Whiplash Car Accident Lawyers

A car slams into the side of your vehicle in an intersection near your home. Your head whips from side to side in the violent collision. After a few minutes, you can barely move your head without severe pain.

It could be whiplash.

There are approximately 3 million whiplash incidents annually in the U.S. This debilitating injury can make living and working without constant pain impossible, and the pain could last for months.

If you suffered a whiplash or neck injury in a recent accident because of another driver’s carelessness, you need a Nix Patterson whiplash car accident lawyer fighting for your rights. Our attorneys could obtain compensation for your lost work time, pain and suffering, and medical bills.

What is Whiplash?

Whiplash injuries cost approximately $30 billion in losses annually in the US. This steep cost is medical expenses and lost work productivity; many injured parties cannot perform their duties because of pain and disability.

Whiplash often happens in auto accidents where the occupant is jerked forward and backward or left and right with tremendous force. This motion may cause your lower neck bones to be hyperextended and the upper neck bones to be hyperflexed. These are not natural motions for the neck; consequently, the neck’s muscles, ligaments, and tendons can be stretched and torn.

Whiplash often happens in high-speed crashes but can also occur in a fender bender; it does not take a lot of force to injure delicate neck tissues. Serious whiplash injuries can even happen when there isn’t major vehicle damage.

What Are the Symptoms of Whiplash?

Whiplash can be very painful, and the common symptoms are:

• Severe pain and stiffness in the shoulders and neck
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Weakness or discomfort in the arms
• Fatigue
• Pain in the jaw
• Back pain
• Ringing in the ears

Because of these painful symptoms, people with whiplash also can have anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Whiplash discomfort can last for weeks or months and is costly to treat. You could need physical therapy, neck braces, pain medication, and more. If you suspect a whiplash injury, get immediate medical treatment and speak to a qualified car accident attorney as soon as you’re able.

How Common is Whiplash?

Whiplash is an extremely common injury after a car accident. In fact, it’s estimated that millions of Americans will suffer some form of neck pain after an accident every year.

This injury is so common because of the forces accident victims suffer. Car wrecks can be violent events, and the body will experience extreme force even during minor incidents. Our bodies are resilient by design, but the neck was not built to tolerate the extreme forces experienced during a car accident.

How Do You Prove Whiplash in a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

A whiplash neck injury is painful and debilitating, so obtaining compensation in a claim should be easy, right? Not necessarily. The insurance company may not recognize that you have a serious neck injury if it is primarily soft tissues that are affected.

Auto insurance companies understand that whiplash is common and it is a common claim. But insurance companies often say that whiplash cannot be easily seen on imaging scans, so it can be easier to claim an injury that you do not have. Even if you are in serious pain from whiplash, the insurance company could doubt your injuries and reduce what they pay you.

Furthermore, whiplash injuries tend to get worse over time. Swelling and inflammation in the injured area could take days or weeks, so you might not report symptoms until long after the accident. To the insurance adjuster, this is enough time to question whether you are injured.

You must show that the other driver caused the injury to receive maximum compensation for your whiplash injury. Also, you must show conclusively that you have whiplash pain and discomfort connected to the accident. Some ways to prove that the accident caused your whiplash are:

• Getting medical treatment quickly. You should always have a doctor check you after any auto accident. Having a thorough record of your injuries right after the accident will be useful to prove a car accident whiplash injury.
• Doing what your doctor says. Follow the doctor’s treatment plan for your neck injury. This shows that you take the injury seriously and are trying to improve.
• Showing vehicle damage. Some types of vehicle damage can be used to show what happened and how it caused your injury. Suppose you were hit in a rear-end crash and have whiplash. This claim could be supported if your vehicle shows damage to the rear bumper.
• Showing medical records. If your medical records show the injury immediately after the accident, this will support a whiplash injury claim. Your doctor should note the details of the injury and how it is related to the car accident.
• Keeping a pain diary. It also may support your claim if you keep a written or video record of your pain and discomfort after the car accident. Talk about what your neck pain prevents you from doing every day and the degree of pain.

As with any personal injury claim, the insurance company can twist and misinterpret facts to reduce what they pay you. It is always in your best interest to hire an experienced whiplash car accident attorney to prove your injuries and that someone’s negligence caused them. Whiplash can be particularly difficult to prove, so your attorney’s skill and connections with medical experts and accident reconstruction professionals could be vital to your case.

What Should I Do if I Have Whiplash?

First, you should seek medical treatment immediately after a car accident with a possible neck injury. You may have whiplash, but the injury could be worse than you think. Getting medical care fast can help alleviate symptoms and avoid a worse injury. After you are treated for whiplash or a related neck injury, try the following tips:

Adapt What You Do

Your neck and shoulders are probably sore, and you may need to change how you move and go about your day. For example, you may need to carry less when you go to the grocery store because of your sore neck. You also may have to cut down on your housework at home or any outdoor physical activities. You should give your body a chance to rest and heal.

Use Ice Packs

Ice packs can help to reduce swelling and pain in your neck. Apply ice to your neck and shoulders for up to 20 minutes after the injury. You can use frozen peas in a hand towel to make an ice pack.

Improve Your Posture

Improved posture can help after a whiplash injury. Try to straighten your back when you sit, stand, or walk; this can prevent stiffness and pain. If you sit often at a desk for work, take breaks every hour. Stand out and move around so your back and neck don’t stiffen. You also may want to add back support to your chair to reduce stiffness during your recovery.

What Should Be Avoided When You Have Whiplash?

You should avoid lifting anything heavy, any activity involving pulling or punching, and contact sports. These activities should be avoided until your pain symptoms disappear. Check with your healthcare professional before you engage in any activity that strains your neck.

Next, be careful when bending, lifting, or carrying out any movement requiring repeatedly twisting. Rest and take time off work if needed. If another party caused your injury, you could be entitled to lost earnings, so hire an experienced whiplash accident attorney to represent you.

Contact Nix Patterson’s Whiplash Car Accident Lawyers Today

Whiplash and related neck injuries can be difficult and painful. However, obtaining the most compensation for such injuries is difficult. Insurance companies are worried about fraud, so you can expect the adjuster to question your injuries and try to pay less than you deserve. But with the assistance of a Nix Patterson whiplash car accident attorney, you could be on the road to recovery.

Our attorneys can review your case to determine if another party could be liable in a whiplash claim or lawsuit. Then, we will do our best to prove your injuries to get you the most money. Contact us today for a free case consultation. You won’t pay legal fees upfront and nothing at all if we don’t win your case.