Whiplash is caused by a sudden jolt of your neck which causes damage to the ligaments. The neck rocks back and forward, causing a hyper-extension of muscles and other tissues which throw the neck out of its natural shape.
Tell Us About Your Case
Whiplash limits your mobility and can prevent you from carrying out your daily routine with activities. If you or a family member has experienced a whiplash injury you may be entitled to seek a legal remedy for the error.
Symptoms of whiplash may not appear for hours after the accident. As soon as you experience symptoms you should receive treatment from a doctor. The symptoms can worsen several days after the accident, requiring medical attention and rehabilitation.
The most common symptoms associated with whiplash include:
Rear-end collisions are the most common cause of whiplash. If this happens you should receive medical attention no matter how minor you think the injury may be.
Aggressive tackles in contact sports can lead to whiplash, especially in cases where the back is in a relaxed state.
Whiplash can occur due to violent treatment of the body. It can occur from being vigorously shaken or being punched. Victims who get whiplash injuries can suffer from a lack of sleep and can experience pain at work or throughout a normal day, reducing their mobility.
A typical whiplash injury claim may take months to settle. However, this will depend on a number of factors, such as:
The typical rule for all personal injury cases is that the victim has two years to bring forward legal proceedings from the date of when the accident occurred. There are some exceptions to this rule in certain circumstances. These include scenarios where the person who sustained the injury is considered to be mentally impaired as a result of the injury or when a person sustained such serious injury that prevents them from making a claim. In such cases, the person will have two years from the date where they are considered capable to do so.
The second exception is if a child suffers a serious injury. The child then has two years to make a whiplash claim from their eighteenth birthday. Another, but not last exception is in cases where a person was incapacitated before the accident. Such a person lacks the capability to make a claim themselves and a family member (Next Friend) can then bring proceedings forward. Most personal injury claims must first be assessed by the Injuries Board. Some personal injury cases may proceed to court while in some cases the party who was at fault will offer a settlement.
It is advisable to contact a solicitor immediately following an accident to discuss the next steps in making a claim. This will ensure that the statute of limitations shouldn’t have an impact on your ability to pursue a claim.
Fill in your details below and we'll contact you to discuss your case in complete confidentiality.
We use our expert knowledge and over 35 years of experience to give you the voice you need. We use non-legal language and provide practical and impartial advice through every stage of the process!
Call us today on +353 1 649 9900 or contact us online.
Once you have gathered all the relevant information in relation to your injury it is then time to move forward with your claim. It is important to use a personal injury solicitor to help you with this.
When you decide you want to move forward with your injury claim it is important to have all the relevant information to hand when contacting a solicitor. Important information to have on hand at this point is:
As a solicitor is aware of the injury claim process they can avoid any legal bumps in the road you might encounter if you did this yourself. It is their job to be your trusted advisor on all legal matters throughout your case.
The most important document needed to prove your injuries is your medical report. The reason a solicitor will ask for your doctor’s details or if you have attended the hospital is so they can obtain all the medical reports required to pursue the case for you.
As soon as your solicitor has gathered all the information, your injury claim will be submitted to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board for assessment. Your solicitor will do this for you. Once the Injuries Board assess your claim your solicitor will revert with a suggested settlement amount. At this stage, you have a choice to accept the Injuries Board assessment or reject it and move to the next steps.
At this point one of two scenarios will unfold:
a. If both you and the party at fault accept the Injuries Board assessment, your case is settled and the person at fault will be ordered to pay settlement to you.
b. If either you or the person at fault reject the Injuries Board assessment, then you move to the next stage and your solicitor will issue legal proceedings.
Before you start to concern yourself with court and everything that comes with it, it’s important to understand that only a very small percentage of cases actually make it to a courtroom.
Settlement meetings will be arranged where a settlement can be negotiated. Most cases are settled at this point without ever having to step foot into a courtroom and remember it’s your solicitor’s job to be with you every step of the way, right beside you to ensure that your best interests are met at all stages. Your solicitor is to be your trusted advisor throughout the process and to let you focus on your recovery, as they focus on settling your case.
At Tracey Solicitors LLP, we make law accessible to all — regardless of your knowledge or experience with the claims process. For more information and a confidential discussion on your accident, phone 01 649 9900 where you can speak with a member of our team straight away, or email ask@traceysolicitors.ie to tell us about your case.
We aim to provide clear and independent legal advice and achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients.
I doubted the probability of my case being successful, but Elaine reassured me, regardless of me being outside Ireland.
There was no need to go into the office as everything was dealt with over the phone, which was very handy.
I was regularly informed about progress on my case. Excellent contact with the Polish team throughout.
If you are to proceed with an injury claim you may be entitled to claim compensation for the injury and added expenses you may have incurred. These claims are called damages.
General damages are non-financial damages such as pain and suffering and/or physical and emotional injuries following an accident.
Special damages are out of pocket expenses incurred as a result of the injury, for example, loss of earnings (if you are out of work), medical bills, and added travel costs as a result of the injury (for example, travel to and from the hospital). Learn more about Special Damages.
Material damage refers to damage caused to your personal property. For example, in a road traffic accident, the material damage would be the damage to your car.
The statute of limitations are the legal time limits on how long you have to make a claim — these vary depending on the situation. The general rule for most personal injury cases is that the person has two years from the date of the accident or date of knowledge of the accident to make a claim for compensation. Contacting a solicitor to discuss your case will help you in determining how long you have left to make a claim.
Learn more about Time LimitsWe draw on more than 35 years of experience in personal injury law to provide you with expert advice and legal services.
We’re here to help you with your claim, and will work with you to ensure you understand every step of your legal journey.
Our friendly and experienced team are waiting to answer your call. Lines are open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm.
Or you can fill out our contact form and we'll call you back.
