Whiplash is one of the most common nonfatal auto accident injuries, yet can also be one of the most difficult to prove in personal injury court. The frequent indicators of whiplash, pain and stiffness, are subjective, and rarely does a case involving injuries from whiplash have corresponding visual evidence, such as an X-ray or MRI. However, that doesn’t make the condition any less painful or debilitating. An experienced Fort Lauderdale whiplash injury attorney can help you prove to the court the extent of your whiplash injuries, as well as the damage they have done to your financial well-being.
Depending on the severity of the injury, whiplash can seriously affect your quality of life for days, weeks, or more. If you have suffered whiplash due to an automotive collision in Broward County, Palm Beach County, or Miami-Dade County, contact the experienced Weston car accident attorneys of Lisa S. Levine P.A.. Lisa Levine will fight for the maximum compensation you need for your whiplash injury, even if that means taking a big insurance company to court. To schedule your free consultation, call (954) 256-1820 today.
Causes of Whiplash in Florida Auto Accidents
Whiplash is the common, non-medical term for the cervical acceleration-deceleration (CAD) syndrome that commonly occurs after a car accident – specifically, a rear-end collision. The collision doesn’t have to be high-speed for whiplash symptoms to occur; rather, whiplash has been diagnosed in collisions involving cars moving at 15 miles per hour or less. This is because what causes whiplash is the initial jolt to and subsequent force on the soft tissues and vertebrae of the neck. The less time the person has to react to the jolt, the more severe the injury may be.
Generally, there are three occurrences of hyperflexion, hyperextension, or impact when whiplash occurs. At the first jolt, the neck hyperflexions or hyper-extends in one direction. The second injury usually involves a sudden reversal of motion and impact of the head and neck with a hard surface area, such as a head rest. The third injury occurrence is internal, when the brain impacts the inside of the skull. If the force of the whiplash is great enough, the brain will impact the skull twice, once in the initial motion and once in the returning motion.
Injury Victim
The most common car accident to cause whiplash injuries is a rear-end collision; however, whiplash can occur in any car accident that causes the head and neck to move suddenly forward, backward, and/or sideways. How many bones, joints, discs, muscles, ligaments, nerve roots, and vertebrae are affected and at what extent depend on the amount of force and the suddenness of the motion.
If you are in a rear-end collision or any other kind of car accident in the Fort Lauderdale area and experience neck pain immediately following or within 24-48 hours of the accident, you could be experiencing whiplash symptoms. An experienced Broward County auto accident injury attorney can help you seek the compensation you need for medical treatment.
Symptoms of Whiplash Following a Broward County Car Accident
Because whiplash is a category of neck and shoulder injuries more than it is an injury in and of itself, the symptoms resulting in a whiplash diagnosis are varied. Sometimes there is actual tissue damage or a spinal cord injury involved which can have more severe symptoms, but more frequently there is no perceivable damage in a whiplash injury and the only indication is pain and stiffness. Some of the symptoms commonly associated with whiplash and its related disorders include:
- Dull or stabbing neck, shoulder, or back aches
- Dull or stabbing neck, shoulder, or back pains
- Muscle stiffness
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Blurred Vision
- Fatigue
- Pins and needles in the arms and legs – known as sensory disturbance
- Concentration difficulties
- Memory issues
- Ringing in the ears – tinnitus
- Irritability
- Depression
Loss of feeling, severe sensory disturbances, and severe, stabbing pain could indicate a more serious injury such as spinal stenosis or fractured vertebrae. In all cases, it is advised that you seek medical attention to rule out or diagnose other severe neck, back, or spinal cord injuries. An experienced Broward County car accident attorney can help you seek the compensation you need to cover all of your medical expenses incurred by your whiplash diagnosis.
What Compensation Can I Recover for Whiplash in Florida?
Whiplash may seem like a minor injury, but the resulting pain and stiffness can greatly disable a person from full movement for days, weeks, or even years. Additionally, sometimes more severe injuries such as slipped disks and fractured vertebrae are incorporated in to the whiplash-associated diagnosis. Any injury restricting movement involves financial loss in some form, whether it be through medical treatment or lost work hours. The compensation you may be able to claim for your whiplash injuries sustained in a Broward County area car accident include:
- Emergency medical expenses
- Medical treatment for injuries sustained
- Lost wages
- Reduced capacity to work
- Pain and suffering
What damages you can cover varies according to your insurance coverage and the insurance coverage of any of the other drivers. Additionally, Florida insurance law is constantly changing, especially with regards to Personal Injury Protection, so it is highly advised you seek the counsel of an experienced Weston motor vehicle accident lawyer.
Answers to Your Questions About Whiplash Injuries in Florida
What is Negligence?
Negligence is conduct that falls below the standards of care established by law for the protection of others against unreasonable risk of harm.
How Long Do Whiplash Lawsuits Typically Last?
The severity of the accident and the number of parties involved can affect how long any personal injury case lasts. An experienced lawyer can give you a better timeline depending on if settlement or trial is most favorable.
Should I Let My Insurance Company Know About My Whiplash?
You absolutely have an obligations to cooperate with your insurance company. Failure to contact your insurance company and provide basic information about the crash and your injuries can result in a loss of coverage for the accident.
You should avoid making statements about who was at fault for your accident though. Only relate the facts of the accident as they occurred. You should then talk to an experienced personal injury attorney before providing any other information to the insurance company.
Get Help from a Whiplash Injury Attorney in Fort Lauderdale
If you have suffered whiplash injuries due to a rear-end collision or other accident caused by a negligent driver in Fort Lauderdale, Weston, Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, or the surrounding areas, contact the experienced auto injury attorneys of Lisa S. Levine P.A. to begin fighting for maximum compensation in your case. Your first consultation is free, so call (954) 256-1820 today to schedule yours.
