Whiplash is one of the most common types of injuries sustained in Twin Cities car accidents. It's also one of the injuries most frequently reported in insurance claims in the United States, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that motor vehicle crashes cause more than 805,000 cases of whiplash each year, with approximately 272,500 of those whiplash injuries occurring as a result of rear-end accidents. These injuries can be painful and, in some cases, even debilitating.
If you suffered severe whiplash injuries in a car accident caused by someone else's negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. Unfortunately, it can sometimes be difficult to get insurance companies and defense teams to take whiplash seriously. Not to worry, it is possible for car crash victims with whiplash to get the compensation and justice they deserve—and we can help.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash is a type of neck injury that, in its mildest form, results in minor muscle strains and soft-tissue tears. However, moderate to severe whiplash can cause devastating injuries, such as:
- Nerve damage
- Disk damage
- Ruptured neck ligaments
- Cervical vertebra fractures
Many of these injuries can have long-term consequences and require extensive medical treatment and time away from work. Before you know it, in addition to your physical accident-related injuries, you may also find yourself facing significant financial losses.
Whiplash injuries can cause a wide array of symptoms, including:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Neck pain that increases with movement
- Lost range of motion
- Headaches that often start at the base of the skull
- Pain or tenderness in the arms, shoulders or upper back
- Numbness or tingling in the arms
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears
- Disturbed sleep
- Trouble concentrating
- Memory problems
- Irritability
- Depression
How Whiplash Happens
If you think you about it, the term “whiplash” actually tells you exactly how these types of injuries happen. Whiplash occurs when the neck undergoes a quick and forceful back-and-forth movement, similar to the cracking of a whip.
The rapid, jerking conditions necessary to create whiplash can occur in any type of accident. However, whiplash injuries are most commonly reported following rear-end crashes. According to the IIHS, approximately 26 percent of drivers hurt in rear-end accidents report whiplash neck injuries to their insurance companies.
Cases Can Be Hard to Prove
Though whiplash injuries can make life painful and daily activities difficult, as “soft tissue” injuries, they don't show up in standard diagnostic blood tests or imaging scans. That means that, ultimately, the insurance company, defense team, or jury have to take your word for it that you're as injured as you say you are. The fact that soft tissue injuries can't be proven diagnostically, as well as common stereotypes of whiplash victims fabricating or exaggerating their injuries for a quick payday, can make it hard for innocent victims suffering from whiplash injuries to get the help and compensation they're owed. Fortunately, a doctor and an attorney can help you build a strong insurance claim or legal case.
Building a Strong Case
A competent doctor and skilled attorney can be your greatest allies when seeking compensation for whiplash injuries. Seeing a doctor immediately after the accident—both for treatment and to have your injuries documented—can lend much-needed credence to your injury claim. Following the doctor's treatment plan and attending follow-up visits allows the doctor to continue to monitor and document your injuries. An attorney can find, gather and present evidence to support your claims.
We Can Refer You to a Minnesota Doctor and an Attorney Who Can Help Treat Your Whiplash
Don't let bias and stereotypes about whiplash cheat you out of the damages you deserve. Our free referral service, 763-251-PAIN, can connect you with a doctor and an experienced lawyer in the area who can help. Don't wait, fill our the contact form below or call 763-251-PAIN today!