Whiplash is one of the most common injuries for people to suffer in Clearwater if they have been involved in a car accident. The injury will often occur when a vehicle comes to a sudden stop as a person’s neck and head are thrown quickly and harshly.
If you or someone you know has suffered whiplash in a Clearwater car accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. As with any personal injury case, to claim the compensation, you will have to prove the negligence of the driver at fault for the car accident. Not only this, but you may also qualify for Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits. Unfortunately, you will be unable to get money for pain and suffering if the other driver was not at fault.
The Law Place in Florida can help you if you have suffered injuries in a Clearwater car accident. Our law firm has over 75 years of combined experience working on car accident cases similar to yours. Contact us today for a free consultation and a chance to speak to a skilled lawyer. Car accidents can cause innocent people to suffer painful injuries through no fault of their own, and it’s not fair. We are here to help you win the justice that you deserve. Call us today at (941) 444-4444.
Common Causes of Whiplash
Whiplash usually occurs when a vehicle is harshly struck by another vehicle during a car accident. The impact of the force onto the vehicle is eventually transferred to the driver and passengers. This can result in a person’s head, continually moving forward with the car and then suddenly jolted back into place. The force of this impact can cause the muscles and discs within a person’s neck and back to be stretched too far, causing them an injury. It is this over-stretching and resulting injury, which is known as whiplash.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident in Clearwater and suffered whiplash, it is paramount that you seek medical attention immediately. Not only is your health crucially important, but proving whiplash to an insurance company can be difficult, so you will require the formal documentation that can be received by promptly seeking medical treatment and attention.
The chances of a Clearwater personal injury lawyer at The Law Place, winning you the maximum amount of compensation you deserve for your injury may depend on whether you receive this medical documentation.
What Are the Symptoms of Whiplash?
After being involved in a Clearwater car accident, you may be suffering a variety of injuries. If you are suffering any of the following symptoms, it could be a sign of whiplash, and The Law Place strongly advises that you seek medical treatment.
- Headaches – Headaches caused by whiplash can occur in any region of your head, depending on how your head suffered the impact during your car accident. These are commonly caused when heads come into harsh contact with the dashboard or headrest.
- Back pain – If you have experienced whiplash, you may be suffering back pain in a variety of ways. These pains could include sharp stabbing pains or constant throbbing pains in the upper or lower back.
- Tinnitus – Tinnitus is the perception of noise in the ears which doesn’t exist. This usually occurs following damage to the neck or trauma to the head. A person suffering from tinnitus will experience a ringing noise in their ears.
- Jaw pain – This is a pain that often radiates to other areas of the face but will primarily focus on the jaw. This pain is usually caused by a sharp jolting motion or an airbag during a car accident.
Our law firm recognizes how traumatic it can be to suffer whiplash. If you are experiencing any of those symptoms, we recommend that you seek medical attention. A personal injury attorney at The Law Place will fight to get you reimbursed for any medical bills you may face as a result of your Clearwater car accident. You don’t have to suffer your injuries alone; we have an attorney for you.
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day. How Long Does Whiplash Last?
Car accidents often result in people suffering from whiplash. Those who suffer the symptom of neck pain will notice the pain subsiding after a few days or weeks. Unfortunately, however, between 12 and 50% of people who experience neck pain from whiplash will still have persistent neck or back pain even after a year of suffering their accident.
The longer it takes for a person to recover will usually depend on the severity of the accident. Those who experience severe pain immediately after their accident will usually have pain last for longer than most others. Also, people who have existing neurological symptoms or develop them after their accident will likely have to experience whiplash-related pain for longer than most others.
Regardless of how long your pain lasts, if you have suffered injuries as the result of being in an accident in Clearwater, Fl., a personal injury attorney at The Law Place can help you receive compensation for your pain and suffering.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience How Do You Treat Whiplash?
After suffering injuries in an accident, you may be diagnosed to have whiplash by a medical professional. They will then give you a treatment plan that combines physical therapy with medicines.
The medical professional will likely prescribe to you anything from muscle-relaxers and anti-inflammatory medications to steroid injections and opioid painkillers, depending on your pain and injuries.
You may also be advised to follow some home remedies in an attempt to treat your injury. These can include home exercises, hot and cold packs, and specific ways to sleep to ease the pain. The purpose of these home remedies is to aid the medical treatments prescribed to you by a doctor.
If you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident in Clearwater and are unsure of whether you have suffered whiplash, our law firm advises that it is in your best interest to seek medical attention. This is because once you have been diagnosed, you can receive medical treatment to begin treating your pain.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers. Duty of Care in Clearwater, FL
In Clearwater, Fl., all road users automatically assume a duty of care to all other road users to keep them safe when they are behind the wheel. This duty of care extends to pedestrians and cyclists, as well as other drivers.
This duty of care in Clearwater requires a driver to drive reasonably and sensibly so that they are not endangering anyone else. If a driver causes an accident and is caught violating their duty of care, they can be found liable for damages.
After an accident has occurred, it can be difficult to prove whether the driver at fault was violating their duty of care, but a skilled personal injury attorney at The Law Place will be able to lead an investigation into the accident to try and determine this. A personal injury attorney will gather the necessary evidence required to prove the driver’s liability.
What Damages Can You Claim for Whiplash?
After suffering a whiplash injury in Clearwater, you may be facing an immense amount of financial loss through no fault of your own. An attorney at The Law Place in Florida can help a whiplash victim receive damages for the following:
- Medical bills – Treatment for your injuries can be expensive, and you may notice the bills beginning to stack up. These bills include your treatment costs, transportation to treatment costs, and any future medical bills you may experience as a result of your injury in Clearwater.
- Loss of a loved one – The financial cost a family will experience after losing a loved one can be substantial. They will be faced with funeral expenses and loss of consortium.
- Pain and suffering – These damages can be difficult to quantify. They include anything from mental anguish to loss of enjoyment as a result of the injuries caused in an accident.
- Loss of earnings – If an accident leaves a person unable to work, they could be compensated for any wages they have missed out on in the past and will miss out on in the future.
- Property damage – A person can seek compensation from an insurance company for any damages that they have suffered to their vehicle because of a car accident in Clearwater. The repair bills that a person can face can be huge.
Why Do I Need a Clearwater Car Accident Attorney?
After suffering a car accident in Clearwater, the last thing you need to worry about is dealing with all the legal work thrown at you by your insurance company. Your main priority should be your health and recovery. By hiring a Clearwater personal injury attorney at The Law Place, you will be able to defer all of the legal paperwork and negotiations to your attorney so that you can focus on getting better.
A skilled Clearwater attorney at The Law Place will have a wealth of experience in negotiating with insurance companies, so you can be assured that your case will be fought by the most capable hands.
An attorney at our law firm will aim to settle a case fairly with insurance companies. However, if negotiations have been unproductive and the insurance companies are being stubborn, an attorney will not hesitate to file a lawsuit.
Florida Statute 95.11 outlines the Statute of Limitations. The law allows you four years from the date of your accident in Clearwater to file a personal injury lawsuit. We would advise, however, that you act well in advance of this time limit. By acting immediately, a lawyer will be able to prove your injuries more easily in court and prevent the negligent parties from disappearing.
Contact The Law Place Today!
If you or someone you know has suffered whiplash as the result of a car accident in Clearwater, you should seek the guidance of a skilled lawyer who is well versed with the injury law in Florida. A lawyer at The Law Place will be able to build you a strong case so that you can receive the compensation that you deserve for your suffering.
Our law firm has over 75 years of combined experience working on accident cases, which sets us apart from other law firms in Florida. We can offer you the legal representation of a lawyer who will be behind you and supporting you every step of the way. Our phone lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Don’t let a whiplash injury ruin your life. Call us today for a free consultation on (941) 444-4444.
