The Unique Challenges of a Whiplash Injury Claim

The Unique Challenges of a Whiplash Injury Claim

Unlike broken bones, scarring, disfigurements, burns, and even some illnesses, whiplash is an “invisible injury,” which makes it far more difficult to prove in a legal claim and therefore, far more difficult to win compensation for. However, the symptoms of whiplash can be chronic, painful, and life-altering. Oftentimes they do not appear until weeks or months after the accident that caused the injury in the first place, causing many to wonder whether the symptoms are the result of a different ailment entirely.

If you are the victim of whiplash, you have just as much right to compensation as victims of broken bones, head injuries, or other common injuries. The Rolling Meadows whiplash attorneys at SAM LAW OFFICE, LLC can help you recover the compensation you deserve by putting your injury and its lasting consequences into perspective so that the final decision-makers can fully comprehend what you are going through.

Whiplash Pain is Often Delayed

Many injuries occur upon impact, but some, like back pain or nerve damage, do not make themselves known until weeks or months after the accident. Whiplash is one of the latter types of injuries. It may take up to 24 hours for a person to feel the pain caused by whiplash and even longer to experience other side effects. Unfortunately, if a person does not feel any pain after an accident, he or she might tell others that he or she feels “fine.” An accident victim may even go on to post those words on social media.

Stating that you are “fine” after an accident is never a good idea, as symptoms of some injuries such as whiplash are slow to materialize. If you do tell people that you are okay, the defendant’s insurance company can and likely will use your words against you.

Whiplash Can Occur After Seemingly Minor Incidents

While there is a correlation between force, speed, and the severity of whiplash symptoms, it is not uncommon for individuals to experience the symptoms of whiplash after a seemingly minor incident. This is another factor that makes recovery for whiplash difficult. A person may also have a difficult time recovering damages when there is a lack of car damage, or when the accident occurred at low speeds.

That said, just because there is little to no car damage, and just because the accident occurred when you were going 15 miles per hour, does not mean that you are okay. Whiplash has been reported in collisions of less than 10 miles per hour. Some factors that may contribute to low-impact whiplash may include weak neck muscles, spinal injuries, and other conditions.

Whiplash Effects are Ongoing 

For many people, whiplash does not just cause pain. Untreated, whiplash can result in long-term health consequences, including but not limited to:

• Vision problems;
• Emotional changes;
• Dizziness;
• Sleep disorders;
• Trouble with memory or concentration;
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears); and
• Difficulty chewing, swallowing, and/or talking.

Some of these disorders may go away within months while others become chronic. If left untreated, whiplash symptoms can cause undue stress, social isolation, chronic fatigue, and other issues.

Retain the Help of a Skilled Attorney When Fighting Your Whiplash Claim

If you began to experience whiplash symptoms within hours, days, or weeks of your accident, you may have a difficult time recovering compensation for resulting damages. An experienced Rolling Meadows whiplash lawyer can help you prove your injuries and damages and fight on your behalf to try to recover the compensation you deserve. Call SAM LAW OFFICE, LLC today to discuss your case and your legal options.