Can you make a claim for whiplash if you were a passenger?

If you have been involved in a road traffic accident and you were a passenger in one of the vehicles that was involved in the collision you may be wondering whether you can make a claim for whiplash injury compensation? This article looks at how a whiplash injury is actually caused, whether it can affect passengers as well as drivers, how you may first become aware that you are suffering from a whiplash injury and how to go about making a claim for whiplash injury compensation.

A whiplash injury is caused during the course of a road traffic accident, usually where one vehicle collides with the rear of another vehicle. The impact of the collision causes the head and neck of the driver and passengers in the vehicle to be suddenly and forcefully thrown forwards and backwards. This causes the soft-tissue and ligaments in the neck to be stretched beyond their normal range of movement. It is clear therefore that it does not matter whether you are sat in the driver’s seat or one of the front or rear passengers seats, you are still likely to sustain a whiplash injury if you are involved in a collision such as the one described.

You may not immediately be aware that you are suffering from a whiplash injury following your road traffic accident as a passenger. Quite often, the symptoms of a whiplash injury take several hours or even several days to appear. You may start to experience pain and discomfort in your neck, shoulders and upper back, restricted movement, headaches, dizziness, lethargy and pins and needles. As soon as you become aware that you may be suffering from a whiplash injury following your road traffic collision as a passenger, you should seek medical advice from your GP or local Accident & Emergency department. The medical staff treating you will be able to assess your injuries and advice you on the most appropriate course of treatment (this is likely to be strong painkillers, gentle mobility exercises and/or a course of physiotherapy).

Following your road traffic collision as a passenger, if you decide you would like to make a claim for whiplash injury compensation you should contact an expert personal injury solicitor who specialises in whiplash compensation claims. They will be able to advice you on your chances of pursuing a successful compensation claim and will be able to guide you through the process of doing so. Your solicitor will also arrange for you to be assessed by an independent medical expert who will prepare a report detailing your injuries.

It can be seen therefore that it is quite possible to sustain a whiplash injury if you have been a passenger involved in a road traffic accident. As soon as you become aware that you may have sustained injuries you should obtain medical advice from your GP or local A & E department followed by legal advice from a specialist whiplash injury compensation solicitor.

To find out more about how to claim for whiplash, the whiplash claims guide explains all the steps of a whiplash accident claim.