I recently suffered whiplash from a motorbike crash and am eager to claim for compensation, however as I was speeding at the time, I feel I may be partially to blame for the accident.
Eoin P. Campbell, LL.B., Solicitor
Editor in Chief
It may be possible for you to claim for compensation for whiplash in a motorbike crash even if you are partially to blame for the accident that led to you sustaining your injury, although it is important that you raise your concern about the possibility during your first meeting with your solicitor. If you are found to have contributed in some way to the accident in which you were injured while on a motorbike, your contribution to the accident will be factored into any final settlement you might receive.
As mentioned in the first paragraph, you should bring up the possibility of contributory negligence factoring in your claim for road traffic accident compensation at your first meeting with your solicitor if you feel it might be an issue. Although you may feel as if may not be worth going to visit a solicitor at all because you may have to cede some of your settlement, many solicitors in the UK now offer free initial consultations to potential claimants who were injured while on a motorbike.
Whether or not you are eligible to claim for road traffic accident compensation after suffering whiplash from a motorbike crash is always worth investigating, especially considering the possible implications of the injury. Whiplash, which occurs when a person’s neck is jerked back and forward as a vehicle decelerates, can leave a person with permanent damage to a neck or shoulder muscle if left untreated, and not having an injury checked where possible spine or head injuries might have occurred can have serious consequences.
Speaking with a solicitor will allow you to gain a fuller understanding of your claim for being injured while on a motorbike, be provided with a comprehensive assessment of your prospects for achieving full road traffic accident compensation, and may enable you to learn how much you may be able to claim for your action for whiplash from a motorbike crash.