Is The Whiplash Epidemic Getting Worse?

Is The Whiplash Epidemic Getting Worse?

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Despite a 16% decrease in the number of accidents reported to the police since 2009, the number of claims for whiplash injuries has increased disproportionately by a third to 570,000. This discrepancy has been described by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) as a "silent epidemic" of a surge in the number of fraudulent whiplash claims.

Supporting the ABI's claims, research by the King's Fund think tank has shown that around 47% of doctors believe that the current system for claiming whiplash compensation is flawed. The belief seems to be that the existent system actively encourages victims to seek a diagnosis that will bring them 'maximum gain'. A spokesman for the think tank said that: "With over 1,600 diagnoses a day, the UK appears to have the weakest necks in the world."

How Whiplash is Diagnosed.

The main difficulty in diagnosing whiplash is that it relies very heavily on the testimonial of the victims. The majority of the damage is internal and there is very little external evidence from which to draw any conclusion. Whiplash is sustained most commonly as the result of a rear-impact collision. During impact, the driver's or passenger's head is thrown forward at a speed that the soft tissues of the neck and spine are not designed to cope with. Combined with the weight of the head, this can result in hyperextension of the neck and spine, straining, stretching and occasionally tearing the ligaments, tendons and muscles surrounding them. In the second phase of the impact, the head is thrown backwards, repeating hyperextension in the other direction. Symptoms of whiplash can range from mild headaches and neck pain to tinnitus, fatigue, vertigo-like symptoms and loss of mobility in the arms.

Immediate medical treatment is the best approach. Symptoms usually manifest within hours of an accident, although cases have been reported in which it has taken days or even weeks for whiplash to become apparent. However, without any physical evidence to support a victim's claims, the condition is wide open for the unscrupulous to exploit, exaggerating or even completely falsifying symptoms.

The Cost to the Honest Motorist.

The ABI reports that this epidemic is adding an estimated £90 a year to the insurance policies of honest drivers. This tariff is added to cover the costs of legal services and payouts to whiplash compensation claims. The Fraud Bureau has stated that around 30,000 of these claims are fraudulent and cost the honest motorist around £350 million per year.

According to the AA, the UK has some of the safest roads in Europe and the fewest numbers of road traffic accidents. However, the UK has also become known as Europe's 'whiplash capital', with the highest numbers of compensation claims. James Dalton of the ABI says that: "I simply can't believe people in the UK have weaker necks than our Continental cousins".

In addition, the plethora of fraudulent cases is slowing things up for genuine victims. Wary of being scammed, doctors and lawyers are investigating each claim with unprecedented scrutiny. In these circumstances, those with a genuine injury are best advised to seek the services of a personal injury solicitor, who can ensure that the claim is dealt with professionally and as quickly as possible.

About the Author:
Read more about Accident Claims Scotland?

Nick Jervis is a Solicitor (non-practising) and consultant to Edinburgh Solicitor and Personal Injury Specialist Stan Moffat of Moffat and Co.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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