Can I Claim Whiplash Without Seeing A Doctor?

For your health and safety, you should go to your GP or closest A&E department if your symptoms cannot be managed by over the counter anti-inflammatory medicine or painkillers.

Whiplash symptoms can appear immediately after an accident or be delayed by several days. In some cases, your initial pain may be minimal, but get worse as the days pass. In both instances, we recommend you see a medical professional who will assess and diagnose your injuries.

When you visit your GP or A&E, they will be able to diagnose a whiplash injury from examining your neck and back and listening to your account of how the injury occurred. They will also be able to make sure there are no other serious injuries to your spine or vertebrae.

Medical Evidence Is Important If You Want To Make A Claim

If you wish to make a compensation claim for whiplash, you will need to show medical evidence and documentation of your injuries.

How To Get A Medical Assessment

At Bott and Co, all of our clients who have suffered whiplash injuries undergo an independent medical assessment.

You can start your claim with us even if you haven’t seen a GP or visited a hospital, but we will arrange a medical appointment on your behalf.

The medical assessment is a fundamental part of your claim as it is only following this evaluation that we will know the actual amount of compensation we may be able to claim for you.

As part of our services, we can provide instant access to private physiotherapy and rehabilitation. Appointments can be set up immediately, which means you could start receiving treatment for your injuries within days. We offer physiotherapy from specialist rehabilitation companies with locations throughout the UK.

We will set up a medical appointment with one of our specialists if you haven’t seen your GP, but you should call us straight away if you’re at all unsure about what to do and our legal team will advise you on the next steps.

Why Use Bott and Co

Bott and Co have nearly 300 years in combined legal experience, settling thousands of whiplash claims and recovering millions in compensation for injured people, helping you to get back on track with your life.

If you want to talk to us about your injuries, call for a free, no-obligation consultation. Our friendly, helpful team of legal advisors are usually able to advise you on your initial call if you have a claim. Calls typically take no longer than 5 to 10 minutes.

While the idea of claiming compensation for whiplash is often debated, and potential changes in the law may reduce the number of whiplash claims, the pain and suffering that can be caused by whiplash and soft tissue injuries are a very real problem.

We help thousands of injured victims recover millions in compensation for whiplash and other types of injury suffered in accidents that were not their fault.

We’ve seen first-hand how serious whiplash injuries can be, and many of the cases we’ve settled are for people who have experienced years of pain.

Making A Whiplash Compensation Claim

If you believe you have suffered a whiplash injury following an accident that wasn’t your fault, then we should be able to recover compensation for your pain and suffering.

We make the claims process very simple and take out all the complex legal work so you can relax knowing you have one of the very best No Win No Fee solicitors on your side.

We will be able to recover compensation for your injuries based on the tariffs outlined in the Civil Liabilities Act 2018.

In the Act, which came into force from June 2021, compensation amounts for whiplash injuries are now based on how long your injury lasts. Additionally, amounts are split into two tariffs, one with minor psychological injuries and one without.

The current whiplash tariffs that came into effect in 2021 range from £240 to £4,345. The amount you may be able to claim is based on the length of time it takes you to recover from your injuries.

If your injuries last no more than three months, you may be able to claim £240. However, you may be able to claim up to £4,215 if your injuries last between 18 and 24 months.

Read our guide to claiming for whiplash for more information.

How To Check If You Have Whiplash

Whiplash is a soft tissue injury caused by the sudden movement of the head and neck.

Likened to the cracking of a whip, the rapid movement of the head and neck forwards and backwards or sideways causes the tissues in the neck to become stretched and damaged.

There are a number of typical whiplash symptoms, and they can take several days to develop following an accident.

Common whiplash symptoms include:

• Neck pain (including difficulty in moving up, down, and side to side.)
• Upper and lower back pain.
• Discomfort or pain in shoulders and arms.
• Tingling or numbness in the arms
• Headaches, often at the base of the skull.
• Dizziness, nausea, fatigue, or loss of balance.
• Swelling and inflammation.
• Psychological symptoms.

In addition to the above symptoms, some cases of whiplash can include the following:

• Difficulty sleeping.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Memory problems.
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
• Irritability.
• Depression.

How Does A Doctor Diagnose Whiplash?

A doctor will usually be able to diagnose whiplash by examining your neck for signs of muscle spasms, tenderness and by the range of movement you may have. A doctor may also ask about how the injury happened.

Usually, tests and scans are not be required. If scans are needed, you may need to have an X-ray, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or CT (computerised tomography) scan to diagnose more accurately, or if the doctor suspects there may be a fracture or other issue.

How To Treat Whiplash

There are several ways you can treat the symptoms of whiplash. Most of these can be self-administered.

Exercise – try to keep your neck moving so that it doesn’t become too stiff. You might only be able to do this very gently at first before resting. If you get concerned about the pain or it becomes worse, then go back to your GP.

Painkillers – you can take an over-the-counter medicine such as paracetamol as directed on the packet. Other anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen can be taken, and there are also ibuprofen gels that exist for external use. Stronger pills like naproxen or codeine can be prescribed by your GP if needed.

Physiotherapy – most mild cases of whiplash won’t need physiotherapy. Still, if the pain does not subside, then you might find it helpful to have some heat or manipulation treatments with a qualified physiotherapist.

While sitting or sleeping, ensure you have a good pillow that can support your head. Also, make sure that you are sitting in a way that doesn’t add added pressure to the neck.