Whiplash claims fall

The number of whiplash claims dropped by 24,000 last year, despite concerns fraud is on the increase, according to the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).

An independent survey of 4,000 members of the public commissioned by APIL found that nearly 40% of people who have suffered a whiplash injury have never claimed compensation for it. One in five suffered symptoms for more than a year, and 90% of sufferers were diagnosed by a medical professional.

APIL president Karl Tonks says the figures will inject “sanity” into the national debate on whiplash injury compensation.

“The government appears to have been persuaded by the insurance industry that the answer to rising car insurance premiums lies in tackling whiplash claims, but the government’s own figures show there has been a drop in these claims in the last year,” he says.

“Before the government embarks on a potentially damaging reform agenda, it’s critical that ministers have a clear picture about whiplash.”

The government indicated in May that it would launch a consultation this summer proposing the introduction of independent medical panels to diagnose whiplash, and raising the limit for personal injury claims in the small claims court from £1,000 to £5,000.