LV Liverpool Victoria Insurance Claims Guide – How To Claim Compensation For Whiplash
Were you involved in a road accident and, as a result, are suffering from whiplash? We have put this guide together to provide you with information you might find useful if you need to make a whiplash claim against Liverpool Victoria (LV) insurance. We will walk you through what you might need to make an LV insurance accident claim, including the evidence that you might need for LV insurance whiplash claims. We will also look at why using the services of a personal injury solicitor, particularly a No Win, No Fee solicitor, could be beneficial to anyone looking to make LV insurance whiplash claims. We hope you will find the information contained within the guide helpful, however, if you have any questions related to the specifics of your LV insurance accident claim then please give us a call on 0800 073 8804.
Select A Section
- A Guide To Whiplash Injury Claims Against LV / Liverpool Victoria
- What Are Whiplash Neck Injuries?
- Should I Claim For A Whiplash Car Accident Against My Own Policy?
- Insights Into What Insurance Companies Might Not Want Claimants To Know
- What Are Knock-For-Knock Or Split Liability Claims?
- Should I Accept An Initial Whiplash Insurance Settlement Offer?
- What Are Pre-Medical Offers?
- LV / Liverpool Victoria Whiplash Compensation Calculator
- What Could I Be Compensated For As Part Of A LV Whiplash Claim?
- No Win, No Fee Claims Against LV / Liverpool Victoria Insurance
- Talk To A Legal Expert Today
- References And Guides
A Guide To Whiplash Injury Claims Against LV / Liverpool Victoria
When it comes to car accidents, whiplash is considered to be something of a common injury, however, it can also occur as a result of other accidents as well. If you are thinking about making a whiplash personal injury claim, then you may have some questions regarding how whiplash injury insurance claims work. It is a good idea, when making this type of personal injury claim, to utilise the services of a personal injury lawyer who has experience of making this type of claim. There are several things that they will be able to advise you on, including:
- Helping to make the process of claiming less stressful.
- Giving recommendations on any settlement you are offered and if it is worth accepting.
- Whether you should continue your claim and seek a higher compensation payout.
This guide will walk you through the process involved in making an LV whiplash claim, together with advice on the services that we can provide and explaining just how we can help you. We will discuss the personal injury claims time limit that is in place for these types of cases as well as looking at the average whiplash insurance settlement.
What Are Whiplash Neck Injuries?
Before we take a look at the claims process itself, let’s have a look at what a whiplash injury is, how it happens and the types of symptoms you might expect to associate with it.
Whiplash is a neck injury and usually occurs when there has been a swift and jolting movement of the head. In the majority of cases, whiplash is a condition that will settle on its own, usually within 2-3 months of it occurring. However, in other cases, there can be further issues as well.
Whiplash could be considered a common issue following an LV insurance car accident. This is because when a vehicle is forced to make a sudden stop or is forcefully hit by another vehicle, the head could jerk forward and back in a very quick movement. We should also mention, however, that whiplash could also be the result of physical abuse and other types of trauma, as well as some types of sport.
Common Symptoms Associated With Whiplash:
- Pain in the neck that becomes worse on movement
- Loss of movement in the neck
- Feeling of tenderness in the neck, upper back and shoulders
- Tingling sensations in the arms
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Tiredness
- A feeling of stiffness in region of the neck
Less common symptoms include:
- A blurring of vision
- Being more irritable
- Less restful and more disturbed sleep patterns
- Depression
- Problems with memory
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Problems concentrating
If you are thinking about making an LV whiplash claim, then it could be a good idea to visit your doctor so that they can make a record of any symptoms you may be struggling with. If you are suffering from whiplash, then you may benefit from some of the more common treatments available. Including:
- Medications for pain. These will usually be the over the counter varieties such as ibuprofen, paracetamol or both.
- Specific exercises that may assist in easing the stiffness you are suffering.
In most cases, the symptoms of whiplash will significantly improve within a couple of months. Unfortunately, there are some instances when this is not the case. In more severe instances, whiplash could be more complicated. Claimants may suffer chronic neck pain, long-term headaches and pain in the arms.
Some risk factors could result in whiplash sufferers having a poorer outcome:
- Older age
- Previously having suffered from whiplash
- Already suffering from neck or back pain
Should I Claim For A Whiplash Car Accident Against My Own Policy?
If you are thinking about pursuing a Liverpool Victoria whiplash claim, then you might be wondering if the claim should be made against your own policy or if there is another way of doing it. Most LV car insurance whiplash claims are made against the car insurance of the negligent driver. So, for instance, if somebody crashed into you and they were insured by LV, you would pursue a claim against that insurer. If the other driver was insured by another company—Aviva for instance—then you’d pursue Aviva.
Your own insurance would therefore not be affected by the claim. It is worth noting that if there was a passenger in your vehicle who suffered a whiplash injury and the fault for the accident lies with you, then your passenger may wish to pursue a claim against you. This could result in an LV injury claim being made on your own insurance, if you are insured by LV. This may influence your future premiums and cover.
Insights Into What Insurance Companies Might Not Want Claimants To Know
If you are considering making LV car insurance whiplash claims, or indeed a claim for any other type of car accident, then there are some things that your insurance company may not have made you aware of. It is perfectly acceptable to turn down the initial offer of compensation that you may be offered by an insurance company. They could often offer you a lower sum in the hope that you will accept it. However, research conducted by the Financial Conduct Authority seems to indicate that those claimants who turn down an initial offer could go on to receive a compensation payment that is on average three times the amount.
One of the other things that insurance companies may prefer claimants not to do is instruct a solicitor who specialises in personal injury claims. This could be because an experienced solicitor would be able to help argue your claim and hopefully get you a bigger compensation payout.
What Are Knock-For-Knock Or Split Liability Claims?
If it is deemed that the accident that caused the whiplash was entirely your fault, then you would be unable to make an LV insurance whiplash claim for the accident given you’d be deemed to have caused your own injuries.
There are some cases, however, where you may be regarded as partly to blame for the accident. This is known as a knock-for-knock or split liability case. In these types of LV insurance whiplash claims both drivers could admit that they each had some responsibility for the accident that took place. If you pursued a claim for compensation against Liverpool Victoria in this situation, then your insurer may decide that settling the claim on a knock-for-knock basis was the most appropriate course of action. This could result in a settlement being made to each claimant by their insurance provider.
This type of claim could help to save costs in respect of legal fees, and could also be settled much more swiftly.
Unfortunately, this type of claim could have a knock-on effect on insurance cover in the future and may increase your premiums. If you have been in an accident of this type which caused you injury, but you believe that the greater fault lies with the other driver, then it might be wise to speak to a solicitor. They could be able to help argue your case so that your premiums might not suffer as much as a result of your claim.
Should I Accept An Initial Whiplash Insurance Settlement Offer?
Whilst accepting an initial offer may seem like the easiest thing to do, you might be missing out on a more appropriate level of compensation for your injuries that pursuing the claim further could bring you. The big question you might be asking yourself is: ‘Is this a good offer or should I be looking for a higher offer?’
It is worth pointing out that whether you are making a Liverpool Victoria insurance car accident claim or indeed a different type of accident claim, you may feel a little overwhelmed initially over what you should be doing. As attractive as an initial offer may look, and it may certainly seem a less stressful way of finalising the claim, it may be a wise move to consider any offer carefully before you accept it.
Here are some of the things you might want to be thinking about when you have received an initial offer:
- It is only an offer and you do not have to accept it. It may be beneficial to discuss your offer with a lawyer before making any final decisions.
- Having a medical assessment as part of your claim could help to place a more accurate value on the claim. This amount might be more than the insurance company’s initial offer.
- Your insurance company may offer you the services of a solicitor. However, it could be better to look for one of your own so you are not limiting yourself to their panel of solicitors.
- The time limit for making most kinds of personal injury claims is 3 years from the date of the accident, and whilst you should not feel under any pressure to accept an initial settlement from your LV insurance whiplash claims, you might want to keep this in mind. However, it is important to consider your decision carefully and not rush if you don’t have to.
Apart from these considerations, we would caution claimants against signing anything that they have not read in full and understand completely. If you have received an offer and you are not certain about it, then speak to our expert advisors. We are happy to provide you with guidance. We could even offer you a solicitor from our specialist panel who can assist you in pursuing your whiplash claim against Liverpool Victoria further.
What Are Pre-Medical Offers?
Sometimes your insurance provider may offer you a pre-medical settlement offer. This is an offer for which no medical evidence is required should you choose to accept. In some instances, an insurer may make this type of offer if they believe that you might want to pursue a claim against them in the future, so in other words, seek to buy you off. This type of offer could be made as soon as liability has been admitted by the defendant. There are a couple of reasons they might do this:
- To sort things out as soon as possible following an accident
- To save on the cost of legal fees
- To avoid the expense of a medical assessment
A pre-medical offer may not be as much as you might receive if you were to proceed with an LV whiplash claim that has medical evidence to support it. Medical evidence that has been collected to support your claim could give a much more accurate picture of any injuries you have suffered and offer a long-term prognosis of how long your suffering may continue. If you choose to accept a pre-med offer, this may mean that any private treatment, such as physiotherapy, you require later on might have to be paid for out of your own pocket.
You may also be unable to get any compensation to cover loss of wages and other travel or medical expenses under this type of settlement. We would recommend that if you have received a pre-med offer for your LV whiplash claim, you should seek advice in order to find out if you may be able to pursue a claim for more compensation than offered. We would be happy to assist you with this, just call our helpline.
LV / Liverpool Victoria Whiplash Compensation Calculator
You might be wondering how much compensation you’ll get for whiplash and back injury claims. If you are thinking about pursuing an LV injury claim, you may have already had a look at a personal injury claims calculator. We find such calculators a little cumbersome to use, so instead, we’ve compiled a useful table detailing the Judicial College Guidelines relating to whiplash insurance settlement amounts. When it comes to your claim for compensation against Liverpool Victoria, we could offer advice on the other costs you might claim. The table below indicates the payouts in respect of the actual injury.
| Type of Injury | Severity | Compensation Range | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neck Injury | Minor (iii) | Up to £2,300 | This compensation range is for soft tissue damage with full recovery within 3 months. |
| Neck Injury | Minor (ii) | £2,300 to £4,080 | This compensation range is for soft tissue damage with full recovery within 1 year. |
| Neck Injury | Moderate (i) | £23,460 to £36,120 | This compensation range is for fractures or dislocations that might need spinal fusion. |
| Neck Injury | Severe (iii) | £42,680 to £52,540 | This compensation range is for dislocations, fractures and severe soft tissue damage which leads to severe conditions, extensive treatment and significant disability of a permanent nature. |
| Shoulder Injury | Minor (i)-(iii) | £2,300 to £7,410 | This compensation range is for painful soft tissue damage to the shoulder where full recovery is made within in less than two years. |
| Shoulder Injury | Moderate (c) | £7,410 to £11,980 | This compensation range is for soft tissue damage which takes over 2-years to recover from and also injuries like frozen shoulder. |
| Shoulder Injury | Serious (b) | £11,980 to £18,020 | This compensation range is for shoulder dislocations or brachial plexus damage which results in movement loss with pain in the shoulder, neck and elbow. |
| Shoulder Injury | Severe (a) | £18,020 to £45,070 | This compensation range is for brachial plexus damage which leads to significant disabilities. |
What Could I Be Compensated For As Part Of A LV Whiplash Claim?
If you’re offered a settlement package, you may find it consists of two heads of claim: general damages and special damages.
General damages are designed to compensate you for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity inflicted by the injury. We’ve covered general damages valuations in the compensation calculator section above.
Special damages are intended to compensate you for any financial losses or expenses incurred as a direct result of the injury. These may include, but are not limited to:
- Medical costs- Charges associated with prescriptions, cost of physiotherapy sessions and the like could be claimed for in LV insurance whiplash claims.
- Travel costs – Costs of travelling to medical assessments and appointments and fees for parking at the hospital, for instance, could also be claimed for in LV insurance whiplash claims.
- Loss of wages – If your whiplash injury forces you to take time off work and your employer’s sickness policy only pays you a percentage of your normal wage, then you can claim, the lost amount of income. Any future loss of income may also be considered in your claim.
No Win, No Fee Claims Against LV / Liverpool Victoria Insurance
Do you want to make a No Win, No Fee Liverpool Victoria insurance whiplash claim? If the answer is yes, then you might wish to consider using a No Win, No Fee solicitor to help with your claim. If you are wondering ‘How do I make a claim for whiplash without having to pay a lawyer upfront?”, then this could be the perfect answer. Not only are there no upfront fees or fees payable during your claim in a No Win, No Fee case, but are also some other advantages to this type of claim.
If you make a No Win, No Fee claim for whiplash against LV, you will be asked to sign a No Win, No Fee agreement, also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). The CFA will confirm, as mentioned above, that there are no fees to pay upfront or during the claim and if the case does not succeed, you will not have to pay any of the fees your solicitor has incurred in pursuing your case.
If your claim is successful, your solicitor may seek a small contribution toward their fees. This percentage is known as a success fee. This is because it is only payable if your solicitor makes a successful compensation claim against LV. Don’t worry, success fees are legally capped and the level will be set in the CFA before the claim begins.
To summarise, here are some of the benefits of a No Win, No Fee claim:
- No initial payment required to start a claim
- Help from an experienced legal professional
- The claims process is less stressful
- Less financial risk to you
If you would like more information about this type of claim, we can offer you the assistance of a No Win, No Fee solicitor to pursue your case, if we believe that you have a valid claim. Call us to discuss the details of your case.
Talk To A Legal Expert Today
Are you unsure if you would be able to claim compensation for a Liverpool Victoria whiplash claim? Or are you ready to begin your claim? Maybe you are pursuing a claim related to an accident you were involved in as a child where no claim was made, or you are making a claim on behalf of your child? If you have any queries or questions, we will try our hardest to provide you with the necessary support and guidance.
If you are ready to make a whiplash claim against Liverpool Victoria and we believe that you have a good case for compensation, we will provide you with a No Win, No Fee solicitor from our panel who can assist you with your claim.
When it comes to handling this type of claim, our panel of solicitors has a wealth of experience. We are happy to discuss the details of your case with you in confidence and will offer you easy-to-understand advice. You will not be put under any pressure to make a compensation claim. We will just give you the advice that you need to decide if you would like to go ahead with your claim. You are under no obligation to use the service that we provide. However, if you do want to proceed with a claim then we will be here to offer you support.
We can be contacted in several different ways, so if you would like to get in touch with a member of the team:
- Call us – our helpline can be reached by calling 0800 073 8804, and we will be happy to discuss the details of your claim.
- Email us – drop us an email at info@legalexpert.co.uk for assistance in beginning your claim or if you have any other questions.
- Use live chat – our live chat option is available every day for your convenience
However you prefer to get in touch about LV insurance whiplash claims, we’re sure to be able to help, and with No Win, No Fee claims, there’s no reason you should need to delay your claim, so why not get in touch to start the ball rolling today.
References And Guides
Whiplash treatment – NHS guidelines on the various treatments available to those who have obtained whiplash injuries
Neck pain and Whiplash – information from NHS direct on the symptoms of whiplash, treatments, self-care advice and also information about long term whiplash.
Whiplash claims consultation – the whiplash claims system, a government consultation.
Whiplash claim calculator – if you have suffered a whiplash injury then this claim calculator may be useful to you.
Car accident claims – our guide on car accident claims may provide you with some useful information if you have suffered a case of whiplash due to a car accident which was not your fault.
Neck injuries – If it’s not whiplash you’ve suffered, but another neck injury, then this guidance could assist you.
Other Guides You Can Read
- Hastings Direct Insurance Claims Guide
- Tesco Insurance Claims Guide
- Admiral Insurance Claims Guide
- Aviva Insurance Claims Guide
Written by Jeffries
Edited by Billing
