whiplash

Here’s whiplash can be more serious than you think, and how costly it can get if the impact was serious, or if you don’t treat it in a timely manner.

Whiplash is one of the most common injuries in a car accident. The problem with it is that it can often be overlooked because the symptoms might appear late. It’s a kind of injury that some victims consider to be minor discomfort, only to notice that it gets worse with time.

Here’s whiplash can be more serious than you think, and how costly it can get if the impact was serious, or if you don’t treat it in a timely manner.

What is Whiplash?

Whiplash is a name given to a certain type of trauma to the neck or spine that involves a rapid back-and-forth movement of the head when your car crashes into something. It’s a common type of injury in rear-end accidents since your head will inevitably move forward, with nothing else absorbing the shock. 

Unfortunately, whiplash cannot be prevented by the use of the seatbelt, but properly adjusted headrests and functioning airbags can reduce the impact your neck or back is taking

What Are the Complications of Whiplash?

One of the issues with whiplash is that it might be noticed later, with many of the victims thinking they don’t really need a doctor’s visit. This can adversely affect your health and your car accident claim. It is always a good idea to go to see a doctor after an accident, even if you think you feel ok after an accident.

If left untreated, whiplash can lead to degenerative problems with your back and neck. You might experience stiffness and chronic pain, and even more serious back problems that might affect your nerves or bones. Other side effects of an untreated whiplash are migraines, depression, and sleep deprivation. 

As you might suspect, whiplash doesn’t appear to be so harmless anymore once you start feeling its effects every single day, for months after the accident. 

Treatments for Whiplash

To give you an idea about the settlement that should cover a whiplash injury, here are some of the treatments a victim if whiplash might need:

• Physical therapy
• Operation
• Medication
• Rest 

How Much Is the Average Settlement for Whiplash?

Depending on how serious whiplash is, and how much medical treatment it needs, whiplash can get you a more or less substantial settlement. In order to calculate the amount you will get, you have to include your missed working hours, all medical bills, pain and suffering, property damage, all the economic and non-economic damages you have suffered. Because each case is unique, it is important to have an experienced attorney review your claim to help you determine the full amount you are entitled to.

Speak With an Experienced Attorney

Speak with a St. Louis whiplash attorney as soon as possible to ensure your legal right is protected.

Whiplash can cause a lot of pain, nausea, confusion, and in some cases memory loss. Here are 5 steps to take when filing a whiplash claim after a car accident.

Whiplash is a soft tissue injury to the neck. Although it may seem like a small deal, it’s far from it. It can result in a lot of pain, nausea, confusion, and in some cases in memory loss.

To make matters worse, whiplash doesn’t always present immediate symptoms. When your condition is caused by a car accident and you have the right to get compensated, it’s essential to take these 5 steps to be successful: 

1. Go to the Doctor

Even if you believe you’re fine after the accident and may have gotten away scot-free, it’s still a good idea to seek immediate medical attention. Whiplash and other conditions may not present symptoms right away, and you could be making matters worse by not seeing a professional.

It will also make for a stronger case. The more you wait, the more opportunities you give the insurance company to poke holes in your claim and think of other events that may have lead to whiplash or at least made it worse.

2. Choose the Right Doctor

After a car accident, you may not be able to see your own doctor, especially if you want to file a compensation claim. For one thing, your doctor may not be very experienced with trauma injuries like those resulting from a car accident. 

There are a lot of practices that not only specialize in such injuries but can also help you put together a case for the insurance company by preparing all your relevant medical documents.

3. Start Gathering Evidence As Soon As Possible

Apart from your medical files, you’ll also likely need other pieces of evidence to create a strong case, such as:

• Photos from the scene 
• Witness testimonies
• Surveillance footage
• Medical history records
• Driving records, etc.

Some of this evidence is time-sensitive, such as the photos of the scene. Skidmarks can fade away, witnesses can be hard to track down after the fact, so it’s best to start taking photos of the scene right after the accident if possible.

4. File an Injury Claim As Soon As Possible

The longer you wait, the harder it will be to argue your case. Even you may start to forget the details of the case, which can create inconsistencies in your story.

5. Don’t Talk to the Insurance Company – Talk to a Lawyer Instead

The at-fault party’s insurance company will try to contact you over the phone to talk about your case. It’s important to understand that nothing is off the record and anything you say will be used against you by the insurance company.

Instead of discussing the case with the insurance company, reach out to an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney for assistance in building your case and negotiating your settlement. It’s your best shot at winning your whiplash claim and getting properly compensated for all of the expenses you are legally entitled to.

Sideswipe car accidents can cause severe damage to your health.

A sideswipe accident is one in which the side of a car scrapes the side of yours. While the danger of this type of collision is minor at low speeds, they can lead to severe injuries when the two cars are driving faster. Below, we tell you everything you need to know about sideswipe accidents and remind you of how important hiring a St. Louis car accident attorney is in the event of an injury.

How They Happen

There are three common ways in which this type of accident occurs. The first is lane changes, which happen thousands of times per day in St. Louis. If the driver that is making the move isn’t looking, it could lead to a sideswipe. The second is intoxication or distraction, which cause people to drift. Lastly, drivers often try to fit into tight spaces and misjudge how large their vehicle is, which leads to a side-swipe.

What Injuries They Cause

As we mentioned above, low speeds will likely yield little or no damage at all. Higher speeds, on the other hand, frequently lead to injury. The following are three of the most common examples.

Neck and Back – Collisions jerk your body around considerably, and it is often the neck and back that receive the resulting damage. A few specific examples are sprains and strains.

Whiplash – Another result of collisions is whiplash, which is a somewhat vague physical condition. It is characterized by pain, stiffness, and a variety of other symptoms.

Bulging Discs – A disc is a piece of soft tissue that lies between your spinal cord and bones. It is a rubbery substance that is meant to absorb shock while defending the crucial nerves inside of the spine. Sometimes, the impact of a collision knocks a part of a disc too far out of its bone casing, which leads to excruciating pain.

Avoidance Tips

Our avoidance tips are essentially the opposite of the causes we described above. Still, they are worth exploring their own.

Resist Distractions – When you take your eyes off the road, you tend to drift. Additionally, you will not be able to see someone changing lanes into you. The result is not taking a necessary evasive maneuver.

Stay Sober – Intoxication increases your risk of every type of accident, so it is best to stay sober behind the wheel.

Check Your Blind Spot – A common situation in which a driver sideswipes another is when changing lanes. The blind spot is an area where cars can “hide” and surprise you with collisions.

Be Defensive – Lastly, don’t try to fit anywhere that doesn’t look big enough. If you have any indecision, then wait until traffic clears up and you can safely get on with your day.

If you ever get into a sideswipe accident, we hope that the speeds are low. If not, you could be a victim of severe damage to your health. Fortunately, this result is not quite as tragic as it might seem. The reason is that you and a skilled St. Louis car accident attorney can collaborate to get you a favorable compensation package to pay for your medical bills, lost wages, and more.

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