When somebody else causes you to suffer a whiplash injury because they were negligent while driving, you could make a compensation claim against them. In this guide, we’ll explain why it’s better to make an Admiral Insurance whiplash claim (if that’s who the other driver is insured by) rather than claiming against your own insurance policy. We’ll also cover the amounts of compensation you might be entitled to, what you can include in an Admiral personal injury claim and the different methods of settling a claim.
We have a team of specialist advisors who could help you make an Admiral personal injury claim. We offer a no-obligation assessment of your claim and free advice on your options. If your case is strong enough, it could be taken on by one of our personal injury solicitors on a No Win, No Fee basis. To discuss your claim right away, please call our team on 0800 073 8804.
If you’d rather find out more about how you could make a personal injury claim against an Admiral car insurance policy, please continue reading.
Select A Section
- A Guide To Admiral Insurance Whiplash Claims
- What Is A Whiplash Injury?
- Should I Claim Against My Own Insurance Policy?
- Admiral Whiplash Insurance Claim Insights
- Could I Make A Split Liability Whiplash Claim?
- Should I Accept The First Offer From An Insurance Company?
- What Is A Pre Medical Offer And Should I Accept One?
- Admiral Insurance Whiplash Compensation Calculator
- What Else Could I Be Compensated For?
- No Win, No Fee Claims Against Admiral Insurance
- Speak To A Member Of Our Team Today
- Medical And Other Information
A Guide To Admiral Insurance Whiplash Claims
We receive lots of queries regarding whiplash claims which we’re going to try and cover in this guide, including:
- “Will a whiplash claim affect my insurance?”
- “Can whiplash be proven?”
- “What is the average payout for whiplash?”
- “Can you still claim for whiplash in 2020?”
While car accidents are a common cause of whiplash injuries, they can also be caused by contact sports, criminal assault, accidents at work and falls. That means personal injury claims could be possible for any type of accident.
When we talk about an Admiral Insurance whiplash claim we are specifically covering claims where the responsible party is insured by them. Whether you’re claiming for a whiplash injury against Admiral Insurance or another insurer, you’ll need to ensure your claim is made within the personal injury claims time limit. In general, the time limit is 3-years from the date of the accident or from when your injuries were diagnosed. As a result, any claim made after this time period will usually be rejected.
Also, to be able to use a No Win, No Fee service, you’ll need to demonstrate to the solicitor that:
- You’ve suffered whiplash injuries;
- Because somebody else was negligent;
- And that person owed you a duty of care.
If you believe you have a valid Admiral Insurance whiplash claim and would like to discuss your options, please call and speak with a member of our friendly team.
What Is A Whiplash Injury?
Whiplash is caused by a collision, from any direction, which causes the head to move suddenly, according to information from the NHS. A common problem with whiplash injuries is that they don’t always present immediately. It can take between a few hours to a few days for symptoms to become apparent. Therefore, you should take care following any type of accident so that you don’t make things worse.
Common symptoms of whiplash that may be present include:
- Stiffness in the neck and head making it difficult to turn or move the head in some directions.
- Headaches which can range in severity.
- Neck pain.
- Pain and muscle spasms in the shoulders and arms.
The NHS website provides advice about how to manage whiplash symptoms. This includes:
- Not wearing a neck brace (they don’t help with whiplash).
- Not resting too much. It’s better to carry on with everyday tasks. This might mean it’s more painful, but it will improve recovery times.
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen to help with the pain.
The advice from the NHS is useful with regards to recovery but we’d still recommend visiting your GP or the local A&E for treatment and an assessment of your injuries. Also, with regards to making an Admiral Insurance whiplash claim, any medical records created by the doctor can be used as evidence to show the extent of your injuries.
Should I Claim Against My Own Insurance Policy?
In a scenario where your whiplash injury has been caused by another person, we’d never recommend that you claim against your own insurance because it could have an effect on your premiums and no claim discount when you renew. Furthermore, you’re likely to have to pay the policy excess that you agreed when you took out your insurance policy.
When you make an Admiral car insurance whiplash claim against the other driver, your own policy won’t be affected in the following years’ premium because your no claims bonus won’t be affected.
In our experience, it’s better to use a solicitor to help you make a claim against the other driver’s insurance policy. Our No Win, No Fee solicitors have the experience and knowledge to help you make your claim. They know what evidence is required and what can be included in a claim which could mean you don’t miss out on the compensation you’re entitled to.
Admiral Whiplash Insurance Claim Insights
According to research undertaken by the Financial Conduct Authority, it’s possible to receive a higher compensation payment if:
- You reject the first settlement offer from the insurer, and;
- You hire your own personal injury solicitor to make the claim on your behalf.
That’s because, when an insurance company deals with you directly, they’ll be trying to pay as little as possible for you to settle the claim. It’s probably fair to say that any offer from an insurer will be less than what you’d receive when using a solicitor, or if a court decided on your compensation amount.
However, if you use a personal injury solicitor, they will know about how claims are handled and ensure the correct evidence is supplied so you are compensated correctly. After all, compensation is paid out to help you recover from your injuries. Therefore, settling early (and cheaply) could prove costly in the long run.
Could I Make A Split Liability Whiplash Claim?
There are times where an Admiral whiplash payout is reduced because you admit some liability or fault for the accident. When this happens, you’ll usually agree, after advice from your solicitor, how much you were to blame for the accident. You might agree that you were 25%, 50% or 75% responsible for the accident. When you make a split liability claim, you’ll still claim against the other driver’s insurance policy (meaning yours isn’t affected), but you’ll receive a reduced settlement amount.
Another type of settlement offered by insurers is known as knock-for-knock. This happens where both parties are liable for the accident. In this scenario, each person’s claims are handled by their own insurer. While this is good for the insurance company, because they save on legal fees, it’s not so good for you. That’s because you’re effectively making a claim against your own insurance policy which means your no claims discount and your renewal cost might be affected. You’ll also have to pay a policy excess if there is one on your policy.
Our team can advise you on whether you should make a split liability or knock-for-knock Admiral Insurance whiplash claim. Please call the number at the top of your screen for free legal advice today.
Should I Accept The First Offer From An Insurance Company?
In some cases, you might find you’re contacted directly by the other driver’s insurance company because they want to offer you a settlement figure directly. However, it might not always be in your best interests to accept their offer. Things you should consider if you’re contacted in this way include:
- Any offer made will probably be less than you’d be offered if using a personal injury lawyer.
- You shouldn’t feel under any pressure to decide. You could have up to 3-years to make a claim or accept an offer.
- There is no obligation to accept any offer.
- Before you accept any offer, seek a medical assessment of your injuries because without knowing how severe your injuries are, it’s not possible to understand if an offer is fair or not.
- You can choose any solicitor to represent you. Therefore, you don’t have to use the one an insurer recommends.
- If you do agree to sign any paperwork from the insurer, make sure you understand what you’re signing for.
- Remember, that any offer is likely to be final. As a result, you can’t go back and ask for more compensation at a later date.
What Is A Pre-Medical Offer And Should I Accept One?
If you’re making an Admiral car insurance whiplash claim, it’s possible they’ll contact you to offer a pre-medical settlement offer. These are made even though there’s no medical evidence to help work out the compensation amount.
While that might seem like a good idea, it will usually mean you’re being offered a lower amount to settle the case quickly. The insurer will probably be trying to reduce how much they payout and be hoping that the offer of a quick settlement will sway you.
The main problem with a pre-medical offer is that they are final. You cannot claim more compensation even if you can prove that your injuries are worse than you thought. Therefore, you could be left with long-term injuries but only receive a small amount of compensation.
When you use one of our No Win, No Fee solicitors, you’ll be assessed by an independent doctor. They’ll work out the true extent of your injuries and provide a report to your solicitor. This will then be used to calculate what compensation you could be entitled to. Although this process will take longer to complete, it could mean you receive a higher and fairer compensation amount.
Therefore, although a pre-medical settlement might seem like a good idea, especially if you’re short of money, we’d recommend that you always turn them down. At the very least, check with a member of our team before committing to anything.
Admiral Insurance Whiplash Compensation Calculator
At this point, you might want to know how much compensation you could be entitled to. It’s not quite as easy as telling you an average amount of compensation that’s awarded for whiplash because every claim is unique. However, if you look at the table below, you’ll see how much compensation could be awarded for certain injuries. These figures have been taken from the Judicial College Guidelines, a legal publication used by solicitors and the courts to value claims.
| 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. |
These figures demonstrate why having a medical assessment is essential because each injury is compensated for based on the severity. Therefore, your solicitor can use evidence from a medical assessment to help prove what amount you should receive. For a better understanding of what your claim could be worth, please call one of our specialists. After they’ve assessed your claim and understand how you’ve been affected, you could be provided with an estimated compensation amount.
Also, take a look at the next section which describes other things that you could claim for besides the figures listed in the table.
What Else Could I Be Compensated For?
A personal injury lawyer will generally seek a compensation package made up of two heads of claim: general damages and special damages. We’ve covered general damages in the compensation calculator section above. Special damages, on the other hand, are designed to compensate you for any financial losses or expenses incurred as a result of the injury. Some of the things you can claim for include:
- Lost Income.
If your injuries mean you need to take time off from work for medical appointments or to recover, you could claim for any lost income. Furthermore, if your injuries affect you in the long-term, you could claim for future loss of income too. - Travel Expenses.
During any claim, you’ll probably need to travel to and from the doctor’s on multiple occasions. Also, you might need to make alternate travel arrangements if your injuries prevent you from driving. In either case, you could claim any associated costs back. - Medical Costs.
The cost of prescription medicines and over the counter treatments can soon build up. So even though you’ll receive free treatment on the NHS, you could still claim for medical expenses. In some circumstances, it might be possible to claim for private healthcare costs too. - Care Costs.
When you’re recovering from your injuries, if you need to be cared for by a professional carer, you could seek any costs back as part of your claim. - Damaged Personal Property.
Finally, if any item of your personal property (such as your car, clothes, your phone or jewellery) is damaged during your accident, you could claim the cost of replacing the item or repairing it.
To help prove the special damages part of your claim, we’d recommend keeping bank statements and receipts. Also, whenever you spend money because of your injuries, keep a log of why and how it was linked to your injuries. This will make it easier to explain to your solicitor when you begin your claim. Finally, if you’re in any doubt whether you can claim the cost of something back in your compensation claim, please speak with a member of our team. It’s better to check first rather than risk ending up with an expense you can’t recover.
No Win, No Fee Claims Against Admiral Insurance
A No Win, No Fee service reduces the financial risks involved with claiming. As a result, stress levels are reduced too because you’re not constantly worrying about escalating solicitor’s fees.
As mentioned earlier in this guide, your solicitor will have to check whether you have a valid claim before commencing. When they do agree to help with your Admiral Insurance whiplash claim, you’ll be given a conditional fee agreement (CFA). This is the legal name of a No Win, No Fee agreement.
A CFA is a contract between you and your solicitor. It explains clearly that you don’t have to pay the solicitor’s fees unless you win compensation. You also won’t have to pay any fees upfront or during the claim. If your case does succeed, your solicitor may ask for a small contribution toward their costs. This is known as a success fee and would be deducted from the compensation awarded. Don’t worry, success fees are legally capped and the terms will be clearly stated in the CFA.
If you’d like to find out whether one of our solicitors could help you make a No Win, No Fee Admiral Insurance whiplash claim, please call our advisors today.
Speak To A Member Of Our Team Today
We hope that now you’ve read this guide about making an Admiral Insurance whiplash claim, you’d like to contact us here at Legal Expert and begin your own claim today. If that’s the case, you can contact us by:
- Calling our friendly team of professional advisors on 0800 073 8804.
- Sending us an email to info@legalexpert.co.uk.
- Using the live chat feature found throughout this website.
- Or start your claim online by completing this online form.
No matter how you contact us, we’ll start by offering you a no-obligation assessment of your claim. We’ll discuss what happened, who was to blame and what evidence you have to support the case. If the claim is strong enough, we could connect you with one of our No Win, No Fee solicitors who have decades of experience in personal injury claims.
We’re available 24-hours a day,7 days a week so you can call at the most convenient time for you. Our advisors are friendly and professional and will never put any pressure on you to continue. So call us today. We look forward to representing you!
Medical And Other Information
Hopefully, this guide about completing an Admiral Insurance whiplash claim has proved useful. To help you further, we’ve linked to some more guides, medical information and external links below:
Whiplash Symptoms and Treatment – A useful guide about the symptoms of whiplash, the treatment and when you should seek medical advice from the NHS.
The Whiplash Claims Process – This page is about a government consultation into how whiplash and soft tissue damage claims are dealt with.
Road Traffic Accident Statistics – A range of government reports regarding injuries and causes of road traffic accidents in the UK.
Accident at Work Claims – This guide explains when you might be able to claim for injuries, including whiplash, sustained in an accident at work.
Road Traffic Accident Solicitors – Another guide covering road traffic accidents and specifically how a solicitor could help you claim for your injuries.
Compensation Following an Assault – If you’ve suffered whiplash or other injuries caused by violent crime, this guide will explain when and how you could make a claim.
Thanks for reading our guide about making an Admiral Insurance whiplash claim. If you require any further information, please call and speak to an advisor.
Other Guides That May Help
- Aviva Insurance Claims Guide
- AXA Insurance Claims Guide
- Direct Line Insurance Claims Guide
- Esure Insurance Claims Guide
Written by Hambridge
Edited by Billing
