Whiplash reforms are due to be introduced in May of this year. But what are they and what do the changes mean for you?
In the general sense, Whiplash reforms are intended to change the way Road Traffic Accidents (RTA’s) personal injury claims are dealt with. These changes can come with some major changes resulting in both some good and bad news for the public.
First let’s delve into what exactly the reforms are…
From May, the government have made the decision to change the small range track limit for RTA claims to £5,000 from the current £1,000. Currently, the injury must value at least £1,000 to warrant the instruction of a solicitor; but the changes mean that if you are involved in a RTA and want to claim, the injury must value a minimum of £5,000 to instruct a solicitor.
In simpler terms this means that soft tissue injuries such as sprains and tears, which let’s be honest can still be very painful, will no longer constitute as a ‘whiplash’ injury.
However to note – the limit for vulnerable road users – this is defined as anyone as a non-motorised road user… so a pedestrian, cyclist, or persons with reduced mobility or disabilities, will stay at £1,000.
This is a major change for both you and solicitors. With this arises concerns that victims will not be able to access the support and advice needed to reach justice for their injuries and overall will mean lower injury claims will become much more restricted.
However, while you might not be able to instruct a solicitor for these ‘lesser injuries’ you can instruct our expert team here at DIYPI to run your claim for you.There’s more…
In addition to the aforementioned, a major new addition to this reform is the implementation of a new online ‘self-serve’ portal. From May 2021 individuals injured in an RTA, will use a portal to claim compensation without the aid of a solicitor. So if your claim falls under the £5,000 value then you will need to head to this site and essentially run the claim for yourself without any legal help (unless you want to pay for it).
There will also be a new tariff system that will decide how much you can claim which is dependent on your pain, suffering and inconvenience. Although the tariff has not been released yet, reports suggest that the compensation awarded might be less than at present.
Both of these changes in conjunction could make it difficult for people to claim. The majority of cases will now fall under that £5,000 mark, and those who are less tech savvy, may struggle with the new online portal.
However, there is some positive news…
This is where we, DIYPI, come into it….As our name suggests we allow people like you to ‘Do It Yourself’, just as the government is suggesting. Our highly trained team have years of knowledge with personal injury claims, especially RTA’s and can run the entire claim for you.
We can remove all stress by organising medical examinations and treatment such as physiotherapy. We can arrange a hire car for you so you can get back to your everyday life as quickly as possible, and while you keep calm and carry on, we’ll ensure your car gets the repairs it needs. We can do all of this for you for free.
So just as the government suggest, do it yourself… but with a little help from our team who know all there is to know about making a claim!
When will these changes take place?
The changes are to be introduced with the portal going live in May 2021, just 3 months’ time. We can support you now, during and following these changes. So, DIY it but with help and support from our experts here at DIYPI.
