Fort Lauderdale Whiplash Injury Lawyer

Car accident injuries can range from slight bruises to severe lacerations and broken bones, but only a few are more common than whiplash. Whiplash occurs when one’s head is violently thrown forward then back causing excruciating neck and upper back pain. As much as this injury is associated with vehicle drivers, it’s estimated that 83% of passengers sustain whiplash injuries in auto collisions. This is primarily due to their inability to brace for impact.

No matter if you were the driver or passenger when you suffered your whiplash injury, you have the right to pursue compensation if it resulted from a third party’s negligence. The Fort Lauderdale whiplash injury lawyers at Salpeter Gitkin, LLP have experience helping the injured recover the funds needed to cover medical bills and all other accident-related expenses. Consult with us after your accident and learn about your legal options for securing compensation.

Symptoms of a Whiplash Injury

Whiplash is often an injury that goes unnoticed for days and in some cases weeks after the accident. This is especially true with children as they are usually unable to express that they are feeling symptoms of whiplash. In other cases, the rush of adrenaline experienced during and immediately after the accident can effectively mask injuries.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) classifies whiplash into five categories and details the symptoms associated with each as follows:

Grade I (Minimal): Neck pain, stiffness, or tenderness; no physical ailments
Grade II (Slight): Neck pain, decreased range of motion, and tenderness
Grade III (Moderate): motion limitation, ligament injuries, possible presence of neurological findings
Grade IV (Moderate to Severe): motion limitation, ligament instability, neurological findings present, fractures, or disc rearrangement on the spine
Grade V (Severe): surgical procedure needed to manage or stabilize the injury

If you feel any of these symptoms after being involved in a motor vehicle accident, it is vital that you take the appropriate actions to address your injury and ensure that you can receive compensation for treatment.

Steps to Take After Sustaining an Injury

Whiplash is an injury that often takes some time before it becomes symptomatic which is why you should immediately see a licensed physician. They have experience diagnosing whiplash injuries and can spot signs of the injury before you ever experience symptoms.

Insurance companies are often skeptical when approving personal injury claims for whiplash. To help ensure your claim isn’t denied, avoid expressing how your neck feels at the scene of the accident. Instead, allow medical documentation to speak for you. In that same breath, you should also document all of your medical expenses to have as proof of treatment when you go to file a claim.