Every year in our country, more than two million people suffer a sudden, traumatic whiplash injury. The most common causes of neck and head problems, such as whiplash, are car accidents, motorcycle crashes, or other violent impact situations that cause the head to snap back and forth quickly.
A whiplash injury can vary tremendously based on the injured person and the situation that caused it. Some people experience mild muscle strains or sprains that can be treated with pain medication and exercise, while others face serious, long-lasting tissue or muscle damage that takes years for full recovery.
If you were injured in an accident caused by someone else and you suffer from neck, head, and back pain associated with that crash, consult an experienced whiplash injury attorney to learn how much compensation your whiplash claim could recover.
First, What is Whiplash?
The Mayo Clinic defines whiplash as “a neck injury due to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck, like the cracking of a whip.” Although commonly caused by rear-end car collisions, whiplash can also arise from sporting activities, falls, and other traumatic events.
Possible whiplash symptoms described by the Mayo Clinic include:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Worsening of pain with neck movement
- Loss of range of motion in the neck
- Headaches, most often starting at the base of the skull
- Tenderness or pain in the shoulder, upper back or arms
- Tingling or numbness in the arms
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Sleep disturbances
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory problems
- Depression
If you have any of these symptoms after a car crash or other traumatic event, seek medical treatment immediately. Left untreated, whiplash and other accident injuries can cause serious problems that could change your life forever.
Treating whiplash injuries can take time and involve extensive medical bills. You may miss time from work or not be able to return to work as a result of your injury. If you are facing financial stress due to someone else’s negligent actions, consider bringing a whiplash claim to recoup your losses and hold the at-fault person responsible for your legal damages.
What Compensation is Available in Whiplash Claims?
Similar to other personal injury claims, if you sustained a whiplash injury because of a negligent person’s actions, you can request compensation for all of your financial losses related to the incident in question.
A typical whiplash claim can recover compensation for:
- Medical expenses, both current and anticipated in the future. The more expensive your medical treatment and care, the more your whiplash settlement will be worth.
- Lost income, wages, benefits, and other sources of income, including potential lost earning capacity. If you missed out on large sums of income due to your whiplash injury, your claim should be adjusted to cover those losses.
- Loss of life enjoyment can affect a whiplash claim in many ways. If you were extremely active before an accident and now can barely leave your couch, your whiplash settlement should reflect your loss of life enjoyment.
- Physical pain and suffering can vary widely. Some people have a high pain threshold and may not experience much pain, while others struggle with constant and chronic pain. Pain and suffering can be hard to place a dollar value on, but a skilled injury lawyer can explain what you might expect.
- Emotional or mental distress can play a unique role in evaluating a whiplash claim. Counseling expenses to help address these issues should be included in a whiplash settlement demand.
- Loss of family relationships can include the inability to share intimate moments with a spouse or partner or being able to pick up a grandchild.
- Other accident-related losses, including property damage, could be substantial.
As you can see, all of these potential losses will play a role in determining what your whiplash claim could recover. Before you discuss your claim with an insurance company—and definitely before you accept any whiplash settlement offer—speak to a credible and goal-oriented whiplash injury lawyer first.
What Is Your Whiplash Claim Worth?
If you are considering filing a personal injury claim for a whiplash injury, partner with a tenacious law firm known for fighting relentlessly for its injured clients. Your choice of personal injury lawyer can make or break your case, so choose a hard-working team that only has your best interests in mind.
The aggressive and protective team of legal professionals at Berry Law has faithfully served our injured clients since 1965. Our track record of success is just one indicator of the dedication and respect you’ll receive when you partner with Berry Law. But don’t take our word for it. Take a look at our satisfied clients’ stories to better understand what we can do for you.
What Are Typical Whiplash Claims Worth?
After motor vehicle collisions, many people experience head, neck, or back injuries such as whiplash. Whiplash claims are common, but no two situations are alike.
The value of a whiplash settlement will depend on many factors that are unique to each case. During a free consultation with a skilled personal injury lawyer, discuss the following questions about your unique circumstances to better understand the potential whiplash settlement offer you could receive.
How Severe Is Your Whiplash?
Depending on the severity of your personal whiplash injury, the value of your whiplash settlement or verdict could range from a few thousand dollars to several hundred thousand dollars.
A simple neck strain that resolves in a few weeks with no lingering symptoms will fall on the lower end of the settlement range. However, a severe whiplash claim, in conjunction with other complicating factors, could recover substantially more.
Did You Experience Additional Medical Concerns That Might Increase Your Whiplash Compensation?
The sudden movements that cause whiplash can also lead to other injuries, such as concussions and traumatic brain injury (TBI). These medical conditions occur when the neck whips back and forth or side to side, and the brain moves violently inside the skull. A concussion or TBI diagnosis will likely increase a potential whiplash settlement offer due to the related complicating issues.
Do You Have Complicating Factors That Increase the Severity of Your Whiplash Claim?
Certain circumstances can complicate even minor injuries and may justify a higher-value whiplash claim. In some cases, preexisting factors can intensify the seriousness of a whiplash injury.
For example:
- Did you suffer another whiplash injury in the past?
- Are you advanced in age?
- Did you have pre-existing low back or neck pain related to another condition?
- Was the impact in question a high-speed accident?
The purpose of a personal injury claim is to compensate an injured person for the financial expenses they incurred after an accident caused by another person’s negligence or recklessness.
Pre-existing conditions do not diminish the value of a whiplash claim. Instead, they may increase the minimum payout for whiplash since these factors may lead to a more complicated recovery.
Berry Law’s Team Provides You With Multiple Attorney Perspectives
Did You Experience Whiplash From a Car Accident? Contact the Whiplash Claims Attorneys at Berry Law to Learn More
If you or a loved one have sustained whiplash or other serious medical injuries as a result of someone else’s negligent or careless acts, we can protect your rights. The determined personal injury lawyers at Berry Law can help you build a solid injury claim and maximize your potential whiplash settlement or trial verdict.
Call our Veteran-led, skilled team of legal professionals at (402) 226-5908 or reach out through our online contact page for your free consultation and case review now.
