Whiplash: The ‘easy target’ of personal injury law

Posted 06/09/2012

Over the past few months the arguments surrounding personal injury claims for whiplash as the result of road traffic accidents, and more specifically the members of the public who pursue them, have reached tipping point.After countless headlines in the press and the myriad of assertions by the insurance industry that whiplash claims are the reason our insurance premiums are rising so quickly, we finally have access to some numbers.And what do the numbers tell us?According to Government figures in the last year there were 24,000 fewer claims than those made in the previous year.  One wonders if anybody will notice a reduction in their insurance premiums next year as a result? Karl Tonks, president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers has commented that:“Before the Government embarks on a potentially damaging reform agenda, it’s critical that ministers have a clear picture about whiplash, and that they recognise that most injured people are genuine and therefore have every right to expect proper access to justice when they need it.”Whether the Government will listen and raise this with the insurance industry is still up in the air. With a shake up in the front benches, including Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke being replaced by Chris Grayling, there is change afoot, but only time will tell if this change is for the better.