With many personal injury claims, be they as a result of a road accident, or an injury suffered whilst at work or whilst out shopping, it can often be difficult for a solicitor to accurately predict the total amount of compensation you should be entitled to. This mainly due to the fact the Judges making compensation awards are human and therefore will have differing attitudes and approaches to settling cases.
As an example, here at The Accident Claimline we saw a case earlier this year where the claimant had suffered neck and upper back pain as a result of being hit in his car from behind by a van. Having obtained medical evidence (a standard part of the claims process), the claimant was offered £2,000 to settle by the defendant based on a formal prognosis of a 16mth whiplash injury. The handling solicitor thought this was too low, and following an oral hearing at the County Court, the District Judge awarded a total settlement amount of £4,200.
If you are unfortunate enough to have been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, following the tips below will help to ensure you get the correct amount of compensation:
1. See your GP or go to hospital as soon after the accident as possible
2. When you have a medical examination once your claim is underway, give the examining doctor as much information as possible, including any photos of your injuries; any anxiety or similar symptoms; whether you’ve had previous injuries and all types of pain no matter how minor it may seem.
3. If you are offered rehabilitation such as physiotherapy, accept it
4. Keep all receipts for travel, medication, etc connected with the claim
5. An injury diary can also be very useful, as it helps tracks the symptoms over time
Need advice on making a claim? The friendly team here at The Accident Claimline will be happy to give you easy to understand and free assistance. To find out more, please contact us here or call 0800 977 4852