Whiplash pandemic influencing productivity
A new survey by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has revealed that one in 140 people living in Great Britain make a whiplash claim every year. Each GP consultation for a person with whiplash injury costs the Government £18 which brings the overall total up to £8 million per year.
However, fraudulent claims must be taken into account which factor 5% of whiplash claims which cost the insurance industry between £75m-£110million per year.
Therefore, those who have made a genuine claim for whiplash have been advised on how to avoid it next time. Insurers recommended a correctly fitted head restraint which can reduce the chances of sustaining a whiplash injury by 24%.
People in cars fitted with advanced whiplash prevention systems have a 50% lower risk of sustaining long-term whiplash injuries. This advice proves that there are ways to lower such personal injuries.
However, advice sometimes falls on deaf ears which could be a reason why there is still a high number of whiplash claims.
Whiplash Claims Increasing
Whiplash claims have increased by 25% in the last five years, totalling six times the number of workplace injury claims according to the ABI.
In 2007 over 430,000 people made a whiplash claim, resulting in compensation settlements of nearly £2billion. Whiplash is an injury that accounts for 20% of typical car insurance premiums, £66 on average.
The ABI have therefore warned that business productivity can suffer when employees take time off work due to whiplash. The association promotes employers to have driving at work policies that include information about safe following distances. However, tailgating is one of the issues behind the increase in claims.
“Sixty per cent of people admit to tailgating when driving for work as opposed to 40% of those driving not in connection with work so there is a greater risk of whiplash there” said Malcolm Tarling of the ABI.
He furthered: “There are also real problems with rehabilitation. People with whiplash do not get into rehab as soon as they should do because of the slow and cumbersome method of compensation in this country. So whiplash can develop into a more debilitating condition. This has implications for employers.”
Finding a Solution
It can take up to two years to resolve a personal injury claim. Therefore, the government has set proposals in an attempt to improve the situation. The suggestions include early admission of liability, early notification of claims and reduced timelines for response between parties.
Meanwhile health insurers are also doing their bit to help find a solution. According to Norwich Union Healthcare whiplash is the second biggest cause of white collar absence and the main cause in blue collar industries.
Therefore, the insurer has produced a ‘back up’ service to reduce the recovery time for employees, offering one-to-one telephone assessments of the problem, referrals to further treatment and clinical and practical advice from a case manager.
Clinical development manager at Norwich, Mike Sharpe commented: “Fifty per cent of employees who used Back-up said the service prevented them going absent or restricting their duties. And, of the 25% who were absent prior to using the service, 100% successfully returned to work through Back-up.”
The ABI is seeking to prevent whiplash occurring. Therefore, Tarling has advised all employers to educate their staff and to promote learning programmes. The ABI is also calling on GPs to be more vigilant when handing out sick notes as not all patients involved in a collision will sustain whiplash injuries.
Updated on 16/12/2008