CRACKING DOWN ON HOAXERS HITS THE INNOCENT
Unfair measure: Whiplash victim Michael Stevenson says as follows:-
I am concerned that the Chancellor intends to increase the small claims limit from £1,000 to £5,000 preventing most people claiming for injuries like whiplash.
Accident victim: Michael Stevenson
Some years ago, my wife and I were involved in a car crash in which we were both injured. Our car was waiting at a junction when two other cars collided and one was thrown in the air and landed on our car.
The police who attended insisted we go to the doctor, and the following day our GP’s diagnosed severe soft tissue damage to our necks, which were described as “whiplash injuries”.
Our claims on the insurance company were an education: they all did their best to confuse the issue and insisted on independent medical examinations and on all paperwork provided in triplicate.
They both told us the other company were responsible, and we came up against a wall of indifference and prevarication, even though every one of the independent medical examinations confirmed the original diagnosis.
We eventually sought legal help from solicitors who specialise in personal injury claims, a firm which certainly isn’t an “ambulance chaser”, and the matter was resolved in less than a week.
Having suffered severe soft tissue damage, I can attest that it is really painful and our injuries ensured that for several months we were unable to live a normal life. Ten years on we are still feeling the effects.
Removing the ability to make a claim means soft tissue injuries such as whiplash, which can cause significant pain, discomfort and effects on daily living, will go uncompensated.
The Chancellor seems to be responding only to the constant lobbying of the big multi-national insurance groups, and although he is attempting to crack down on those abusing the system, it is the innocent, genuine claimants like us who will be badly hit. With a little more thought a fairer solution to the problem could be found.