Should I take the money?

[Go-Around]

In late 2000, I was travelling along the M1 when a lorry driver decided to plant his cab into the rear seat of my car taking the quickest route, through my boot (trunk). Luckily he was fine, and I suffered a whiplash injury wish has now pretty much disappeared.
I've just been offered £1500 in compensation, which would come in very handy for renewing my IR.
Should I take the money now, or hold out for more?
My concern is that neck problems my re-occur later in life and affect my flying career?
Any ideas/advice?
Thanks,
GA

[Dakota Queen]

I'm no medic but I'll give you my tuppance worth.....

I would not make this decision lightly - if you have any contacts in the medical field ask them whis are the chances of re-occurance of the injury. I would also check with a lawyer to see if its a reasonable offer - sounds like pittance!

Good luck with the IR

DQ

[QDMQDMQDM]

All depends on how you feel about being an active participant in our compensation culture. I suspect you could hold out for more.

QDM

[p.savage]

Don't take it. That amount is rediculous. I know so many people who have suffered whip lash from very very small collisions and have been rewared as much as £10,000.

Think about your decision very carefully. Do as Dakota says, get a solicitor and he or she will be able to tell you exactly what you can get.

Savage

[QDMQDMQDM]

Don't take it. That amount is rediculous. I know so many people who have suffered whip lash from very very small collisions and have been rewared as much as £10,000.

There is no question that compensation can be a gold mine. However, I see people every week trying to milk their whiplash claims for all they can. They are rarely the most pleasant of my patients, or those imbued with the greatest self-respect.

QDM

[keendog]

If you need/want the money see a solicitor
QDM is right. Long term whiplash is rarely seen clinically outside societies where compensation is readily available, and the volume of GP notes tends to be inversely proportional to that individual's ability to get on with life.

However, if you need the money, you need the money.

I can say that for your injuries alone (i.e. not including any out of pocket expenses, loss of earnings or repair bills) you will not get anything like £10,000.

[Go-Around]

Please see my other post on Jetblast (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=83975)

[Flyin'Dutch']

During my neurology training I was told never to miss out the question: Is this complaint a result of an accident and are there any outstanding claims.

The referral form for the local orthopedic surgeons contains the question whether there is an outstanding legal claim.

From my daily experience it seems that self employed folk suffer a lot less incidents for which compensation can be claimed.

The vast majority of people seeking claims for medical negligence have legal aid.

As far as I am aware there is no evidence to link whiplash injuries to neck problems later in life.

Best one so far was from a person needing help with their vehicle and walking uninvited into a workshop to ask for some help, after the help had been given (ISTR a tool) walked out of said workshop and slipped on a slippery patch and was claiming compensation for the fall the person had. How many times do you think the workshop is going to be helpful in the future.......Indeed.

I have no problem with people claiming and getting compensation if they have the misfortune of coming to harm due to no fault of their own.

The world seems to be going crazy at the moment though, we'll soon only be able to sit on the sofa, wrapped in tinfoil.

FD