San Francisco Bay Area Whiplash Attorney
Whiplash injuries have the potential for causing a number of long-term side effects, including chronic pain, back problems, headaches and cognitive impairment. Why this is so becomes apparent once you realize what happens in a whiplash injury — typically, a person’s body is rapidly accelerated forward while their head remains momentarily stationary. This movement forces the head and spine into an unnatural S-shape contortion that overextends ligaments, tendons and muscles of the head and neck while the head is snapped back into place. Since tendons attach muscle to bone and ligaments attach bone to bone, whiplash injuries result in serious soft tissue injury that can take months to heal.
After a Rear-end Car Accident — Before You Accept a Settlement
Insurance companies realize it can take weeks or months to know what the full extent of a soft tissue injury is, especially in cases of whiplash. As a result, don’t be surprised if an insurance claims adjuster tries to convince you to settle now instead of later. In fact, you may be told that you’re likely to receive less money and may lose out on a chance of settling your case once and for all if you go to court.
Of course, insurers realize once you hire a personal injury attorney to represent you they have to talk to your legal representation and avoid contacting you directly. This means they can’t engage in the tactics they use to settle whiplash cases early in order to avoid paying any more than they absolutely have to.
Discuss Your Whiplash Injury with Your Doctor
It’s important to document your whiplash injury as early as possible. Here, your doctor may want to perform a CT scan, MRI or x-ray to determine the extent of your injuries. Documenting your injury in this way also makes it easier to counter claims that your condition is from an earlier injury or is the result of something unrelated to your accident.
Contact San Francisco Bay Area Whiplash Injury Attorneys Weber & Nierenberg
Whiplash injuries can be quite serious, especially if you are older, making it more difficult to heal and return to work. To learn how we can help you recover the damages your deserve, contact San Francisco whiplash injury attorneys Weber & Nierenberg today to schedule a free consultation and discuss your case.
