Soft tissue injuries like whiplash are very hard to prove or disprove categorically. Many doctors who examine patients have to factor in several things to determine whether the patient is indeed suffering from a whiplash injury. In order for them to do this they have to compare your range of movement and symptoms with those commonly caused by whiplash. The most common symptoms are:
- Pins and needles in your arms and legs
- Dizziness
- Neck stiffness, especially after periods of rest
- Headaches and blurred vision often occur in conjunction with one another.
- Back pain, especially when standing upright
- Neck pain, sometimes including spasms in the muscles
- Trouble sleeping
- Anxiety and depression have also been related to whiplash
Although many of these symptoms are not life threatening, and not every victim will suffer from them all, severe cases of whiplash can have a dramatic impact on your life, and sometimes even prove to be debilitating.
The elephant in the room
Due to the nature of most whiplash injuries, insurance companies were finding it was more expensive to go through the court process than it would be to pay out for a minor whiplash claim. This led to a large number of whiplash claims being faked, as fraudsters knew it was easier for them to just pay out.
This of course had an impact on the price of motor insurance, with an increase in premiums being necessary to cover the additional costs being incurred by whiplash claims.
Real justice is just around the corner
The high volume of bogus claims led to a bad reputation for anyone making a whiplash claim. Fortunately there is new legislation going through parliament, which will require all claimants to have a full independent medical examination. There is also new medical equipment starting to filter through that can measure muscle responses and tell if the pain is genuine or not.
Hopefully these combined factors will weed out the cheats, and make it easier for genuine claimants to receive the compensation they deserve. This will not only impact on your ability to prove you have a genuine whiplash claim, but it will also help to reduce the average cost of motor insurance, which will hopefully reduce the amount of uninsured drivers on the road.
The process of proving you’re whiplash is genuine
An important point with whiplash is that the onset is delayed, sometimes up to 6 or 12 hours afterwards. In minor cases this can lead to people not seeking medical assistance, but it is important that you go to your doctor or the hospital straight away, as if it worsens, not seeking medical help could hinder your attempt to make a new claim in future. A professional diagnosis will ensure you have proof of the injury.
The doctor will take into account your symptoms, and any recent likely causes, and make a diagnosis accordingly. This also minimises the amount of time you spend suffering, as the doctor can start treatment straight after the diagnosis has been made.