4 Reasons Not To Make A Whiplash Personal Injury Claim - And Why They're WRONG

As the number of people who are realising that they're able to make a whiplash personal injury claim rises so too does the number of misunderstandings, myths and mistakes. Unfortunately in many cases these become traded between people as common knowledge, and then end up accepted as fact. As a result of this, many people are losing out on the compensation they both need and deserve. In this article we'll look at some of the 'facts' which people claim are true, and look at the truth behind them.

Wrong Fact #1: You will be dragged through the courts if you wish to make a whiplash personal injury claim
Just because you're making a legal claim doesn't mean that you'll be dragged through the courts. In fact in almost every case where someone makes a claim for compensation for whiplash injuries they do not ever come close to court. The truth is that taking a claim through the courts is usually very expensive, and so neither party will wish to let the claim get that far. The other party's insurance company will want to avoid the costs of a court suit and will usually pay up quite quickly.

The only cases which do sometimes go to court are those in which the claim is disputed, such as when the cause of the accident is unclear or shared. Statistically only around 2% of cases go to court, with the vast majority being settled on your behalf by your whiplash solicitors.

Wrong Fact #2: Making a compensation claim for whiplash will mean your insurance premiums will go up
Whilst there are sometimes examples of this happening, it is rare. The only reason your insurance premium will go up is if you make a claim through your own insurance company, and they are unable to obtain full settlement from the other party's insurance firm. However, the fact is that when you approach whiplash solicitors to make a whiplash personal injury claim they don't then approach your insurance company. Instead they bypass them completely and go straight to the other party's company. This means that your insurance company is not involved in the process at all, and therefore your premium won't be affected.

However, if you were partially responsible for the incident then you may find your premium increased, especially if there is any counter claim, but in almost every case the amount of compensation received more than covers any slight short term increase in insurance costs.

Wrong Fact #3: You won't be able to make a whiplash compensation claim if the other driver was uninsured, or did a runner
Sadly it's a fact that many drivers on the roads today have no insurance at all. Statistically these people are actually more likely to cause or be involved in an accident than those with insurance, although naturally they usually end up causing damage to other people's cars, resulting in them having to make a claim through their own insurance policy.

However, not everyone is aware that in cases where the other driver was uninsured or did a runner or was untraceable for whatever reason, you do still have protection. The Motor Insurers' Bureau is an organisation set up in 1946, and towards which you pay around £30 every year through your insurance premium. This bureau is specifically set up to allow you to make a claim against them in such cases, meaning you're still able to make a whiplash compensation claim.

Wrong Fact #4: You can only make a claim for whiplash if it happened straight away
In fact you have up to three years to make a whiplash personal injury claim. It may be that to begin with you don't think your whiplash injury will affect you very much, yet it's only afterwards you realise the significant loss of earnings or additional expenses incurred as a direct result of your injury or discomfort. As long as the accident occurred within the past 3 years, you are still perfectly able to make a whiplash claim for compensation.

For more information about making a whiplash personal injury claim visit CK Claims, specialist whiplash solicitors who are able to offer information and advice about making your whiplash claim Manchester.