If you suffered whiplash in an accident, a Las Vegas car crash lawyer could help you get compensation, but it’s essential to see a doctor. Learn why in this article.
Car accidents are dangerous and tend to happen very frequently. You might sustain cuts, bruises, and broken bones if you get into an auto accident. Your body could also make unnatural movements that result in injuries like whiplash.
Whiplash injuries are amongst the most common wounds victims sustain in car accidents. It is caused by rapid back-and-forth movements and can be very painful. Luckily, a Las Vegas car crash lawyer can help you seek compensation for your injuries.
Most people who suffer whiplash injuries tend to recover quickly without chronic symptoms or seeking medical treatments. However, some injury victims continue to experience symptoms long after the accident. If you’re wondering whether to see a doctor for whiplash, this article provides the answer you need.
What Is Whiplash?
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke defines whiplash as a soft tissue injury that frequently results from auto accidents. It occurs when the head is violently thrown backward and forward. This motion damages the discs, tendons, vertebrae, and nerves in the neck and surrounding area.
Neck injuries like whiplash are common in rear-end collisions. After an accident, the doctor might inform you that the pain you feel results from neck sprains or whiplash. These accident injuries can be traumatic because they occur around the neck and upper back area.
Most times, you might have to go through rehabilitative therapy and take medications like pain pills and inflammatory medication. The severity of this soft tissue injury determines the treatment plan. It could make it difficult to work or move your upper body area. That’s why contacting a personal injury attorney is vital to ensure you receive a fair settlement from the insurance company.
Common Whiplash Symptoms to Look Out for
Whiplash is an injury that occurs quite quickly. The impact from motor vehicle accidents causes the person’s head and neck to extend. There are many symptoms individuals suffering from whiplash injuries can experience. While some of these signs appear immediately after the car crash, some take days to appear.
Below are common symptoms to watch out for if you suffer whiplash in a car accident.
- Chronic neck pain and stiffness
- Constant headache
- Back pain
- Shoulder pain and stiffness
- Dizziness and fatigue
- Ringing in the ear
- Arm pain and weakness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Jaw pain
- Limited movement
- Sleep disturbances and insomnia
Apart from the chronic pain and other physical symptoms associated with this type of injury, victims can also experience psychological symptoms. These symptoms include emotional trauma, anxiety, depression, frustration, and stress. In addition, such individuals could also develop a dependency on pain medications taken during treatment.
Whiplash symptoms can be subtle, so seeking medical attention after a car accident is essential, regardless of how you feel. Seeing a medical professional also shows the insurance adjuster that you took prompt action after the auto crash.
Should You See a Doctor for Whiplash?
Most times, car accident victims don’t think their injuries are severe. This is until they resume their normal schedule and begin to experience the impact these injuries can have. Some wounds worsen over time if not attended to immediately, especially whiplash and soft tissue injuries.
It’s essential to see a doctor for whiplash after a car accident. However, the level of medical treatment you will need is subjective. The medical team will provide you with this information and when your injury’s treatment should begin and end. Most time, you can only file for compensation after treatment. This is to ensure a fair recovery for victims that’ll cover past, present, and future expenses.
It is also crucial to visit a medical doctor immediately, as a delay in treatment can send the wrong message to the insurer. The insurer could argue that you didn’t need the treatment since it took you so long to see the doctor. For victims dealing with severe pain conditions, this can be insulting. That’s why it’s crucial to see the doctor immediately.
The doctor will prescribe the best treatment regimen for your injury and the best way to overcome the injury. Although this might slow the claims process, it ensures you have all the medical bills available to determine the amount to request as fair compensation.
Who Is Responsible for My Accident?
You can receive financial compensation for whiplash. This settlement would cover medical bills, medications, physical therapy, and every other economic damage. To file a personal injury claim, it’s essential to figure out the liable party.
If more than one motor vehicle is involved in the auto accident, you might have multiple parties to file a legal claim against. However, a case with multiple responsible parties can become quite complex. For a complex case, you should consider reaching out to a Las Vegas car crash lawyer for guidance.
Steps to Take After a Whiplash Injury
If you suffered injuries like whiplash in a Las Vegas car accident, you should take the steps below to protect your health and compensation rights.
Call 911
The first step you should take after an automobile accident is to dial 911. It is the fastest way to inform the police and get emergency medical help at the accident scene.
The police are an essential part of your car accident claim. In addition, the police report is a crucial piece of evidence your Las Vegas car crash lawyer can use to prove your claim and ensure maximum compensation.
This accident report could also prove property damages and reflects who the police think the negligent driver is. Therefore, you should always dial 911 right after an accident.
Seek Medical Treatment
You must receive medical treatment immediately after your accident to kickstart recovery. However, following the medical doctor’s advice is also crucial. It ensures quick recovery and improves the chances of receiving fair compensation from the at-fault driver.
Contact a Las Vegas Car Crash Lawyer
The ideal way to protect your rights after suffering an injury like whiplash is by speaking to a Las Vegas car crash lawyer. A car accident attorney will protect your rights while providing legal advice. Your legal team will also handle negotiations with the insurance company and fight for maximum compensation.
Keep Medical Bills and Records
It’s also essential to keep all the records of the medical care you received after the auto accident. The medical records and receipts are evidence for your personal injury claim. Ensure the records reflect your hospital bills for whiplash, minor injuries, and other major wounds sustained in the accident.
If you also sought physical therapy treatment or chiropractic treatment for your whiplash injury, you should ensure it’s included in your medical records. It should also reflect future medical treatments you might need.
Save Communication With Your Employer
It might be difficult to resume work when you suffer whiplash or any other painful injury. The missed time at work could easily turn into lost wages. Therefore, ensure you hold on to pay stubs and every evidence of communication with your employer after the car accident. Your Las Vegas car crash lawyer can use this to prove loss of income and ensure it is part of your compensation benefits.
Damages You Can Effectively Recover for a Whiplash Injury in Las Vegas
After an auto crash, you might have medical bills, severe pain, and limited income. However, an experienced Las Vegas car crash lawyer can help you seek compensation for your losses due to the accident. Victims can usually recover economic and non-economic damages after an auto accident.
Compensation for whiplash-type injuries could include:
- Lost income
- Past, present, and future medical bills
- Limited earning capacity
- Temporary or permanent disability
- Loss of consortium
- Emotional distress
In some cases, your auto accident attorney can also help you seek punitive damages as part of your whiplash claim. Nevada law allows victims to recover punitive damages in cases where the at-fault party’s conduct is reckless or intentionally malicious.
In such cases, the court could choose to punish their action through punitive damages. Your Las Vegas car crash lawyer will ensure you receive a fair recovery for all damages resulting from the accident.
How to Prove Your Injury in a Whiplash Claim
Simply having symptoms of whiplash isn’t enough to ensure a successful claim. It can be difficult to prove you suffered soft tissue damage like whiplash in an accident. Unlike internal injuries and other types of wounds, whiplash isn’t noticeable on an x-ray.
No lab tests are available to demonstrate the effect of whiplash-type injuries. Therefore, to prove whiplash, you must find other ways to establish you have the condition. You also need to demonstrate the impact the injury has on your life.
Victims have a better chance of recovering fair compensation by providing a better understanding of whiplash and its effects. When you work with a Las Vegas car crash lawyer, you also have access to expert witnesses that can demonstrate the effect of your injuries to ensure you receive maximum compensation.
Statute of Limitations for Whiplash Claims
Accident victims have two years from the accident day to file a personal injury lawsuit. Therefore, it’s important to receive medical attention and contact a Las Vegas car crash lawyer to begin building your case.
During these two years, you can monitor physical and psychological changes that might arise during recovery. Your auto accident lawyer can also use this period to create a solid case to improve your winning chances. That’s why if you’re interested in contacting an auto accident lawyer, you should do so right after your accident.
A Las Vegas Car Crash Lawyer May Be Able To Help
Car accident victims do not always experience sudden pain from whiplash. Instead, its symptoms appear days after, turning the injury into a debilitating condition over time.
You should see a doctor for your injuries to prevent permanent damage and speed up recovery. Without an experienced Las Vegas car crash lawyer on your side, you have a lower chance of recovering fair compensation from the responsible party.
With vast experience in personal injury laws, a Las Vegas car crash lawyer at McDonald Worley will ensure your rights are well protected. We offer a free initial consultation; contact us today to see if we can take on your case.