Are people who seek compensation “cured by a verdict”? A longitudinal study of health outcomes with whiplash

Spearing, Natalie M., Gyrd-Hansen, Dorte, Pobereskin, Louis H., Rowell, David S. and Connelly, Luke B. (2012) Are people who seek compensation “cured by a verdict”? A longitudinal study of health outcomes with whiplash. Journal of Law and Medicine, 20 1: 82-92.

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Name Description MIMEType Size Downloads
Author Spearing, Natalie M.
Gyrd-Hansen, Dorte
Pobereskin, Louis H.
Rowell, David S.
Connelly, Luke B.
Title Are people who seek compensation “cured by a verdict”? A longitudinal study of health outcomes with whiplash
Journal name Journal of Law and Medicine  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank A)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2012-09-18
Sub-type Article
Volume number 20
Issue number 1
ISSN 1320-159X
Start page 82
End page 92
Total pages 11
Place of publication Rozelle, NSW, Australia
Publisher Lawbook
Collection year 2013
Language eng
Abstract This study examines whether the lure of injury compensation prompts whiplash claimants to overstate their symptoms. Claim settlement is the intervention of interest, as it represents the point at which there is no further incentive to exaggerate symptoms, and neck pain at 24 months is the outcome of interest. Longitudinal data on neck pain scores and timing of claim settlement were regressed, controlling for the effect of time on recovery, to compare outcomes in claimants who had and had not settled their compensation claims. The results show clearly that removing the financial incentive to over-report symptoms has no effect on self-reported neck pain in a fault-based compensation scheme, and this finding concurs with other studies on this topic. Policy decisions to limit compensation in the belief that claimants systematically misrepresent their health status are not supported empirically. Claimants do not appear to be "cured by a verdict".
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Confirmed Code
Institutional Status UQ

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article
Collections: Official 2013 Collection
School of Economics Publications
School of Medicine Publications
 
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Created: Tue, 18 Sep 2012, 14:43:47 EST by Chesne McGrath on behalf of Medicine - Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital