A Car Accident Attorney Represents Clients Dealing With Whiplash
A car accident lawyer has the knowledge and experience to negotiate successfully with automotive insurers. In contrast, individuals with no legal background may make remarks to adjusters that the insurer later uses to dispute the claim. An accident attorney could be needed if an insurance company has denied a claim or made an unfair settlement offer. This might happen if the person didn't seek medical treatment for several days.
Whiplash Symptoms
In some instances, an individual walks away from an accident and feels fine physically, albeit a bit unnerved by the experience. Within a few days, however, the person's neck feels stiff and painful. People in a vehicle that has been rear-ended are vulnerable to whiplash. Neck pain develops because of strain to the soft tissues when the head forcefully jerks forward and back again.
Other symptoms may be noticeable too. Whiplash symptoms often include a headache as the neck pain radiates upward. The shoulders and upper back may feel achy. Dizziness is a possible symptom.
If the discomfort is not particularly bothersome at first, the person might just ignore the problem for a while. They might assume this is temporary and will fade quickly. However, the pain may increase until it becomes debilitating.
Insurance Adjuster Skepticism
A delay in whiplash symptoms is relatively common. Nevertheless, insurance adjusters may view the postponement of medical care as a red flag. They might think someone else encouraged this person to claim an injury. They could suspect the claimant is faking the pain in order to skip work and receive compensation from the insurer. An adjuster also might wonder whether this person experienced a neck injury after the accident in an unrelated activity.
Verifying the Injury
A physician can order diagnostic tests to verify the patient has whiplash. Those tests will confirm this is not a different kind of neck injury, but rather the one commonly associated with rear-end collisions.
Once the lawyer has all the necessary medical documentation to send to the insurer, more successful negotiations can begin. If the client requires time away from work to recover, lost wages should be paid. Medical expenses, including physical therapy, should be paid by the insurer.
Concluding Thoughts
When an injured person hires an accident attorney, this individual no longer has to feel obligated to communicate with insurance adjusters. The person can tell company representatives to contact the lawyer. Auto accident lawyers are familiar with insurers disputing whiplash claims. They provide aggressive representation for clients who have made no progress in obtaining a fair settlement.