Someone rear-ended you and you walked away just fine—or so you thought at the time. Now it’s been a few days, and you’ve got limited mobility in your neck, and the pain might even be getting worse. You’re thinking about taking a few days off of work just to recover. But what is even going on? Is it whiplash? And what can you do about it?
Whiplash symptoms vary, but some good signs that you may be experiencing whiplash include neck and shoulder pain, stiffness, dizziness, headaches, and memory loss in severe cases. The healing process for whiplash injuries can take anywhere from a few days to three months. A debilitating whiplash injury can disrupt your ability to work and enjoy life, as well as rack up medical costs. If you’re looking to file a personal injury claim in order to receive compensation for your injuries or medical bills, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Initially, you may have felt okay after the car accident, but that doesn’t mean you weren’t injured. Not only is proper medical attention important to help you heal from your injury, but if you do end up filing a personal injury claim, your medical records will help your case. Most insurance adjusters look at whiplash injury cases with suspicion, so it’s important to get all your facts and evidence together before filing anything with your insurance.
Document. Document. Document.
An insurance company isn’t going to take your word for it. Documents like medical records, pictures of the accident, witness documentation, and police reports can help establish the validity of your claim. If you have to miss work over your injury, you may need pay stubs, bank statements, tax returns, or a letter from your employer in order to get compensation for lost wages.
File a personal injury claim.
Once a medical professional has given you documents proving your debilitating symptoms are due to whiplash, don’t delay starting the personal injury claim process. If you live in Utah or another no-fault car insurance state, notify your own insurance. If you live in a state that allows for liability claims, notify the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
Seek legal counsel.
Reaching out to an attorney can help alleviate the stress of filing a claim yourself. An attorney will help you through your individual situation and give you advice tailored to your specific circumstances. Finding someone to fight your battle for you can take the pressure off and allow you to properly heal from your injuries. Plus, with most personal injury firms, it’s no up-front cost to you. They only take a small percentage from the insurance claim once the case has been resolved and paid out.
Let yourself heal.
Whiplash can be a debilitating injury. Don’t let it disrupt your life longer than it needs to. Everyone’s healing process looks different, so do what you need to do to heal and find peace of mind. Seek medical help. Get legal representation. Let yourself rest. Don’t let whiplash hold you back.
If you’ve been personally injured, consider talking to a personal injury attorney. Moxie Law is dedicated to gaining just compensation for car accident victims. For more information, call Moxie Law Group, an experienced personal injury firm in Utah, at 801-599-0691.
