Todays Moral Dilemma

My tuppence, for what it's worth-

One of the passengers of the car I bounced off in January claimed whiplash- this is SOOOO unlikely considering how hard I didn't hit the car (went wide, bounced of the side of the car and down the road- a mere glancing blow that seriously cannot have moved the car at all)- I was fairly outraged.

Yes- I didn't have to pay for it (it was all done through insurance),
yes- it was my fault and therefore a claim against me anyway, but...
No!- I really detest taking the pee out of the situation just for a few bucks.

It's so easy to claim whiplash and get compensation for it without any serious challenges (go see the doctor- say 'my neck hurts'- job done). Sorry- this makes it sound so tempting, doesn't it? Were you in the car. sir, at the time of the accident?

If the other driver was up front and decent enough to take the fault at that, I'd consider leaving it with the insurance claim and reasonable losses if any- yes this may mean going to court for it, but if you have a genuine loss, fair enough.

Feel lucky- my car was written off just before I did my bike test last year- the other driver admitted fault and the insurerrs still screwed me and it went as a fault against me on right of way, no legal precedent set to challenge it, so there went my remaining no claims and a contribution to my fairly high bike insurance.

So- rant aside and trying to exorcise my road accident ghosts through your situation, I reckon do what you feel a) is reasonable b) you deserve and c) can live with yourself for (ie how you'd expect to be treated)