Find out how much compensation you can claim for whiplash, neck and back injuries from a road traffic accident involving two cars.
Car accident whiplash neck injury victim question
I was the driver in a car travelling from Manchester to London via Birmingham. Whilst in Birmingham city centre I was waiting at a set of lights – as I was slightly unfamiliar with Birmingham city centre setup I was driving cautiously, but had to stop sharply at a set of lights which just turned red.
I was travelling with a group ofqy friends – One in the front seat and two in the back. We were all wearing our seatbelts and concentrating on navigating the city centre.
A few moments after we stopped at the lights – my car was thrown forward with such force that we were pushed quite a few metres beyond the lights. Thankfully – we did not hit any other vehicle.
We were all in a state of shock – but I got out of the car and immediately felt a stiffness in my neck. Almost immediately some police officers were on the scene – and it seems that as wee were close to Birmingham New Street there was already a police presence in the area.
The police breathalised me and the other driver and took some details from the passengers and from witnesses to the accident. An ambulance arrived and took my friends and I to hospital.
I was diagnosed with severe whiplash as were two other passengers – one of the back seat passengers has a cracked vertebrae in his lumbar spine.
I wish to make a claim for whiplash compensation and vehicle damage and my friends also wish to claim for whiplash and the cracked vertebrae.
The accident was 2 months ago, but we are all still suffering.
Can you tell me how much compensation we can claim for our whiplash injuries and back injuries?
Road accident claims solicitor response
From the description of your car accident in Birmingham – it seems clear that the car driver behind you caused the collision even though you had to stop sharply to observe the colour change at the set of traffic lights. It seems that the other driver was not travelling at a safe distance as set out by the Highway Code or alternatively was not paying attention. These accidents are quite common in large city centres such as Birmingham.
I am sure the police report will have all the evidence necessary to prove fault of the other driver.
As to the question of how much compensation you can claim for whiplash, neck and back injuries: the amount of compensation you can claim depends on not only the nature of the initial injury, but also how long your symptoms last until recovery takes place and if full recovery does not take place how bad any residual symptoms are which remain.
As you and the other passengers are all still suffering from your injuries a medical report from an independent orthopaedic surgeon is necessary which will describe the whiplash neck and back injuries in full with a prognosis at the end of the medical report setting out how long it is likely you will continue to suffer with symptoms.
Based upon this report a specialist solicitor will be able to give you a more accurate estimate of the amount of compensation you will be able to recover.
To see examples of time periods of injuries and compensation amounts click car accident compensation to see the detailed page I have written.
In addition to compensation for pain and suffering for whiplash, neck and back injuries – you will be entitled to compensation for any psychological injuries you might have suffered, the cost of repair (or write off value) of your car, hire car charges, lost income, medical expenses, etc.
