i did once exaggerate my whiplash a bit ...but i had a very good reason to do so...
i was passenger in a taxi...taxi clipped from the side...totally not the drivers fault. on stopping one man had a go at the driver (who was upset and scared) and the other came to me - with a clip board - and said to me to say it was his fault and we'll get you 2 grand, its what we do... he went on a bit longer to convince me, but i said i was fine and not interested. he said we do this all the time.
i later got a snotty phone call about it trying again to get me to go on their side.
i of course went on the side of the taxi driver and exaggerated - just a bit regarding pain etc...i did actually have a previously bad neck due to hypermobility and the sudden pressure from the seatbelt gave me a chest infection - and i have asthma so it was somewhat more troublesome....so although the pain i felt because of the whiplash was sore but not excruciating, the future problems that could have been caused through this...and even the potential lung problems, warranted them paying out. i do believe that the pains in my neck to this day were exacerbated by the accident
i think they saw a young woman and thought it was 'safe' - ie i wasnt likely to drop dead of a heart attack...but for all they knew i could have been pregnant, had an asthma attack, been heading to the hospital or to see a sick relative etc etc, as it was i was late for work - which is almost unforgivable in my line of work and caused no end of trouble
i got £2200