car accident injury

The sad fact is that whiplash is common in rear-end accidents, it can lead to life-altering permanent damage and it is definitely not a joke to those who can no longer provide for their families because of this injury. In these cases, consulting with an attorney may lead to a whiplash injury settlement.




Whiplash Injury Settlement - Neck Injuries From Car Accidents Are Real and Often Warrant a Whiplash

Perhaps no other common injury has been the butt of more lawyer jokes than whiplash. Just mention the word and visions of insurance fraud cases and shyster suits come to mind immediately. The sad fact is that whiplash is common in rear-end accidents, it can lead to life-altering permanent damage and it is definitely not a joke to those who can no longer provide for their families because of this injury. In these cases, consulting with an attorney may lead to a whiplash injury settlement.

What exactly is whiplash? It is a neck injury that most often occurs in a rear end car accident that causes the head to violently move backward and forward in a split second. It has inherited this moniker because the movements are so sudden and so rapid it is literally like a whip cracking. Because it is generally unexpected and fast, the force affects the neck muscles and ligaments them far beyond their typical range of motion.

The symptoms of whiplash can be immediate or take several days to appear and range from the very mild, like waking up with a stiff neck, to incredibly severe and disabling. The injury can manifest in other ways such as headaches, shoulder pain, blurry vision, vertigo type dizziness or even ringing in the ear. Less obvious early but potentially more complicated symptoms include those that affect day to day functions like concentration, sleep patterns and memory. These latter symptoms could be the precursors for a whiplash injury settlement.

It is critical to seek medical attention in any sort of violent accident or collision and in the case of whiplash symptoms; a person needs to see a doctor quickly if these include pain that spreads into the arms, extreme discomfort when moving the head, and any type of numb feeling, tingling or unusual weakness in the arms. A doctor will assess range of movement, tenderness in the neck and may order x-rays to check for fractures as well as an MRI or CAT scan to check on damage to nerves and soft tissue. It is estimated that 15-40 percent of whiplash victims will have pain for months after the event. Sadly, for many suffering from chronic severe neck pain, no physical damage to neck disks and ligaments can be identified even though the pain and limited motion are very real.

When chronic pain prevents a whiplash victim from pursuing his or her livelihood it is common to seek legal advice and pursue legal action when the injury is the result of another's negligence. While the injured party is entitled to reasonable compensation, the legal process can drag on for months or sometimes even years before a whiplash injury settlement is reached. In addition to the medical issues, now the injured person faces possible financial ruin if they cannot work and have no other resources. When faced with prolonged months without income and mounting debt, injured people often opt to settle for far less than they legally could be entitled to receive.

When no other alternatives exist and the injured person can no longer financially survive, one option to consider is pre-settlement lawsuit funding services. Sometimes referred to as a non-recourse loan, this loan is when the injured party contracts with a lawsuit funding service to receive a loan against the eventual lawsuit proceeds. If the case is lost in court, the client is not required to pay this money back. It is critical when pursuing a whiplash injury settlement to select a lawsuit funding service that is well-established, and that clearly explains every detail and is recognized as a reputable member of the local business community.

Those who have been injured in an accident or any other incident may want to look into soft tissue injury settlement. This type of Whiplash Injury Settlement advance is only for those who have no other monetary options to fall back on, but can be a life saver if needed.

car accident injury