Whiplash is a neck injury that is caused by sudden and forceful movements of the head. It is one of the most common types of injuries sustained in all types of car accidents, but more often in a rear-end collision. Even a minor car crash can lead to a whiplash injury, and it is important that you get checked out by a doctor as soon as possible.
A whiplash injury can affect your day-to-day life, from making it hard to sleep to having difficulty walking. It can take a long time to recover from such an injury, and it can stop you from being able to work or perform your usual activities for weeks or even months on end. If you suffered whiplash after a car accident and now the medical bills are piling up, then you will need a personal injury lawyer to assist you. A Bradenton personal injury lawyer will help you to secure the compensation that you need to cover your medical expenses, loss of income, mental anguish, and more.
At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of collective experience when it comes to managing personal injury cases and helping clients to recover the compensation that they deserve following a car accident in Bradenton and all over the State of Florida. Our law firm has worked under personal injury law for decades, and we have helped hundreds of clients to win compensation for their whiplash injury.
Contact The Law Place on (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation today, and a personal injury lawyer will fight for the compensation that you deserve for a whiplash injury following your car accident in Bradenton.
What Is a Whiplash Injury in Bradenton, FL?
Contrary to popular belief, whiplash is not a single particular injury – it is actually a combination of various injuries in the neck area. It tends to include strained muscles or tendons, sprain ligaments, and injury to soft tissue in the neck.
A whiplash injury occurs when your neck is overly stretched in one direction. Your body will be thrown back and forth in a motor vehicle, regardless of where your vehicle was hit by another driver. In some cases, your head might have forcefully hit the dashboard or the window, which can seriously injure your neck.
The most common cause of whiplash is a rear-end collision. Even though the headrest in your motor vehicle tends to do a good job of preventing your head from stretching too far backward, it will not help much if you were sitting forward in the seat or the headrest was not well adjusted at the time that the car accident occurred.
In some cases, a whiplash injury is not immediately noticeable. Adrenaline will often cover the extent of the pain and discomfort initially, and usually, the main symptoms will not be felt until the day after the car accident. If you did not experience pain immediately after the accident, you could still sue for injuries that arise in the following days. Most neck and back injuries will not present themselves until the next morning, and insurance companies are aware of this fact. However, the sooner you receive treatment the easier it will be to establish that your injuries were a result of the accident. Therefore we recommend all car accident victims seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
How Does a Whiplash Injury Occur in Bradenton, FL?
Whiplash can be caused by any type of crash, but the most common car accident that causes whiplash is a rear-end collision. It is also worth noting that motor vehicles do not have to be moving at high speed to cause a whiplash injury; even a motor vehicle traveling at as little as 10 miles per hour could force the neck to move in an unnatural way.
There are three movements that happen with the neck during a collision: hyperflexion, hyperextension, and impact. The initial motor vehicle impact will cause the neck to hyperextend in one direction, hyperflex in the reverse direction, and then impact with a hard surface like a headrest. The hyperflexion, hyperextension, and impact can injure the bones, ligaments, muscles, nerves, and tissues in the neck.
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day. Types of Accidents That Can Cause a Whiplash Injury in Bradenton, FL.
Whiplash is usually caused by the impact of a car accident which forces the head to move in an unnatural direction and stretch out the neck too far. There are many different types of car accidents that can cause a whiplash injury, such as:
- Car accidents.
- Truck accidents.
- Motorcycle accidents.
- Bus accidents.
- Pedestrian accidents.
- Slip and fall accidents.
- Construction accidents.
The Bradenton personal injury lawyers at The Law Place will launch an investigation into your accident to determine who should be held responsible for your injuries and other losses. As soon as you hire us, we will start to build a strong personal injury claim to recover compensation on your behalf.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience Symptoms of a Whiplash Injury in Bradenton, FL.
A whiplash injury can develop within 24 hours of a car accident. However, most people involved in a car accident will not realize that they have been hurt until they begin to feel pain, stiffness, and other signs of whiplash later on. It is essential that you get medical treatment after a car crash, and you should be mindful of the symptoms that can help you to determine if you sustained a whiplash injury. Some of the main signs and symptoms of whiplash include:
- A police report.
- A witness statement.
- Muscle spasms.
- Neck pain and stiffness.
- Tenderness around the neck.
- Pain that worsens with movement.
- Limited range of motion in the neck.
- Headaches starting at the base of the skull.
A whiplash injury can vary in severity, and it will be graded as listed:
- Grade 0 – No complaints or physical signs of a whiplash injury.
- Grade 1 – Experiences of neck pain but no physical signs of a whiplash injury.
- Grade 2 – Complaints of neck pain, along with signs of musculoskeletal injury.
- Grade 3 – Complaints of neck pain, along with signs of neurological impairment.
A whiplash injury at grade 4 will signify a fracture or dislocation. In simpler terms, the more serious the whiplash injury, the more physical signs the person will have. A severe whiplash injury can cause:
- Insomnia.
- Difficulty sleeping.
- Mood swings.
- Blurry vision.
- Ringing in the ears.
- Difficulty concentrating.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers. How Can I Prove My Whiplash Injury in Bradenton, FL?
The problem that you might face with suffering a whiplash injury is that it can be difficult to prove. The only way to prove it is by going to the hospital and sharing your signs and symptoms with your doctor.
In most cases, they will diagnose you with whiplash, and then your Bradenton personal injury lawyer will ask your doctor to testify as a medical professional to explain your symptoms to the judge and jury. A personal injury lawyer will also collect medical records, images, and other references to support your pursuit of compensation.
How Long Does a Whiplash Injury Last in Bradenton, FL?
It will usually take a few days or weeks for neck pain to go away. However, between 12 and 50% of people who suffer from neck pain as a result of whiplash will still have neck or back pain even after a year has passed.
The healing process will usually last longer for people who experienced severe pain straight after the car accident occurred, people who already had existing neurological symptoms, or people who develop neurological symptoms after the car accident.
How Do You Treat a Whiplash Injury in Bradenton, FL?
If you sustained a whiplash injury in a car accident, then it is important for you to seek medical treatment as soon as possible. In the past, a doctor would advise that someone with a whiplash injury wear a neck brace to prevent them from moving their neck. However, times have changed, and the new approach to treating a whiplash injury will include taking anything from muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatories to steroid injections and opioid painkillers, rehabilitation, light stretching, visits to a chiropractor, and other types of treatment.
A physician might also order that you take an X-Ray or MRI and follow other medical recommendations to make sure that you have not sustained any serious damage or tearing that could require you to have surgery.
The Importance of Following Medical Treatment in Bradenton, FL.
In most cases, the symptoms of whiplash will usually be mild, and the main treatment will be to simply rest, take prescription medication and allow the body to heal on its own. However, a medical professional might ask you to take diagnostic tests such as a CT scan or an MRI to determine whether there was any damage to your soft issue in regard to more serious car accident cases.
You will most likely have received a medical treatment plan to follow after a diagnostic test, and it is important that you complete treatments such as:
- Taking prescription medication.
- Going to physical therapy.
- Engaging in stretches and physical therapy at home.
- Receiving chiropractic or acupuncture treatment.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Whiplash Injury in Bradenton, FL?
The Bradenton personal injury lawyers at The Law Place will help you to file compensation for your whiplash injury and other losses. The first step to achieving this will be to identify the liable party or parties involved in the accident that caused your whiplash injury. The person or company that could be responsible for your injury will depend on how the accident occurred. A list of potential parties might include:
- A driver.
- Your employer (in the case of a work injury).
- A job site owner.
- A property owner or manager.
- The owner or manager of a sporting association.
- A heavy equipment manufacturer.
- An amusement park owner or manager.
Once our personal injury lawyers have identified the responsible party or parties, we will start to gather evidence against the liable party in order to build a personal injury case and pursue compensation for your whiplash injury and other losses. A list of evidence will include:
- A police report.
- A witness statement.
- Photo and video evidence.
- Property records.
- Maintenance logs.
- Accident reconstruction.
- Professional witness testimony.
Suing for a Whiplash Injury in Bradenton, FL.
Florida Statute 627.7407 outlines the ‘not fault’ rules for insurance claims in the State of Florida. The ‘no fault’ rules will force you to file a claim with insurance companies before you can turn to the court to recover compensation. However, there is usually only $10,000 worth of no-fault insurance coverage. If you still do not have enough to cover your injuries and other losses following a car accident, then you could be able to go to court with your case.
Whiplash can result in a permanent injury that might affect you for the rest of your life, which means that you could be eligible to sue the at-fault driver for your injuries and other losses. A lawsuit will compensate you for losses such as medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, property damage, and more.
Compensation for medical expenses will include any care that you received, such as hospital visits, check-ups at the doctor, visits to the chiropractor, physical therapy, rehabilitation, an MRI, and more will be covered. In addition, a whiplash injury might prevent you from going back to work while you are in the process of recovery. This means that a lawsuit will compensate you for lost wages, lost future earning potential, and any changes that have been made to your usual income since the car crash.
Compensation for a Whiplash Injury in Bradenton, FL.
If you were diagnosed with whiplash after a car accident, then you should get in touch with one of the Bradenton personal injury lawyers at The Law Place to discuss your case and the different options that you might have for recovering compensation for your injuries and other related losses. The most common types of compensation from a whiplash injury and other personal injury cases include:
- Medical Bills – Past, present, and future medical expenses, which include hospital stays, doctor’s visits, rehabilitation, physical therapy, prescription medication, and more.
- Lost Wages – Any wages that you might have lost by having to take time off work following a car accident.
- Property Damage – The costs to repair or replace your motor vehicle or other property that was damaged in a car accident.
- Pain and Suffering – It is normal for people to feel physical pain, emotional trauma, or mental anguish following a car accident.
- Wrongful Death – Losing a loved one in a car accident is hard enough to bear, and being left with the financial burden of their passing is not easy to handle either. Florida Statute 768.21 allows you to file a wrongful death claim to recover compensation following the passing of a loved one.
Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer in Bradenton, FL.
There are so many personal injury lawyers out there, and it’s not always easy to find the right personal injury lawyer for your case in the State of Florida. It is a very serious decision to make, and it is important that you consider these aspects when you are looking to hire a personal injury lawyer:
- Is the personal injury attorney familiar with handling car accidents involving back or neck injuries?
- How many soft tissue injury cases has the personal injury attorney litigated?
- Is the personal injury attorney skilled at litigating and negotiating?
- What type of fees does the personal injury attorney charge?
- Does the personal injury attorney have the time and resources to take on your case?
- Does the personal injury attorney have a good standing reputation with their peers and community?
- Does the personal injury attorney have good feedback and testimonials from past clients?
It is important that you hire a personal injury lawyer that you are comfortable around and that you can trust with your case. They will be your strongest advocate in pursuing your personal injury claim and protecting your legal rights in the State of Florida. Call our office to set up a free consultation with The Law Place today.
Bradenton Whiplash Injury Lawyer, FAQ
What should I do if I suspect I have a whiplash injury after a car accident in Bradenton?
If you suspect you have sustained a whiplash injury following a car accident, it’s crucial to seek medical attention immediately to document your injuries and begin appropriate treatment. Following your medical consultation, contact Bradenton personal injury attorneys to discuss your case. An experienced personal injury attorney can advise you on the steps to take to protect your rights. We recommend speaking to an attorney before informing your insurance company so that they can advice you.
How can a Bradenton personal injury attorney help me with my whiplash injury claim?
A Bradenton personal injury attorney, with their in-depth knowledge of Florida personal injury law, can significantly aid your whiplash injury claim by gathering necessary evidence, including medical records and expert testimony, to prove the extent of your injuries and the impact on your life. They will negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf and, if necessary, represent you in a personal injury lawsuit to seek fair compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
What types of compensation can I recover in a whiplash injury case?
In a whiplash injury case, you may be entitled to various forms of compensation, including but not limited to medical expenses for both current and future treatment, lost income if you’re unable to work, pain and suffering, and compensation for any long-term disability or discomfort caused by the injury. Experienced personal injury lawyers can help you understand the full scope of compensation available to you under Florida law.
How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit for a whiplash injury in Florida?
Under Florida personal injury law, you typically have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, it’s advisable to consult with a Bradenton personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your accident. Early consultation can help ensure that your legal rights are preserved and that evidence supporting your claim is collected and maintained effectively.
Can I still pursue a claim if I’m partially at fault for the accident that caused my whiplash injury?
Yes, Florida operates under a comparative negligence system, which means you can still pursue compensation even if you are partially at fault for the accident. However, your compensation may be reduced by your percentage of fault and if you are more then 50% at fault you will not be able to claim anything. An experienced personal injury attorney can provide guidance on how comparative negligence might affect your claim and work to maximize the compensation you can recover for your whiplash injury.
Contact The Law Place Today in Bradenton, FL.
If you sustained a whiplash injury in a car accident due to the negligence of another driver, then you could be eligible to receive compensation for your injuries and other losses in the State of Florida. No one should have to suffer alone following a car accident that was not even their fault, and that is why you should get in contact with a personal injury lawyer today.
At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of combined experience and knowledge when it comes to recovering compensation for people who have suffered a whiplash injury in Bradenton and throughout the State of Florida. Our law firm has managed hundreds of personal injury cases over the years, and we have an in-depth understanding of Florida law.
Pick up your phone to speak to one of our personal injury attorneys today. They will discuss the details of your case and offer you legal advice on the smartest move to make following your whiplash injury. The phone lines to our office are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Contact The Law Place on (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation today, and a personal injury lawyer will fight for the compensation that you deserve for a whiplash injury following your car accident in Bradenton.
