Will Age, Gender Or Profession Affect The Amount Of Whiplash Compensation?

If you have sustained a personal injury, you can make a claim for pain and suffering, lost earnings, medical expenses and more to help you recover and get your life back on track.

In the case of whiplash, these claims are the most common in the United Kingdom and whiplash is the most common injury sustained as a result of a road traffic accident.

Whiplash is a debilitating injury that can cause long-term pain and suffering. If you are suffering from whiplash, you may be thinking about making a claim for compensation.

But will your age, gender or profession affect the amount of whiplash compensation you may receive? Let’s take a look at each:

Age

Yes, but only in certain circumstances. For example, a 5-year-old with their life ahead of them can expect a higher level of compensation than a 70-year-old who has already lived a large part of their life, if their whiplash injury will cause problems in the future. The same scenario can be applied to a wide range of accidents and injuries, not just whiplash. When it comes to determining a fair and proportionate payout, the age of the victim is taken into account by the solicitor and the other party. Click here to find out more.

*It should be noted that a 5-year-old cannot make a claim themselves. The parent or legal guardian of that child must make a claim on their behalf as the ‘litigation friend’.

Gender

Not in most cases. Your gender will not affect the amount of whiplash compensation you receive unless your accident and whiplash injury lead to the loss of unborn life or the inability to conceive in the future. This, of course, only applies to female victims of whiplash. There may be some other situations where gender will affect the amount of whiplash compensation you may receive. To find out more about this, call Accident Advice Helpline’s claims advisors on 0800 689 0500 or from your mobile on 0333 500 0993.

Profession

Yes. If for example, you are a taxi driver, you will require the use of your legs to operate your vehicle. If you have broken your leg in an accident, you can expect to receive a higher payout than somebody who does not require their legs to work, such as an office worker. In the same way, if you are a doctor, you will be on a higher salary than a shop assistant. You can expect a higher level of special damages than the shop assistant because your financial losses will be higher. When it comes to whiplash, the same situation applies. It’s important to remember though all cases vary and your payout will be unique.