It’s Injury Awareness Week, and we are shining a light on an issue that often gets overlooked – what really happens when someone suffers a whiplash injury in a road traffic accident?
Whiplash might sound minor, but these injuries can be painful, long-lasting, and disruptive to daily life. From not being able to work or drive, to struggling with basic tasks like caring for a child or housework, lifting and carrying shopping and even getting dressed – the impact can be significant. So, what support do injured people get from the justice system? The answer is that it depends on the extent of their injuries, both physical and psychological.
Since April 2021, compensation for whiplash injuries has been set by a fixed tariff system. In theory, this means faster decisions and less admin. But in practice, it means that victims are awarded damages based mostly on how long their injury lasts – not how badly it affects them. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/615/regulation/2/made – The second column refers to additional compensation for minor psychological symptoms.
That is where the problem lies.
Many people injured in road traffic accidents now receive only a few hundred pounds in compensation, even when their injuries can restrict them at work. The tariff system makes no allowance for how an injury affects someone’s personal or professional life, offering a one-size-fits-all approach that overlooks individual impact.
Recently, the Government reviewed the system and announced a 15% increase in tariff payments, which came into effect in May 2025. On the surface, this sounds like progress. But when you consider how much the cost of living has risen since the tariffs were introduced, 15% does not go far enough. If the increase had followed inflation (like pensions and benefits do), it would have been closer to 22%.
The reforms were intended to reduce fraudulent claims – but instead, they have created a “justice gap”. Legitimate claims have dropped because many people feel the process is not worth the time, stress, or legal costs – all for minimal compensation. More significant injuries may require further treatment and/ or rehabilitation but whiplash injuries will just be dealt with on the tariff system.
At McHale & Co Solicitors, we believe victims of negligence deserve fair, full compensation if someone else’s carelessness causes you injury. We have a significant number of queries for injuries arising from accidents on roads every week with a variety of severe injuries, but whiplash injuries are part of a good proportion of the enquiries that we receive.
So this Injury Awareness Week, we are urging anyone who has been involved in a crash on a road, whether it involves a car, bike, tram or even an electric scooter (!) – or knows someone who has – to get in touch at mch@mchaleandco.co.uk or 0161 928 3848.
Here at McHale and Co. Solicitors, we have specialist Personal Injury Solicitors who can assist with your claim on a “no win no fee” basis, no matter how complex the case is.
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