The most common action for personal injury in the County Court is a whiplash injury compensation claim. This injury usually results from a road traffic accident most often from a rear end shunt although it can also be caused by a frontal collision or by side impact. The injury is not restricted to car accidents and can occur following a serious fall or as a result of impact in a contact sport. The injury is caused by sudden stretching of the neck as a result of initial impact and subsequent stretching due to the body’s reflex reactions which in due course causes inflammation and pressure on the nerves thereby producing a stiff neck and pain. In a rear end collision damage is caused by the head initially rocking backwards to the limit of the necks flexibility and thereafter rocking forwards in a severe and over compensatory reflex reaction causing tearing and bruising to the muscles and in more serious cases causing disc and/or bone damage.
Because the muscles between the back of the head, neck and shoulders form a triangle, known as the trapezius muscle, the development of pain in any one of these sites can lead to pain on other locations. This is particularly so for rotational injuries. Also, the spinal region supplies nerves to many other sites in the body and therefore any form of damage or compression of these nerves can lead to pain in other areas, for example the 6th cervical nerve root in the neck predominantly supplies the thumb and index fingers of the hand, thus explaining the range of symptoms experienced by victims of the same injury.
Whiplash is now recognised to be a debilitating and painful injury, which can occur immediately or shortly following an accident. Latest medical trends lean towards maintaining mobility of the neck to facilitate speedy recovery and our solicitors, as a result of their long-standing place in the personal injury market, have a wealth of medical experts they are able to call on to identify the problem and provide any treatment that is needed.
Awards of damages in a whiplash injury compensation claim can range from hundreds to thousands of pounds, depending on the nature, extent (taking into account pre-existing conditions) and duration of the injuries sustained. Our solicitors, who deal with thousands of such claims every year, are able to draw on the most up to date knowledge and information to accurately assess the value of each individual claim based on its own facts, to ensure that each client receives a settlement without delay.
Umbrella Claims is a specialist organisation that deals exclusively with personal injury claims on a No Win No Fee basis. Win or lose there is no charge*. This means that you never have to pay anything to us. All compensation received of whatever nature is paid to you in full without any deduction whatsoever - absolutely guaranteed. We will minimalise any inconvenience to you and we offer free advice without obligation from some of the best lawyers in the business. We ensure that our client’s interests are a priority and our lawyers deal with claims in a friendly, efficient and competent manner to ensure that you get the compensation that you deserve in the shortest time scale possible.