You’ve likely seen whiplash injuries on TV as the punchline of a joke. You’ve seen whiplash victims portrayed as devious and deceptive individuals who are faking an injury to obtain a larger settlement. Unfortunately, insurance companies and adjusters have seen this on TV too and in real life as well. While some whiplash victims may be “faking” their injuries, the vast majority are not. Whiplash injuries are, in fact, very real, with debilitating and painful symptoms that can last a lifetime.
Understanding Whiplash
Whiplash most commonly occurs in car accidents, especially rear end accidents. It is a soft tissue injury to the neck that is caused by the sudden “whip-like” back and forth motion that occurs during a rear end accident. Unfortunately, there are no definitive tests for whiplash. Instead, it is diagnosed by examining the victim, performing a variety of tests, such as MRIs, and CT scans, and reviewing their symptoms. The most common symptoms of whiplash include:
- Pain in the neck or head
- Stiffness of the neck
- Reduced or limited range of motion in neck and head
- Headaches
- Dizziness or confusion
- Radiating shoulder or back pain
- Sleep disturbances
- Fatigue and depression
A whiplash injury can be mildly painful, or can be much more severe. In addition, it can take days or even weeks for the full injury to become apparent. This delay often leads many people to discount the severity of the injury, including insurance companies and adjusters. It can also make insurance companies skeptical that the injury is directly related to the accident and not some other activity that took place afterwards.
Whiplash Often Turns into Chronic Condition
Sadly, many whiplash injury victims face an uphill battle when trying to collect compensation. While the majority of whiplash victims will recover quickly, up to 45% will experience symptoms a full three months after their accident. In fact, according to many whiplash studies, more than 50% of all whiplash patients still deal with chronic pain – up to 20 years after their car accidents. Yet, despite these startling statistics, people still do not take whiplash injuries seriously and this can create a difficult situation for accident victims.
From the moment you are injured, it is important to know the skepticism and suspicion you may face. As such, accident victims need to carefully gather the evidence they need to support their claims. Be sure to follow all of your doctor’s instructions carefully and keep all therapy appointments. Insurance companies will do anything to avoid paying your claim and they may look at missed doctor’s appointments or a failure to fill pain medication as a sign that you aren’t as injured as you claim to be. In addition, the services of an experienced whiplash injury attorney are invaluable at this time.
Have You Suffered from Whiplash?
Have you suffered a whiplash injury after a car or truck accident? Is the insurance company treating your injury like a joke? At Schnipper Law, P.C., our Atlanta whiplash injury attorneys know that whiplash is joke and is actually a serious and debilitating injury. Unfortunately, insurance adjusters don’t always agree. That’s why we work aggressively from the start to obtain the maximum compensation for all our clients. Call Schnipper Law P.C., at (404) 983-6051 for a free initial consultation and review of your case. We can help you recover the money you need to put your life back together after a serious accident.