Whiplash Injury Lawyer
One day you may find yourself driving lawfully, obeying every stop sign and traffic law that you come across. Moments later, you stop your vehicle at a red light, and suddenly, the vehicle behind you fails to brake and slams into the back of your car. Because of the impact, your head jerks violently forward and snaps back again, straining your neck. That uncontrolled movement of your neck may have caused what is commonly known as whiplash.
Following your car crash, you may be tempted to shrug off the experience of whiplash. After all, it may not have even hurt significantly at the time. The truth is, whiplash can end up being much more serious than people believe. It can result in long-lasting health effects and issues that show up when you least expect them.
If you have suffered a whiplash injury in a car accident, and a negligent party was responsible for the crash, the whiplash injury lawyers at William Mattar are here to help. Call (844) 444-4444 today to speak to one our qualified attorneys.
Causes of Whiplash
Whiplash can be caused by a sports-related accident, a fall, or other physical trauma, but it is most often caused by rear-end car collisions. A rear-end car accident—which occurs when a vehicle is struck from behind—can cause a person’s neck to sharply jolt forward and then backward again in a whip-like movement. This sharp movement can cause damage to disks, ligaments, bones, muscles, nerves, and tissues in the body.
While anyone can suffer a whiplash injury, there are a few factors that can potentially increase a person’s risk. These include a previous whiplash injury, old age, and pre-existing lower back or neck pain. Additionally, recent medical research has found that women display more symptoms of whiplash injuries than men.
Common Symptoms of Whiplash
Victims of a car accident may not experience whiplash symptoms immediately. It may take days for signs of pain and discomfort to begin to develop. That’s why it’s important to know the potential symptoms in order to keep an eye on your health.
Common symptoms of whiplash include:
- Neck pain, stiffness, and aches;
- Worsening pain with any movement of the neck;
- Loss of range of motion in the neck;
- Shoulder, upper back, or arm pain;
- Numbness in the arms;
- Migraines;
- Dizziness; and
- Fatigue.
Whiplash victims may also experience less common symptoms such as memory loss, depression, tinnitus, difficulty sleeping and concentrating, and blurred vision.
If you believe you are experiencing symptoms of a whiplash injury, contact a medical provider to schedule a physical examination. It’s crucial to get an accurate diagnosis in order to receive treatment right away. Your medical provider can also keep a record of your symptoms and treatment, which may be useful if you choose to file a claim for compensation.
Whiplash Treatment and Recovery
When it comes to whiplash recovery, every person is different. Some victims will recover relatively quickly and have lessening symptoms within just a few weeks. Others may experience chronic pain for months or even years following the injury. It can be difficult to predict how long the pain from a whiplash injury will persist. However, in general, those who experience symptoms right away may find that their pain endures for a longer period of time.
In the same sense, treatment will range widely based on the individual and the extent of his or her injury. If you’ve suffered whiplash, you may only experience mild symptoms given that the amount of damage isn’t severe. In this case, simple rest may help address any pain and help you recover. More serious harm to neck can require more extensive forms of treatment, including long-term physical rehabilitation.
Forms of whiplash treatment include:
- Cooling the affected area with an ice pack;
- Over-the-counter pain-relieving or anti-inflammatory medication;
- Physical therapy exercises to improve strength and mobility;
- Cervical collar/cervical traction for neck support;
- Steroid medication; and
- Chiropractic care.
Speak with your doctor about your treatment options as soon as possible. It may help prevent some long-term damage and pain that result from your injury.
Compensation for a Whiplash Injury
After suffering whiplash, you may find that the medical bills and treatment expenses are piling up faster than you can handle. A serious injury such as this can put a major financial strain on an accident victim.
Many people who have sustained a whiplash injury were involved in a car crash that was caused by a negligent driver. If this is you— you may be entitled to compensation. To pursue compensation, you can file a claim against the at fault party to recover damages.
More often than not, the at-fault driver’s insurance company may offer you a settlement shortly after the accident that resulted in your injury. This offer may seem attractive in the moment. Unfortunately, these offers are usually are not adequate enough to cover all of your injury-related expenses, leaving you once again in financial uncertainty. At William Mattar, our whiplash accident attorneys can take a close look at the details of your case and determine what types of compensation you may be entitled to receive. These may include:
- Medical expenses, including any anticipated future expenses;
- Lost wages or income;
- Pain and suffering;
- Emotional distress; and
- Reduced quality of life.
To get the maximum compensation possible, reach out to an experienced personal injury lawyer at William Mattar who can take on your whiplash case.
Hire an Experienced Whiplash Injury Attorney
At William Mattar, our whiplash car accident lawyers understand that many accident victims hesitate to get legal representation for fear that it will be too expensive. That’s why we offer our No Fee Until We WinSM, which says that you will not owe us any fees unless we settle or win your accident case. Don’t wait—call (844) 444-4444 today to discuss your whiplash injury case.
