A whiplash injury is when you suffer an injury to the neck, shoulders, or upper back region. Such an injury is typically caused by a sudden jolting movement. For instance, if your car was rear-ended and you experienced a sudden jerk to your neck area, this may lead to a whiplash injury. Whiplash injuries are fairly common and Lakeland, Florida automobile accident attorneys handle these cases often.
Whiplash Injury Symptoms
You can identify a whiplash injury by a number of symptoms. Common symptoms of a whiplash injury include:
- Stiffness and pain in the neck or upper back region
- An itching sensation in the neck or shoulders
- Muscle spasms in the neck or upper back region
- Headaches
- Dizziness and balance issues
- Difficulty in sleeping
- Pain in legs or arms
In most cases, you should start experiencing whiplash symptoms within a few hours of the injury. However, some whiplash injuries may take a few days or longer to become more obvious. This is why it is important to undergo a thorough medical examination if you suspect an injury in the neck, shoulders, or upper back.
Getting Medical Treatment After A Whiplash Injury
A whiplash injury is unlike most other injuries in that it doesn’t show up on MRIs, X-rays, and other medical tests. However, if you experience related symptoms like stiffness, pain, or discomfort in the neck, it is important to undergo a detailed medical examination. In such an examination, a physician can make an informed diagnosis about the nature and severity of the injury.
A medical examination is also immensely important for a whiplash injury damages to claim. When you file such a claim, an insurer is very likely going to dispute it. You may be offered a lowball settlement or the insurer may claim that the injury simply didn’t occur. This is where your treating physician’s medical advice and diagnosis will be of immense importance. You can cite the treatment and diagnosis as proof of your injury.
Amount Of Damages In A Whiplash Claim
You may wonder how much your whiplash injury is worth. However, there is no set formula to calculate this. The actual amount of damages depends on a number of factors. These include the severity of the injury, the nature of the treatment you received, the recovery time, and the limitations caused by the injury.
As with other personal injuries, you can seek both economic and non-economic damages for a whiplash injury. Economic damages include medical costs like doctor’s fees and costs of rehabilitation, therapy, and medication, and lost wages. Lost wages are a part of economic damages only when an injury is serious enough to prevent you from resuming your job for a certain period. Non-economic damages cover the pain and suffering you may have suffered as a result of the injury.
Compared to most other injuries, the economic and non-economic damages recovered in a whiplash injury are typically smaller. However, an insurer may sometimes try to offer a very low offer by disputing the facts of the injury. This is where you need the help of a Lakeland personal injury lawyer. A good lawyer will negotiate with the insurer on your behalf and secure a fair settlement.
How To Pay For A Whiplash Injury Claim?
In the wake of a whiplash injury, you may face a number of unexpected expenses like doctor’s fees and therapy costs. In the middle of this, you may wonder how to fund your whiplash injury claim. On the one hand, filing the claim is important to cover your medical costs and lost wages. On the other hand, you may not have the budget to pay for a lawyer.
The good news is that most reputable law firms will help you under a contingency fee arrangement. In such an arrangement, you are able to hire the legal services of a law firm for no out-of-pocket expenses. Your claim is filed by the firm and attempts are made to secure a fair settlement. Only if a settlement is reached, you pay the attorney a percentage of the recovered amount. So you can essentially file a claim even if you have no immediate resources to pay for legal representation.
Hiring A Reliable Lakeland Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have suffered whiplash in the wake of a car crash, it is important to file for damages at the earliest. Here at Burnetti P.A., our Lakeland personal injury lawyers specialize in handling whiplash claims. Our attorneys will help you file the claim at the earliest, negotiate with the insurer, and secure a fair settlement in the briefest time possible. Contact us today to book a FREE consultation with our attorneys.
