Virginia Whiplash Attorney
A Virginia whiplash lawyer can provide legal representation if you suffer injuries to the soft tissues of the neck. Whiplash can be debilitating and interfere with your ability to work. If someone else caused your whiplash injuries you may have case for a legal claim. Talk to a Virginia car accident attorney who can help you to fight for that compensation.
Whiplash Injuries in Virginia Motor Vehicle Collisions
The North American Spine Society indicates that “whiplash” is both the cause and the name of a specific type of spinal cord injury (SCI). Whiplash occurs when the force of a motor vehicle crash abruptly thrusts you forward. Your seat belt will help keep your body in place, but your neck will thrust rapidly forward before jerking backward. This rapid forced movement can damage the soft tissues of the neck, including the muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
Neck sprains and muscle strains can occur, or the ligaments can tear completely. Symptoms of the damage often do not occur immediately, but can manifest within approximately 24-48 hours. When symptoms develop, you may experience:
- Numbness, weakness, or tingling.
- Pain spreading to the shoulder and arms.
- Significant discomfort when moving the head.
- Neck stiffness.
- Headaches, which feel as if they originate at the base of your skull.
- Dizziness
- Blurry vision.
- Exhaustion
- Ringing in your years.
- Difficulty sleeping.
While experiencing symptoms, your treatment may include muscle relaxers, prescription pain medications, injectable numbing drugs, or ultrasound therapy to treat whiplash. A foam or cervical collar may be recommended, and you may need to undergo physical therapy.
Many symptoms subside within a few weeks or a few months in some cases. Unfortunately, approximately 10 percent of whiplash sufferers develop chronic pain and some individuals may face ongoing and sometimes debilitating health problems due to a whiplash injury.
Who is Responsible for Whiplash Injuries in Virginia?
Rear-end collisions are the number one cause of whiplash injuries, although both front- and side-impact crashes can also cause whiplash. If another driver was responsible for your accident, they can be held legally liable for paying compensation for your whiplash injuries. In some events, another party may be at fault.
A Virginia whiplash lawyer can review the facts of how your crash happened and help you to identify all possible parties who may be responsible for your injuries.
Compensation for Whiplash in Virginia
If your whiplash injuries prevent you from working, you may be entitled to recover compensation for lost wages. This is true even if you had sick leave from work or took vacation time. The motorist responsible for causing your whiplash should also compensate you for the pain and suffering you endure, any emotional distress experienced, and the costs of medical treatment.
These expenditures are generally paid by the insurance company representing a driver who caused a crash. Unfortunately, insurance companies frequently view whiplash claims with skepticism because soft tissue damage does not always show up on X-rays or other imaging tests. Be sure to explain things carefully and thoroughly to your treating physicians so that their medical records accurately demonstrate your injuries and the causal relation to any trauma. A Virginia whiplash injury lawyer can help you to negotiate with the insurer for the at-fault party, and many cases will settle before the filing of a lawsuit.
If your case does not settle outside of court, you can file a personal injury lawsuit. A personal injury plaintiff must prove their case against the defendant by a preponderance of the evidence. In Virginia, a plaintiff in a negligence case must prove that the defendant owed a duty to the plaintiff, that the defendant breached that duty, that the plaintiff was injured, and that the defendant’s breach of the duty actually caused the plaintiff’s damages. In most automobile accidents, the duty owed to the plaintiff is the duty to use ordinary care while driving.
Getting Help from a Virginia Whiplash Attorney
A Virginia whiplash lawyer can be there at every step of your claim, helping you to understand your rights and move forward in your efforts to be fully and fairly compensated for losses. For help with the specific of your claim, or to hear your legal options call today.
