6 Common Mistakes to Avoid During Whiplash Claims

Whiplash is one of the most common injuries suffered during car crashes. However, that isn’t to say that the ailment should be taken lightly. Severe cases of whiplash may cause persistent headaches, neck pain and stiffness, paraesthesia in arms and hands, anxiety and depression. If you’ve suffered whiplash due to someone else’s negligence, you have the right to receive fair compensation for the damages caused.

Fair compensation can help you pay hefty hospital bills, cover for the wages lost and improve your impaired quality of life. However, if you aren’t mindful common mistakes that people make while filing for personal injury claims, you may lose the compensation.

Failing to get the other driver’s details

The procedure to get compensated for your whiplash damages’ claim starts from the site of the accident. You’re required by the law to exchange contact details such as names, addresses and phone numbers with the other party to ensure the court proceedings go smoothly. Failure to get these details may cost you the compensation.

Ignoring the witnesses’ statement

Producing witnesses who have seen the accident first-hand in the court can strengthen your case and tilt the judgement in your favour. People often overlook the witnesses at the time of the crash, but this may be one of the gravest mistakes you could make. So make sure that you connect with people who have witnessed the crash and ask for their contact details.

Avoiding medical treatment

Sometimes car accident injuries may take a few hours or a couple of days to show their signs. Hence, some people make the error of skipping medical treatments, and as a result, solicitors have difficulty tracing medical bills and other health-related costs. This can weaken your case and reduce your compensation significantly.

Neglecting the time limit

In the UK, the time limit for filing for personal injury claims is three years from the date of the accident. Some people may think that’s a lot of time to spare and may postpone the claim. Conversely, others may be too eager to get compensation and end up filing too soon. By this we mean since whiplash injuries take time healing, it’s a good idea to file your claim once you have an estimate of how much the treatment will cost.

Voluntarily giving your recorded statement

While filing for your whiplashes damages, keep in mind that the insurance adjusters are not your friends. They may sound friendly and understanding, but their goal is minimizing your damages so that they could make a profit. Hence, avoid giving them a recorded statement. They can use your words out of context and turn around the case against you.

Not reaching out to a trusted solicitor

Whatever you do, never make the mistake of thinking that you can handle the claim proceedings on your own. Working with a reliable and qualified solicitor from Wembley’s Solicitors can strengthen your case and get you the compensation you deserve.

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