Whiplash is the colloquial term referring to a strain or sprain that results from a forceful back and forth movement of the neck. It is one of the most common injuries sustained in car crashes and can range in severity from minor, short-lived discomfort to chronic, debilitating pain.
According to one comparative study conducted by Maastricht University in the Netherlands, there are approximately 869,000 traffic crash-related cervical spine injuries seen in hospitals in the United States annually, including 841,000 whiplash injuries. However, these numbers are believed to be a significant undercount, as many neck injuries go unreported or aren’t treated at hospitals.
If you or a loved one has suffered whiplash after a car accident, you could be entitled to significant compensation for damages such as medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering. Find out more about filing a whiplash claim from the personal injury lawyers at ER Injury Attorneys.
Signs and Symptoms of Whiplash After a Car Accident
Unlike lacerations, bruises, or broken bones, whiplash usually isn’t obvious or even visible. To make matters more complicated, whiplash symptoms don’t always manifest immediately after a car accident. Many people will begin experiencing symptoms within 24 hours, while others may not exhibit noticeable signs until a week after the injury.
Some of the most common initial symptoms of whiplash include:
- Neck pain and/or stiffness
- Inability to move the neck or head without pain or discomfort
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Numbness or tingling in the arms
- Shoulder, upper back, and/or arm pain
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Sleep disturbances
- Irritability and/or depression
- Difficult remembering or concentrating
It’s important to note that whiplash and traumatic brain injuries share many of the same symptoms. If you are experiencing any of the issues listed above, seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Not only can delaying care lead to complications and a lengthier recovery, it can also cast doubt on your car accident claim if there’s a lack of medical evidence of your injury.
Potential Long-Term Effects of a Whiplash Injury
The good news is that for most people, whiplash injuries will heal within a matter of weeks. For some, lingering symptoms resolve within several months with pain management, physical therapy, and other interventions like wearing a supportive cervical collar.
Unfortunately, it is also possible to develop long-term problems stemming from a whiplash injury. These may include chronic severe neck pain, reduction in range of motion, pain that spreads to the arms, and recurring bouts of dizziness, vertigo, migraine headaches, and tinnitus. These long-term effects may impact a person’s ability to attend school, go to work, or even care for their family.
How Much Whiplash Settlements Are Worth
Whiplash settlements may be available to car accident victims who are diagnosed with whiplash or other neck injuries. How much your whiplash settlement is worth will depend partly on the severity of your condition and how much it impacts your life. For example, a minor case of whiplash with few or no other injuries could result in a settlement offer of just a few thousand dollars. On the other hand, a moderate to severe whiplash injury that keeps a person from going back to work could net a settlement of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Many other factors can influence your settlement, including whether you were partially at fault for the accident, how much car insurance coverage the at-fault party carries, and how well-documented your case is. Pre-existing conditions or injuries (such as a previous neck, back, or head injury) can also affect the value of your settlement.
To get a free consultation and evaluation of your whiplash injury claim, contact ER Injury Attorneys at 702-878-7878.
How to Prove to Your Whiplash Claim
In order to secure the compensation you deserve, you will need to provide the insurance company (or court, if you go to trial) with solid evidence that:
- You suffered a whiplash injury
- Your whiplash was the direct result of being in a car accident
- The car accident was primarily caused by another driver(s)
Establishing the validity of a whiplash claim can be difficult since it is a largely invisible injury. Even x-rays or an MRI may not be able to visualize the extent of damage done by whiplash. For this reason, meticulous documentation of your injury is essential to maximizing your whiplash settlement.
In order to prove your claim, you’ll need medical records showing your visits to doctors, hospitals, chiropractors, or physical therapists, a list of medications prescribed for your injury, relevant imaging or test results, and copies of any medical bills pertaining to the treatment or diagnosis of your condition. The more documentation you have over a long period of time, the better, as this can establish a timeline of the progression of your injuries.
Once you’ve collected evidence supporting your injury claim, photographs or video of the accident scene, witness testimony, and police accident reports can all aid in establishing the facts of the collision and who is responsible for damages.
How a Las Vegas Whiplash Attorney Can Help
If you’ve suffered whiplash after a car accident in Las Vegas and your accident claim was denied or you’ve been offered a subpar settlement, ER Injury Attorneys may be able to help. Our Las Vegas whiplash attorneys have been successfully representing personal injury clients since 2011, many of whom have suffered from neck sprains and strains as a result of motor vehicle accidents.
Having an experienced lawyer on your side can make all the difference when negotiating with the car insurance company or filing a lawsuit against the responsible driver. Our skilled legal team will bolster your case by collecting evidence, devising a winning case strategy, and representing you should your case go to trial.
There’s no need to go it alone after an accident. You can get the compensation you need without paying any upfront costs. Just contact ER Injury Attorneys today for your free, no obligation consultation. Then, if you decide to move forward with our services, you won’t pay us a penny until we’ve made a financial recovery on your behalf. Call us today at 702-878-7878, chat with a representative online, or get in touch with our intake team by filling out this form.