Average whiplash settlement
What Is A Soft Tissue Injury (Whiplash) Caused By A Car Accident?
Washington DC Car Accident Attorneys Explain:
As experienced Washington DC car accident attorneys can explain, getting in a car accident often results in soft tissue injuries that can be extremely painful and debilitating. These injuries might involve the advice of health care professionals and lawyers. A Soft Tissue Injury (STI) is the damage of muscles, ligaments, or tendons throughout the body and can result in pain, swelling, bruising, or loss of function in the muscle, ligament, or tendon. Soft tissue injuries can result from a fall or sudden twist, repeated overuse, or a blow to the body. Whiplash is a common type of soft tissue injury from a car accident.
Whiplash is the term used to describe a soft tissue injury to the neck due to a sudden acceleration-deceleration force, such as the force of a collision that occurs in car accidents. While whiplash is not typically a life-threatening injury, it can lead to prolonged and severe disability. A person most commonly sustains whiplash due to a car accident when sitting in a stationary vehicle that is rear-ended by another moving vehicle. When a car is rear-ended, the impact can cause the seat to push the person’s torso forward and the head and neck backward. As a result, the lower neck muscles hyperextend or extend beyond their normal limits, while the upper neck muscles hyperflex or decrease in angle between the muscle and bone. When this happens, the neck is forced into an unnatural “S” shape that can cause soft tissue damage to the ligaments and muscles in the back and neck.
Symptoms of whiplash can take a couple of days after the car accident to manifest and are often varied. Some of the more common signs of whiplash from car accidents include neck, back, shoulder, and arm pain or stiffness, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, blurred vision, and ringing in the ears. In more severe cases of whiplash, known as “whiplash associated disorders,” symptoms can extend to mental and emotional damage, including depression, anger or frustration, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and insomnia.
If you or someone you are close to is suffering from whiplash, you may find it helpful to discuss your situation with the car accident lawyer DC trusts. Our firm has experience with helping people in situations similar to yours.
Treatment of a Soft Tissue Injury
If you’ve sustained a soft tissue injury, especially caused by a car accident, it is vital to take steps to treat it immediately after the injury occurs. Seeking treatment may help to minimize tissue damage and reduce inflammation.
First, it is crucial to prevent further movement of the tissue that has been injured. In the case of whiplash, this often means applying a neck brace to the injured person right away. After the tissue has been protected, rest it from any activity that causes pain. To minimize pain and reduce swelling during the first 72 hours following an STI, ice the injured area for 15 minutes every 4 hours. After icing the injured tissue, apply pressure using bandages or compression tape and elevate the injured tissue to prevent swelling further. If pain and swelling do not decrease within 72 hours, it is crucial to visit a physician right away to investigate the injury further.
Treatment of Whiplash
Treatment of whiplash differs from treatment of other types of soft tissue injuries in that immobilization of the neck muscle can cause more harm. Small rotational exercises or physical therapy can both help to heal whiplash and prevent it from progressing to a “whiplash associated disorder.”
If you are the victim of whiplash resulting from a car accident, you should talk to a car accident lawyer about your case right away. Whiplash might cause you to be out of work for an extended period, and the bills that accumulate from doctors’ visits and physical therapy can be expensive. A car accident lawyer will help you prove that your injury is the direct result of the car accident you were in and that you deserve compensation to pay for your injuries.
If you’ve received whiplash from a car accident in Washington, DC, Maryland, or Virginia, call the team of Washington DC car accident attorneys at Cohen & Cohen for a free case evaluation.
Average Whiplash Settlement
While whiplash may seem like a benign, minor injury, we know that these injuries can be debilitating and even have a more profound, more long-term impact than many people may realize. Should you consider pursuing your claim, it’s critical to preserve the value of your case. Additionally, there are vital steps that victims can take to maximize their claim. It’s only natural that victims will be curious about the possible settlement they may receive following an accident. Depending upon the nature of the accident, settlement values can range anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000. In some situations, an award may even exceed $100,000, especially if the victim sustained additional injuries. However, there’s no way to know what the actual value of your case may be until you speak with a lawyer from Cohen & Cohen, PC.
While your recovery is the top priority, it’s essential that you keep the following in mind, not only to ensure you receive the treatment you need but so that you can maximize your claim:
Call Law Enforcement
If you were in an accident where property damage and injury occurred, law enforcement must be contacted. Having police presence can offer many advantages to those involved in the accident. Law enforcement can ensure that the scene is secure, medical attention is received, and the accident is investigated. The information within the police report will act as a critical piece of evidence.
Seek Medical Attention
Following a car accident, medical attention is critical to a person’s overall health. At times, victims may be injured without realizing that there is a problem. Medical attention ensures proper treatment is received and helps tie injuries to the accident. Documentation produced from treatment will act as evidence and assist your lawyer in valuing the claim. In cases involving whiplash, injuries are not always apparent. Keep clear documentation and seek treatment at the first sign that there is a problem.
Follow ALL Treatment Recommendations
If you have been injured, medical professionals will provide treatment recommendations that patients should follow. Not only does following treatment recommendations allow victims to heal from injuries properly, it’s also critical when taking legal action. Failing to follow recommendations can have an adverse impact on the case as it may cause the opposing side to undervalue the claim as they may not believe injuries are as severe as initially outlined.
When to Call a Lawyer
Aside from managing pain from injuries and the recovery process, many victims struggle with contacting a lawyer for their counsel and representation. However, keep in mind that getting a lawyer doesn’t have to be a cumbersome process. Typically most law firms offer complimentary consultations to prospective clients. As a result, victims have the opportunity to have their cases reviewed to determine whether it’s in their best interest to take legal action. Here are some signs that contacting an experienced lawyer is in your best interest:
- You suspect the other party was responsible for the accident
- You have sustained damages such as property damage and medical expenses, and injuries as a result
- The other driver’s insurance company or lawyer has contacted you
- You have been unable to work as a result of the accident
The process of managing a claim with lawyers and insurance companies can be both complicated and overwhelming, which is why speaking with Cohen & Cohen is critical. We will review your claim and assist you in determining whether you have a case and maximizing your claim.
