There is no definitive formula to calculate how much compensation you can recover for whiplash injuries sustained in an automobile collision. An accident victim’s damages will include costs for medical treatment and physical and rehabilitation therapy, plus the amount necessary to compensate for lost earnings that the victim did not receive if he or she is unable to work while recuperating from whiplash injuries.
In addition to compensation for medical bills and lost wages, whiplash victims may also have a legal right to damages for pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and other non-economic damages.
Because they affect soft neck and back tissue, whiplash injuries can be difficult to prove. Insurance company lawyers use that difficulty to downplay the seriousness of the injury and to justify low settlement offers. For more than twenty years, the Los Angeles car accident attorneys at Salamati Law have challenged those unfair settlement offers with hard facts and evidence to demonstrate the full extent of a car accident victim’s damages from whiplash. We fight to get the results you need to recover financially and physically from your injuries and move on to the next chapter of your life.
Is Whiplash a Medical Diagnosis?
Whiplash is not a medical diagnosis, but is instead a term that describes a broad range of injuries that someone might suffer when his or her neck is suddenly or violently distorted, and which typically occurs following a rear-end automobile collision, a sports accident, or some other physical abuse or trauma. When you experience whiplash injuries as a result of someone else’s negligence, you have an opportunity to recover compensation from that person that is commensurate with the extent of your injuries.
How Do You Know If You Have Suffered a Whiplash Injury?
Neck injuries associated with whiplash might not be immediately apparent after a car accident. Several hours or even days later, an accident victim might sense increasing stiffness or neck pain, difficult or painful neck motion, headaches, loss of nerve sensation in arms and hands, fatigue, or loss of equilibrium.
If the victim hit his or her head, whiplash injuries might also lead to concussion symptoms, including blurred vision, memory problems, personality changes such as anxiety or depression, sensitivity to light, and chronic fatigue.
A car accident victim that suspects any level of whiplash injury should seek immediate medical help to prevent aggravation of the injury and to begin any necessary treatment and rehabilitation.
Are Some Whiplash Injuries Worse Than Others?
All neck and back injuries have a strong potential to be serious. Some car accident victims are more likely to experience worse symptoms than others, for example:
- Anyone who experienced whiplash in an earlier accident or who has an existing back or neck injury
- Older or infirm individuals who might have weaker necks and backs
Car accidents that happen at high speeds will tend to cause worse injuries due to rapid decelerations, momentum shifts, and impacts with objects in a vehicle.
Protect Your Rights After a Whiplash Injury
In the aftermath of an auto collision, the health and safety of yourself and others should be your first priority. Seek medical attention right away, even if you believe your injuries to only be minor.
To protect your rights to recover the full amount of damages you deserve, contact Los Angeles whiplash injury lawyer Sean Salamati as soon as possible. You will have a better chance to recover maximum compensation if the insurance company knows you have a car accident lawyer on your side who will not compromise when it comes to justice. Call today for a free case review.
