Did you suffer a whiplash injury in a car accident? If so, you know the pain can be intense and ongoing. A whiplash injury occurs when your head, neck, and body are jerked back and forth. When this jerking motion causes your neck to stretch past its normal range of motion, you can suffer a whiplash injury.
Whiplash involves nerves and muscles, causing chronic pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion. Unfortunately, whiplash cannot be seen on a radiology scan. Proving that you have suffered a whiplash injury can be challenging, but not impossible. Hiring an injury lawyer with experience handling whiplash insurance claims could give you the best chance at recovering compensation for the pain and expenses you’ve incurred due to your injury.
At Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer, we focus on representing accident victims. Our experience in personal injury law means we have a thorough understanding of our clients’ difficulties. If you were injured because of someone else’s negligence, our firm can vigorously fight for fair and full financial recovery for you. You can expect us to provide you with honest, straightforward advice about your Phoenix whiplash lawsuit, so you can decide on the best path forward.
Reach out to Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer for a free initial consultation to discuss your legal options with a whiplash injury lawyer in Phoenix, AZ.
How a Personal Injury Lawyer Proves Whiplash from an Accident
While other kinds of injuries can be proved more easily through physical exams and diagnostic testing, whiplash injuries do not show up on x-rays or MRIs. Whiplash is typically diagnosed through detailed examinations by physicians who specialize in recognizing the symptoms of whiplash, such as orthopedists or neurologists.
To prove that you have suffered a whiplash injury, your lawyer will typically rely on the testimony of your doctors and expert opinions from other medical professionals. Your personal injury lawyer may also present your providers’ treatment notes and medical records.
Proving a whiplash injury can also be complicated because the pain can last for an unknown length of time. Some people recover from a whiplash injury in a few weeks, while others suffer from the effects of whiplash for months. Your lawyer may help you develop your testimony to clearly explain the effects you’ve experienced because of a whiplash injury.
Common Symptoms of Whiplash after an Accident
Symptoms of whiplash usually begin within a few days of an accident. Common symptoms of the injury include the following:
- Stiffness or pain in the neck made worse by movement
- Loss of range of motion in the neck
- Persistent headaches that usually radiate up from the base of the skull
- Pain or tenderness in the shoulders and upper arms
- Numbness or tingling radiating down into the arms
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
Some people may also experience blurred vision, problems sleeping, difficulty concentrating, memory issues, irritability, and depression.
Common Causes of Whiplash our Phoenix Injury Attorneys See
Whiplash injuries frequently occur in car accidents, even in low-speed crashes. When a vehicle collides with another vehicle or an object, its occupants can experience a jerking effect on their body, neck, and head. This whipping motion can cause a whiplash injury.
Some of the most common causes of whiplash injuries include the following:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bus accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Boat accidents
- Sporting accidents
Whiplash Settlement Amounts
Because every case is different, it’s hard to put a number on an average whiplash settlement amount. However, a skilled whiplash lawyer will know how to pursue the maximum settlement possible for your case.
A whiplash settlement can provide you with compensation for expenses and losses you suffer due to your injury, including the following:
- Medical treatment and rehabilitation expenses, such as doctor’s appointments, physical therapy, and pain treatments or medication
- Lost wages or income from missed time from work, including time taken off to attend medical appointments and procedures
- Physical pain and anguish, as well as emotional distress from constant pain from a whiplash injury
- Loss of quality of life caused by chronic pain or physical impairments that interfere with your daily activities
Do I Need a Lawyer for My Whiplash Injury?
You shouldn’t have to pay for others’ carelessness when you’ve been injured. When dealing with an insurance company, it can be challenging for individuals to represent themselves. A skilled attorney can fight for you when the insurance company tries to deny your claim for compensation because whiplash is not a “real” injury.
Proving whiplash injuries to insurers can take extensive legal knowledge and experience that an attorney can provide for you. Your lawyer can also bring in medical experts to explain your injury and help you describe how your injuries have impacted your life. Without an attorney advocating for you, the insurance company will likely deny you compensation for your whiplash injury.
You should be focused on recovering physically from your injuries, not worrying about a personal injury claim. While you heal, a whiplash attorney can help you with the following:
- Communicating with the insurance companies
- Securing evidence for your case
- Putting a value on your claim
- Filing a personal injury claim
- Demanding full compensation for your losses
- Negotiating a fair settlement
- Taking your case to court, if needed
Contact a Whiplash Injury Lawyer in Phoenix, AZ Today
If you’ve experienced whiplash from an accident caused by somebody else, a whiplash injury lawyer from Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer can help. We can seek to recover money for past and present medical expenses in addition to your pain and suffering. Contact our firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation to learn more about how our firm can guide you through the process.