Personal Injury Claims

[BeansBeansBeans]

Yesterday I was involved in an accident where I was hit from behind at a junction, and my car is likely to be a write off. I’m okay except for a bit of whiplash, but I’ve noticed that everytime I tell someone about it, they tell me to put a personal injury claim in. Is it just me, or would anybody else feel fairly embarrassed to put an injury claim in for a bit of a sore neck? It was a simple accident, and the guy who drove into me seemed a nice bloke, so I just want his insurance company to pay for the damage to my car and nothing else. If someone is genuinely injured in an accident, or if they’re hit by somebody who’s drunk or driving dangerously, then I guess it’s fair enough to claim, but it’s no wonder premiums are so high when people are looking to claim everytime they have a little knock. I’m aware that I might sound like a martyr here, but my integrity is worth more than a few grand.

[Donney]

Working in the insurance business I can tell you loads of people claim personal injuries and that is one of the main reasons why prices are higher every year, insurance companies don't lose money easily.

It is nice to see you are honest enough not to claim what is not necessary.

[jim mcglinchey]

Dont be embarrassed, evryone you deal with if you proceed with the PI claim will be verrry understanding. Your stance is very admirable but I think you ll be entitled to a few quid to recompense you for all of the hassle you'll surely have.

DO NOT forget that that youve to inform your insurance company and the incident will balls up your accident record until the whole matter is resolved.

[Dave B]

Tricky moral dilemma, isn't it?

One one hand you think that you'd be a bit cheeky to claim, on t'other there's the thought that if everybody else is doing it then why shouldn't you?

I reckon you deserve compensation for any genuine inconvenience - say if you have to take taxis while your neck gets better, or if you need time off - but when people claim thousands for trivial little incidents that's just taking the mick.

[oily oaf]

A BIT OF WHIPLASH!!??

Stroll on Beansie there's grown men that'll sport out top dollar for that mate.
Ungrateful wretch

PS good on yer squire. You and your like minded ilk are as rare as an Essex virgin.

(trips over sheet of asbestos and lands on top of pneumatic drill before going down with Vibratosis)

I want the best claim form available to humanity and I want it NOW!

[Ian McC]

These days we are taught that you should get compensation for just about everything, I think it's pretty sad but I would hope if I was in your situation I would do the same as you

The only thing I would say is see how the neck is in a couple of days, just in case it needs something more.

[LotusElise]

When I got hit by an uninsured driver in 2005, I did make sure I reported my whiplash to the doctor in case I wanted to make a claim. The rationale behind this was that it was another way to get my money back if the uninsured idiot got out of paying the insurance company.
He did pay up (eventually - but that's another story) and I never claimed.

[Camelopard]

I'd put in a claim just in case side effects appear later. Go see a chiropractor or similar and see how much damage can be done to the neck from simple whiplash, better to be safe, imo. If the car is likely to be written off there must have been a fair amount of force involved. How much does the average head weigh? 5kg? The physics gurus here could tell you the figures, matter, speed, velocity and all that sort of thing.
How does PI work in the UK, aren't you covered by his insurance on his car for personal injury (medical bills etc)?

I appreciate your feelings, yes it is true that for minor injury it is not fair to claim, but how you can calculate the injury is minor or major? if some one not driving properly that means he/she not following the rules. If you/people like you not take any action, by thinking that the injury is not so serious then it gives them(person ho did it) a chance to repeat it again and again and it is possible that they do some major accidents in future. If people like you take some strict action against them then they will stop doing such things and you can save other innocent people. It is not about money it is about telling them and other peoples that this kind of things are punishable and will not tolerated.

[D-Type]

I assume you are in UK. The law and how it is implemented varies significantly from country to country.

You don't know how bad the injury actually is. You describe it as "a bit of whiplash" which could mean many things. The first thing you must do is see your doctor, he may in turn refer you to a hospital for X-rays, specialist treatment etc. or he may say it's nothing to worry about. Either way it is on record.
On your accident insurance claim form be sure to include the words "mild whiplash" in the relevant part. It sets down a marker if you do later want to make a claim. If you don't do this it will make a subsequent claim more difficult. If you don't need to make any claim then nothing's lost. Make a note of any time off work for visiting the doctor, hospital etc, include transport costs getting there - bus, train or cab fares. It is fair to claim those expenses even if you don't want or need to make a "Pain and suffering" claim.
If you do all that and it does prove serious - ie it doesn't clear up readily then you have laid the groundwork for a legal claim.

Having said all that, I hope it all clears up in a week or so and you don't need to help fund a lawyer's lifestyle..