QUESTION: Can All Ages Claim for Whiplash Injuries?
We specialise in helping victims of injury claim the compensation they may be entitled to
Do Whiplash Claim Ages Matter?
A victim needs to be 18 and legally an adult before they can claim for whiplash injuries. If the victim was under 18 at the time of the accident, then a parent or guardian can claim on their behalf.
How is Whiplash Caused?
The cause of whiplash is the same in both children and adults. It occurs when the head and neck are violently thrown forwards and backwards from an impact. The condition’s name comes from its similarity to whip-crack in that it is a sharp and sudden movement, such as the force from a car hitting yours from behind in a road traffic accident, a sporting accident, a fall, or another type of trauma.
Although it happens quickly, whiplash can take months – if not a year or more – to heal. The majority of whiplash cases only last for a few months, but some injuries require more intensive treatment and medication before they go.
How to Tell if Your Child Has Whiplash
Whiplash injuries are not always immediately visible, but children are just as susceptible to the injury as adults are – if not more so due to them being less physically robust than adults. Some of the symptoms of whiplash appear within the first 24 hours after the accident and can include:
- Stiffness and pain in the neck and shoulders
- Headaches at the base of the skull with pain radiating out
- A lack of movement in the neck, and being unable to turn the head easily
- Dizziness or impaired balance
- Fatigue
- A tingling or numb sensation in the shoulders and arms
Other symptoms may not be obvious to a child suffering from them, such as:
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Disturbed sleep patterns (either unable to sleep or sleeping a lot)
- Feeling ill-tempered or depressed
- Lack of concentration
- Trouble with short term memory.
Because of the nature of whiplash injuries, and the fact that children may not immediately recognise or verbalise some of the symptoms, it is important you seek medical attention as soon as possible if your child has had an accident.
Making a Compensation Claim for a Child
Talk to The Compensation Experts if you want to find out more about personal injury claims for a child. You can start an application immediately after the accident, or anytime until their 18th birthday. After this date, they can submit their own compensation claim, having until their 21st birthday to do so.
The only time a parent or guardian cannot make a claim on behalf of their child is if they are responsible for the accident, for example, if they were the responsible driver in an RTA. In this instance, the child’s other parent, grandparent, or close relative, could make a claim. The adult representing the child in the claim is called their litigation friend. They need to be able to competently and fairly make decisions for the benefit of the child and not have any conflicting interests, demonstrating this by completing a Certificate of Suitability.
Any money awarded to a child for whiplash compensation goes into a court-appointed trust to be managed for them until they reach the age of 18.
Contact The Compensation Experts today for free, no-obligation advice about whiplash injury claims.
Do Whiplash Claim Ages Matter?
A victim needs to be 18 and legally an adult before they can claim for whiplash injuries. If the victim was under 18 at the time of the accident, then a parent or guardian can claim on their behalf.
How is Whiplash Caused?
The cause of whiplash is the same in both children and adults. It occurs when the head and neck are violently thrown forwards and backwards from an impact. The condition’s name comes from its similarity to whip-crack in that it is a sharp and sudden movement, such as the force from a car hitting yours from behind in a road traffic accident, a sporting accident, a fall, or another type of trauma.
Although it happens quickly, whiplash can take months – if not a year or more – to heal. The majority of whiplash cases only last for a few months, but some injuries require more intensive treatment and medication before they go.
How to Tell if Your Child Has Whiplash
Whiplash injuries are not always immediately visible, but children are just as susceptible to the injury as adults are – if not more so due to them being less physically robust than adults. Some of the symptoms of whiplash appear within the first 24 hours after the accident and can include:
- Stiffness and pain in the neck and shoulders
- Headaches at the base of the skull with pain radiating out
- A lack of movement in the neck, and being unable to turn the head easily
- Dizziness or impaired balance
- Fatigue
- A tingling or numb sensation in the shoulders and arms
Other symptoms may not be obvious to a child suffering from them, such as:
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Disturbed sleep patterns (either unable to sleep or sleeping a lot)
- Feeling ill-tempered or depressed
- Lack of concentration
- Trouble with short term memory.
Because of the nature of whiplash injuries, and the fact that children may not immediately recognise or verbalise some of the symptoms, it is important you seek medical attention as soon as possible if your child has had an accident.
Making a Compensation Claim for a Child
Talk to The Compensation Experts if you want to find out more about personal injury claims for a child. You can start an application immediately after the accident, or anytime until their 18th birthday. After this date, they can submit their own compensation claim, having until their 21st birthday to do so.
The only time a parent or guardian cannot make a claim on behalf of their child is if they are responsible for the accident, for example, if they were the responsible driver in an RTA. In this instance, the child’s other parent, grandparent, or close relative, could make a claim. The adult representing the child in the claim is called their litigation friend. They need to be able to competently and fairly make decisions for the benefit of the child and not have any conflicting interests, demonstrating this by completing a Certificate of Suitability.
Any money awarded to a child for whiplash compensation goes into a court-appointed trust to be managed for them until they reach the age of 18.
Contact The Compensation Experts today for a free, no-obligation conversation about whiplash injury claims.
Am I eligible?
If you have been harmed physically in the last 3 years, due to someone else’s negligence, the short answer is yes.
Exceptions to this are for instance industrial disease or if you were a child at the time of the accident. In these cases you may then have a longer period to claim.
Find out moreHow much could I claim?
As every injury is different, the amount of compensation paid out can also differ case to case. Varying factors lead to the final figure. These include: extent of your injuries, loss of earnings, future losses and more.
Our dedicated team of experts will give you an indication of how much you could potentially claim for.
Find out moreHow does the process work?
We understand that when making a claim it’s important to know what to expect and when to expect it. That’s why we make the process as transparent & clear as possible.
Your solicitor will gather all the evidence. They will then notify the negligent party that you wish to begin claim proceedings. With your solicitor negotiating on your behalf, you will be up to date every step of the way.
Find out more