,000 and £1million. The main question to answer your question is: how long did recovery take?
Whiplash comes in four grades:
* Grade 0: no neck pain, stiffness, or any physical signs are noticed
* Grade 1: neck complaints of pain, stiffness or tenderness only but no physical signs are noted by the examining physician.
* Grade 2: neck complaints and the examining physician finds decreased range of motion and point tenderness in the neck.
* Grade 3: neck complaints plus neurological signs such as decreased deep tendon reflexes, weakness and sensory deficits.
* Grade 4: neck complaints and fracture or dislocation, or injury to the spinal cord.
With proper care, treatment for the lesser injuries could mean recovery in only a few days or at most a few weeks. Severe whiplash could be a life-long disability. Such an injury from a regular road accident is rare. The majority of claims that insurance pay out on are for amounts around the £1500 to £2500 mark.
